Experimental Analysis of Behavior Commons^™

The Psychological Effects Of Solitary Confinement On Incarcerated Individuals: A Systematic Literature Review, Lara Z. Parkes, Jonathan C. Dowers

Selected Student Publications

This systematic literature review looks at previous research that explores the possibility of a correlation between solitary confinement and the presence of mental illness within those isolated inmates. Twenty percent of prison inmates experience isolation for up to twenty-two hours per day with restricted social interaction and limited amenities (Hagan et al., 2018; Ryan & DeVylder, 2020). Certain inmate demographics are more likely to be sent into isolation in an effort to protect themselves or others, including members of the LGBTQIA+ community, the developmentally impaired, and the mentally ill. However, this practice often has the opposite of its intended effect. …

The Impact Of Mindfulness Practices In Teachers, Shawn M. Martin Hettinga

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

Mindfulness training has been identified as a promising means for cultivating social and emotional competencies and reducing stress. The purpose of the quantitative pre-post study using convenience sampling of educators in a rural K-12 in the Arkansas River Valley was to examine whether teachers’ participation in mindfulness activities were associated with changes in levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and job satisfaction. The study used the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and the Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS) and measured the responses from novice (0-3 years) and experienced (4+ years) teachers. The findings revealed that there was no difference between the …

Frontal Alpha Wave Asymmetry In Regard To Affect, Monica Leigh Sewell

All Master's Theses

This study examines frontal alpha brain wave asymmetry (FAA) in relation to emotion processing. Previous research has shown that differences between left versus right FAA could exhibit a neurological marker for emotional intelligence (EI), mental health, and stress. Behavioral data were collected using Profile of Emotional Competence Questionnaire, Perceived Stress Questionnaire, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7. This was followed by a series of resting EEG recordings. This study hypothesizes that participants who are mentally healthy, have higher EI scores and lower stress will display greater left FAA. The hypothesis is partially supported; participants with depression had greater …

Assessing Sex Differences In The Effects Of Short-Term Rem Sleep On Anxiety- And Depressive-Like Behaviors In Rats, Nadia Meshkati

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Findings from both human and animal studies suggest rapid eye movement (REM) sleep disturbances following a traumatic event can lead to inability to extinguish the fear association, and eventually influence the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Additionally, research has demonstrated that sleep disruptions, including REM sleep deprivation (RSD), increases anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors and states in animals and people, with evidence of sex differences. Furthermore, it has yet to be determined whether short-term RSD, a more natural animal model of PTSD, can influence affective state of subjects. The present study applied short-term RSD to investigate sex differences in the …

Scope Of Attention Variation As A Function Of Anxiety And Depression, Kathleen O'Donnell

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

As a social species, correct emotional perception is so vital, that the human brain has evolved a mechanism to control attentional choices by exerting a narrowed field of perception during danger, called the scope of attention (SoA). The SoA determines what information will be focused on or ignored by blocking the perception of non-relevant items and increasing selective focus on danger; even if danger is merely a sad-face. The emotional items blocked from perception cannot be remembered because they were never perceived. But, attention-control to emotional stimuli also varies with mood, as seen in mood-disorders. A mood-disorder’s effect upon the …

Behavioral And Voltammetric Analysis Of Chronic Escitalopram Treatment To The Hiv-1 Transgenic Rat: Implications For Comorbid Hiv-1 And Clinical Depression, Adam R. Denton

Theses and Dissertations

HIV-1 infection is a serious condition affecting approximately 37 million individuals. Between 30% and 60% of seropositive individuals will develop symptoms of clinical depression. These individuals are five times more likely to commit suicide than non-seropositive clinically depressed patients. Dysfunction in serotonergic and dopaminergic transmission has consistently been implicated in the pathogenesis of depression. Specifically, dysfunction in the prefrontal cortex and in the nucleus accumbens core region have been shown to be underlying factors in the trajectory of depression. Given these underlying neurological features, the present research employed behavioral testing and electrochemical recording in an attempt to elucidate the therapeutic …

Slam Poetry: An Online Intervention For Treating Depression, Spencer J. Ruchti, Mercedes Becker, Cara Mckee, Austin Herron, Alex Swalling

