Clinical Psychology Commons^™

The Combined Benefits Of Dispositional Mindfulness And Trait Self-Compassion As Potential Buffers Of The Effects Of Perceived Stress On Sleep Quality In College-Aged Young Adults., Jackie Ma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Using a nonclinical sample of 108 undergraduates between the ages of 18 to 25 years old, this cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between dispositional mindfulness (as measured by the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire; Baer et al., 2006) and sleep quality (as measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; Buysse et al., 1989). Second, it evaluated the association between trait self-compassion (as measured by the Self-Compassion Scale; Neff, 2003b) and sleep quality. Third, it aimed to test for an interaction effect between dispositional mindfulness and trait self-compassion as buffers against the adverse effects of perceived stress on sleep quality. Results showed …

Cannabis Sleep Aid Use In Daily College Life: An Intensive Longitudinal Assessment Approach, Patricia A. Goodhines

Dissertations - ALL

Objective: Emerging evidence suggests that college cannabis sleep aid use may increase vulnerability to diurnal impairment, despite proximal sleep-related benefits. In contrast, relatively little is known about proximal precipitants of cannabis sleep aid use in daily college life. The identification of modifiable, situational intervention points preceding cannabis sleep aid use in daily college life is critical to accelerate the development of college harm reduction efforts. This 14-night mixed methods study tested temporal associations of THC-based cannabis sleep aid use with cognitive arousal-based precipitants (consistent with cognitive theory of insomnia) and sleep outcomes.

Method: Daily diary (pre-sleep and waking) and actigraphy …

Drinking Motives As Potential Mediators Of Associations Between Loneliness And Alcohol Use And Consequences Among College Students, Faith A. Shank

Theses and Dissertations

College is a pivotal time when many individuals begin to cultivate social relationships and engage in heavy drinking practices, resulting in alcohol-related consequences. Two potential factors associated with college drinking behaviors are loneliness and drinking motivation. Loneliness has mixed associations with drinking behaviors, meanwhile, drinking motives have clear associations with drinking behaviors. Prior research suggests that individuals experiencing loneliness are more likely to drink to cope, yet the existing research examining loneliness, drinking motives, and drinking behaviors is limited. Thus, this study aims to examine associations between 1) loneliness and drinking behaviors; 2) loneliness and drinking motives; 3) and whether …

The Relationship Between Perceived Stress And Disordered Eating In Undergraduate Students During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Caroline G. Martin

Gettysburg College Headquarters

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected and imposed challenges on nearly everyone, including college students. Despite their already stressful situations, previous research has demonstrated increased stress levels among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, research has also shown an increase in disordered eating for college students during the pandemic. However, few studies have investigated the relationship between both perceived stress and disordered eating during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the present study used a correlational design to investigate a potential association between perceived stress and disordered eating among undergraduate college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. By administering the EAT-26, the CSSEC, …

The Role Of Rumination In Predicting Sleep Quality, Christina Harper

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown links between rumination and sleep quality, giving some evidence to coping mechanisms such as mindfulness and alcohol use that may affect rumination and sleep quality (Crain et al., 2017; Lydon et al., 2016). This study aimed to explore how rumination, mindfulness, alcohol use, and alcohol-related consequences contribute to sleep quality. Specifically, this study hypothesized that rumination, mindfulness, and alcohol use would predict sleep quality. Additionally, this study hypothesized that alcohol use, mindfulness, and alcohol related consequences would moderate the relationship between rumination and sleep quality. Participants completed the study online and were recruited from both a university …

Savoring As A Protective Behavioral Strategy For Cannabis Use, Maha Noor Mian

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Protective behavioral strategies (PBS) aim to mitigate harms related to substance use. Many individuals use cannabis for relief, but little work has focused on strategies to enhance therapeutic benefit safely. The present paper includes two studies that test a novel theoretical model positing enhancement of subjective effects as a protective strategy against cannabis-related harms. Enhancement was operationalized as savoring, a facet of mindfulness, as a potential PBS to mitigate cannabis-related negative consequences and alter subjective effects associated with use. Study I was a cross sectional survey examining relations of savoring, PBS, and cannabis use outcomes as well as the feasibility …

Evaluating The Relationship Between Orthorexia Nervosa, Eating Disorder Symptomatology, And Related Psychological Constructs In An Undergraduate Mixed-Gender Sample, Kimberly Marie Martinez

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The pursuit of a healthy lifestyle has become a central focus of Western societies over the past few decades. As rates of chronic conditions, such as obesity and type II diabetes, continue to rise, so too has the desire to maintain one’s optimal state of health. For some, the pursuit of a healthy diet becomes an obsession that interferes with one’s physical and psychological wellbeing. Orthorexia Nervosa (ON) is a proposed eating disorder characterized by a pathological fixation on healthy eating. Unlike other established eating disorders (EDs), ON is focused on the quality of one’s diet, rather than the quantity …