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Given that depression is the “leading cause of disability worldwide,” and that less than 50% of people suffering from depression receive treatment, this study aims to provide support for a globally accessible depression treatment (WHO, 2012). The study conducted implemented an internet-based treatment for depression in which users were provided an opportunity to watch slam poetry videos related to mental health issues and write free responses regarding the content of the videos and their subjective experience of depression. Numerous studies provide support for the effectiveness of expressive writing, online mental health interventions, and slam poetry in particular for reducing symptoms …

Development Of A Brief Screening Measure For Depression And Problem Drinking, Chris Wera

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the psychometric characteristics of a brief assessment measure for screening for depression and alcohol use on a college campus prior to primary care medical office visits. The measure was adapted from two widely used measures: the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-4) and the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT-C). Impulsivity, which has been associated with both depression and problematic alcohol use, was also examined through additional questions. The research study investigated the psychometric properties of the PHQ-4 and the AUDIT-C, and explored if eight impulsivity items from the UPPS-P measure could enhance screening for depression and problematic alcohol …

Depression, Social Anxiety, And Attachment As Predictors Of The Use And Quality Of Cyber Communication, Stefan E. Latulip

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study examined the influence of depression symptoms, social anxiety symptoms, and adult attachment style on the use and the perceptions of the quality of cyber communications with close friends, romantic partners, and family members. One hundred thirty-five individuals completed an initial survey, with sixty five of the original group completing a follow-up survey five weeks later. Results indicated that anxious attachment was associated with a greater reported usage of social networking sites, whereas avoidant attachment predicted less instant message use over time. Depression symptoms and avoidant attachment were generally associated with perceptions of higher negativity and lower positivity with …

Depression And Suicide Behavior Among College Students: Understanding The Moderator Effects Of Self-Esteem And Suicide Resilience, Canzi Wang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As suicide-related incidents on college campuses increase and receive intense media coverage and a growing percentage of college students experience suicide ideation and attempts, there is a desperate need for a more profound understanding of suicidality and its risk and protective factors among college populations. Recent years there has been a growing interest in the buffering effect of resilience on suicidality (Johnson, Wood, Gooding, Taylor, & Tarrier, 2011). This study adds to the suicide literature by exploring the relationship among depression, self-esteem, suicide resilience, and suicidality. Undergraduate students from a large university in the Western United States were asked to …

The Influence Of Gender And Alcohol Use On Depressive Symptoms Among Men And Women, Elizabeth Anne Peters

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the extent to which gender influences self-reported prototypical and masculine-specific symptoms of depression in men and women and whether or not alcohol mediates this relationship. Secondly, this study evaluated the effectiveness of the Denver Comprehensive Depression Inventory (DCDI), in measuring prototypical and masculine-specific depressive symptoms in clinical and non-clinical samples of men and women.

This paper summarizes the literature on gender differences in depression and the assessment of depression and gender, and outlines the current research on masculine-specific depression. It is argued that current assessment instruments identify prototypical symptoms of depression, as outlined in the DSM-IV-TR, but …

Attrition In A Telephonic Intervention Program For Depressed, Low-Income Patients In A Primary Care Setting, Benjamin C. Salazar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Telemental health interventions are currently being implemented in primary care settings in order to reduce the cost of providing treatment and increase access to services of underserved groups. Studies of the efficacy of telemental health interventions have generally demonstrated high rates of attrition. Eysenbach (2005) suggested that the reality of high attrition rates in telemental health studies prompts further investigation into the factors related to attrition. Such research should focus on identifying the characteristics of clients who drop out of treatment and at what points such clients are likely to drop out. The purpose of this study was to identify …

Assessment Of Early Maladaptive Schemas Via A Modified Stroop Task, Yelena Kholodenko

Theses Digitization Project

Processing biases play a major role in the understanding of anxiety disorders. The Schema theory hypothesizes that belief systems, early maladaptive schemas (EMS), cause selective processing of confirmatory information to the exclusion of disconfirmatory information. The current study was the first report attempting to provide empirical support for the measurement of EMS with a subtle cognitive processing assessment such as the Stoop task. A Schema Stroop task was constructed for the purposes of the current study.