No Time For That: Graduate Psychology Student Perspectives On Self-Care Culture, Anthony Primavera

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Graduate psychology students face numerous stressors that can hinder their performance both academically and clinically as they move through their education and into the professional world (Pakenham & Stafford-Brown, 2012; Shen-Miller, 2011). Engagement with regular self-care not only can enhance a sense of well-being, but also plays a crucial role in shielding an individual from some of the most harmful effects of stress (Wise et al., 2012). Graduate level psychology programs are inherently positioned to teach graduate trainees about the importance of self-care practices and to help them develop self-care habits that they can take into future careers. It appears …

The Relationship Between Social Media Use And Depression And Anxiety Symptoms During Covid-19, Tene'sha L. Crews, Christina Sheerin

Undergraduate Research Posters

The rise of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a global surge in exposure to disaster and crisis-related media. Increases in poor mental health outcomes such as anxiety and depression, are associated with increased exposure to such media content (Abbas et al., 2021; Riehm et al., 2020; Zhao & Zhou, 2020). In recent years, social media has become one of the most widely used sources for news; approximately 48% of adult Americans receive their news from social media (Pew Research Center, 2021). During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in social media use due to social distancing and …

Problematic Social Media Use And Depression In College Students: A Mediation Study, Morgan Hummel

Masters Theses

Recent research has shown a relationship between problematic social media use and depression symptoms in adults in the United States. Social comparison has been identified as a mediator in this relationship in previous studies. Little research has explored the underlying mechanisms in social media use and the onset of depression symptoms in college aged students. The present study examines whether social comparison mediates the relationship between problematic social media use and depression symptoms in 102 college students in the US. The participants completed measures of problematic social media use, social comparison, and depression symptoms. The results indicated a positive relationship …

A Proposed Grief Support Group Intervention For College Students At A University Counseling Center, Kyle Cacoyannis

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

The current paper draws upon previous literature, along with the author's experience facilitating grief support groups to introduce a proposed grief support group intervention that could be implemented with college students at university counseling centers in the United States and potentially abroad. The author discusses literature on grief, grief support groups at university counseling centers and in other settings, and presenting problems related to grief among college students and young adults which help inform the design of the proposed intervention. The group intervention design is outlined in detail in the Appendix section, however the Method section gives a brief synopsis …

Therapist Self-Disclosure With Mandated College Students: A Case Study, Zachary Lattanzio

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Facing the stark reality of a disturbing mental health crisis present in the college populations of the United States, college counseling centers (CCC) must figure out ways in which they can utilize all of their available limited resources, especially regarding potential high-risk students who are unlikely to seek treatment and those that pose a danger to self or others. In certain cases, mandated treatment can potentially mitigate or eliminate crises, and may serve as an effective intervention to students whose risky behavior may be normalized within the culture of colleges across the United States. However, while this course of treatment …

Relation Of Emotion Regulation Difficulties, Self-Compassion, And Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, Emily Anne Kalantar

Dissertations and Theses

Exposure to potentially traumatic events is associated with high emotion regulation difficulties, development of posttraumatic stress disorder, and elevated healthcare expenditures. Emotion regulation difficulties are related to worse clinical and sub-clinical posttraumatic stress symptomology relative to use of effective emotion regulation strategies. Yet, significant variance in posttraumatic stress symptom severity remains unexplained after accounting for emotion regulation difficulties, suggesting identification of additional explanatory variables is warranted. Considerable research suggests high (vs. low) self-compassion, which entails extending kindness to oneself, is related to more effective emotion regulation and low posttraumatic stress symptom severity. As such, self-compassion may be one variable that …

Intention-Behavior Discrepancies For Alcohol Consumption Among College Students, Emily Kaye Junkin

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Unplanned drinkers may experience elevated risk for drinking-related harm. Research examining unplanned drinking focuses on the unplanned nature of a drinking episode (i.e., did the student drink when no drinking was planned), yet this does not capture the importance of the unintended quantity consumed. For instance, a discrepancy between drinking intentions and actual consumption has the potential to differentially impact alcohol-related outcomes beyond what is accounted for by unplanned drinking episodes. Further, research has not investigated how college students’ unintended drinking is associated with alcohol-related consequences. Moreover, utilization of protective behavioral strategies (PBS) has been shown to decrease negative outcomes …

An Experimental Investigation Into The Impact Of Acute Stress On Alcohol Craving Through Implicit Coping Motives, Douglas J. Glenn

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Drinking to cope with negative emotions is associated with many negative alcohol-related outcomes such as increased alcohol use, drinking-related problems, and alcohol use disorders. An acute stressor is one example of a stimulus leading to negative emotions that an individual may wish to avoid. Research has shown that acute stress positively relates to drinking. Specifically, previous experimental studies have shown that individuals exposed to a stressor drink more alcohol and have stronger urges to drink than those not exposed to a stressor. Thus, it may be that drinking to cope explains why people experience alcohol cravings after experiencing a stressor. …

Majority To Minority Shift: Experiences For American Born Chinese College Students From Predominant Chinese American Communities To Predominantly White Institutions, Joseph C. Chung

Doctoral Dissertations

This research aimed to fill the gap in literature by focusing on the experiences of American born Chinese college students that moved from ethnically dense Majority Minority Chinese American Communities (MMCAC) to attend Predominantly White Institution (PWI) college/universities. The study utilized a Grounded Theory qualitative approach, which led to the development of 6 categories or themes from 17 concepts and 48 codes. These were based on data from 10 participants across two phases with two interviews each (initial and follow-up). The 6 themes “Previous MMCAC Environment,” “Identity,” “New PWI Environment,” “Values,” “Transition Experience,” and “Mental Health'' provided the descriptive experience …

Depressive Symptoms And Marijuana Outcomes In College Students: The Mediating Role Of Protective Behavioral Strategies For Marijuana, Nicholas Militello

Master's Theses

The present study evaluated the sequentially mediating role of protective behavioral strategies for marijuana (PBSM) and marijuana use frequency on the relationships depressive symptoms had with hazardous marijuana use and marijuana-related negative consequences in college students Participants were 338 (50.3% male) undergraduate college students age 18 to 25 (M = 22.10; SD = 1.97) who reported marijuana use in the past 30 days. Participants reported their gender and completed measures of depressive symptoms, PBSM use, marijuana use frequency, marijuana-related negative consequences, and hazardous marijuana use through an online survey from a 2018 project. Depressive symptoms were positively associated with …

Breaking The Cognitive Spell: Cognitive Fusion Mediates The Relation Of Cognitive Anxiety Sensitivity And Rumination In Undergraduate College Students, Jacey L. Anderberg

Honors Thesis

Rumination (i.e., intrusive and repetitive self-directed thinking) predicts the onset, severity, and maintenance of depression (Galecki & Talarowska, 2017). Ruminative behavior is positively associated with cognitive anxiety sensitivity (i.e., fear of losing internal control; CAS), which may be attributed to cognitive vulnerabilities of depression. However, researchers have not clarified the link between these variables, and mechanisms responsible for change in CAS following treatment are unclear (Tull & Gratz, 2008). Accordingly, clarification of intermediate factors that may be targeted in psychosocial interventions appears warranted. Cognitive fusion (i.e., engaging with thoughts as true reflections of reality rather than products of thinking; CF) …

The Relationship Between Resilience And Social Support Among College Students During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Amy Baskin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Due to the unprecedented and unexpected nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is little data to date that have investigated the impact on college students. The current study evaluated the relationships between resilience, social support, and distress levels among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. One-hundred and ninety-one college students in a psychology course completed three measures assessing resilience, social support, and distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. The first hypothesis was that as social support increases, then resilience will also increase in a college population during a worldwide pandemic. A second hypothesis was that as resilience increases, then distress will …

The Effects Of Familial Support, Social Support, And On-Campus Involvement On Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms On Academic Achievement, Kelsey G. Coulthard

LSU Master's Theses

Research demonstrates that students with higher levels of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTS) exhibit lower grades in college (Pereira, et al., 2018). Further, higher levels of PTS during the first semester of college leads to higher rates of withdrawing from school (Boyraz, Horne, Owens, & Armstrong, 2013). Although there is ample evidence that the association between traumatic experiences are negatively correlated with academic performance, little is known about factors that may moderate or influence the relationship. Research has determined that higher levels of social support may facilitate recovery from trauma exposure and may lessen PTS symptoms in college students (Grasso, 2011). …

Assessing The Predictors Of On-Campus Student Wellbeing In The Time Of Covid-19, Victoria Lynn Hrzich

Theses and Dissertations

College students endure a great deal of stress and are one of the most vulnerable groups for mental health difficulties. Despite the stressors they face, a vast array of research highlights several factors that contribute to student wellbeing, such as social support, coping, and psychological flexibility. Similar trends have been found in the literature on student distress and wellbeing following large-scale crises. Due to the unprecedented nature of COVID-19, there is limited research on student distress levels during the pandemic and the effectiveness of these previously useful stress management factors during this unique crisis. Therefore, the current study assessed student …

Mindfulness And Its Impact On Adaptive Coping And Psychological Well-Being: An Intervention For Undergraduate Students, Charles Bradley Freligh

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The concept of mindfulness has been shown to positively impact psychological well-being, and one application of mindfulness-based interventions has been the development and implementation of courses specifically for college students, a population that has been shown to be particularly vulnerable to the negative impacts of stress. While these interventions have displayed beneficial outcomes, the mechanisms of how mindfulness exerts its impact remain unclear. One potential mechanism of mindfulness’ enhancement of well-being may be through its cultivation of an adaptive coping style in which an individual becomes more likely to approach and investigate stressors rather than avoid them. In this study, …

The Mediating Effects Of Drinking Refusal Self-Efficacy On The Associations Between Alcohol Protective Behavioral Strategies And Alcohol Use Outcomes, Kray Scully

Dissertations

Alcohol use continues to pose a serious public health problem at universities across the U.S., largely due to the extent of consumption and frequency of negative consequences experienced among college students. Alcohol protective behavioral strategies (PBS-A) are an empirically supported repertoire of safe drinking behaviors college students can use to monitor and control their alcohol consumption as well as limit harm while drinking. However, there remains a need to better understand how cognitive mechanisms, such as drinking refusal self-efficacy (DRSE), help explain college student safe alcohol use behaviors to enhance evidenced-based intervention and prevention efforts. Recently, studies that examined the …

Using Sleep Quality And Alcohol Expectancies As Predictors For Problematic Alcohol Use, Shelby Alexandra Stewart

LSU Master's Theses

College students who experience problematic alcohol use report poorer health and endorse more health-related problems, like sleep deprivation, than their counterparts who engage in safer alcohol consumption behaviors (Demartini & Carey, 2009; Ham & Hope, 2003). Students who engage in higher rates of problematic alcohol use also report the anticipated effect of relaxation and tension reduction as part of their decision to consume alcohol than students who do not engage in problematic alcohol use (Brown, Christiansen, & Goldman, 1987). The link between sleep problems and the use of alcohol as both a relaxant and sleep aid increase the risk for …

College Students' Social Media Uses And Affective Correlates, Jennifer L. Lippold

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Given the high prevalence of mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety among college students, research on social media use, a salient feature of the modern college experience, is increasingly warranted. While research documents a link between negative psychological symptomology and social media use, few studies have examined what specific patterns of use may be more or less harmful than others. Therefore, the present study investigated whether specific types of social media use (socially oriented uses, information seeking uses, and entertainment uses) are more or less strongly associated with affective variables (depression, anxiety, positive affect, and negative affect). Utilizing …

Statistical Fit And Factor Structure Of The Food-Life Questionnaire In Emerging Adult Undergraduate Students, Arielle Wolinsky

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The Food-Life Questionnaire (FLQ) is a psychometrically sound measure of beliefs and attitudes towards food that was initially developed and validated for use with a general adult population; however, the psychometric properties of the measure have yet to be examined in an emerging adult population. The constructs captured by the FLQ are particularly relevant in emerging adulthood, because it is a time of increased risk for the development of disordered eating attitudes and behaviors. Using data from a large, demographically diverse sample of emerging adult undergraduate students (n = 679), the current study evaluated the fit of the original five-factor …

An Exploration Of Overparenting And College Student Ability To Manage The Stress Associated With College Life, Isabelle Creste

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

There has been an increase in the level of anxiety, perceived stress, and mental health problems among college students. An examination of the contributions of parenting to these increases may help in improving college student mental health; however, research is limited in this area. This study examined the associations between overparenting, and other types of parenting including, authoritarian, authoritative, and permissive parenting, and differentiation of self, cognitive emotion regulation, perceived stress, and state and trait anxiety. The participants were 163 undergraduate college students (74.8% identified as cisgender women, 25.2% identified as cisgender men). The participants completed questionnaires that described their …

Late Adolescent Evaluating Responsibility Attributions And Social Distance Preferences Toward Peers With Mental Illnesses, Hannah Jo Turner

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of A Brief Online Alcohol Intervention For College Students: The Role Of Race-Specific Normative Feedback, Racial/Ethnic Identity, And Readiness To Change, Jacob Scharer

Dissertations

Brief online interventions are effective for reducing alcohol use among college students. However, some research has suggested that these interventions may be less effective for African American students. This study evaluated the acceptability and efficacy of a widely available brief online alcohol intervention in a sample of African American and Caucasian college students through a randomized controlled trial. The aims of this study were to determine if providing race-specific normative feedback impacted treatment efficacy for African American students, and if this effect was moderated by racial/ethnic identity and readiness to change. Participants were 310 heavy drinking African American and Caucasian …

The Influence Of Adhd Symptoms And Social Functioning On Anxiety And Depression Symptoms In College Students, Danielle Willis

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has shown that Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is associated with impaired social functioning in children and adolescents. ADHD and poor social functioning have been shown to be separately associated with increased anxiety and depression symptoms as well. However, little research has examined these associations among college students. College is a transitional period of increased stress and exposure to new social situations for all students, but may be even more challenging for those with ADHD, who are already at risk for increased internalizing problems and impairment in social functioning. The current study aimed to examine the influence of ADHD symptoms …