Health Psychology Commons^™

An Examination Of Depression In A Subclinical Eating Disorder Female Population, Christine Hill-Melton

Dissertations

This study examined depression and disordered eating symptoms in a population at high risk for the development of eating disorders. The level and prevalence of depression were compared between three groups of women with increasing severity of eating disordered symptoms.

Female undergraduate college students enrolled in psychology courses at four small colleges and one mid-sized university in Michigan completed a Biographical Questionnaire, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and an Eating Assessment Rating Scale (EARS). Participants were placed into one of three groups according to severity of disordered eating symptoms based on their responses on the EARS. The three groups were: …

The Link Between Psychosocial Factors And Coronary Heart Disease: A Possible Neuroendocrine Mechanism, Sheila Wang

Dissertations

Coronary heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death in the affluent world. Despite identification of several risk factors for coronary heart disease (age, sex, lipoprotein profile, hypertension, diabetes, cigarette smoking, obesity), a significant amount of variability associated with the incidence of coronary heart disease cannot be explained solely on the basis of these risk factors. The contribution of psychosocial factors to the development of coronary heart disease (type A behavior, social isolation, traumatic events, unstable social conditions) continues to be a promising area of investigation. However, a biochemical pathway linking psychosocial factors to coronary heart disease remains …

Sex Differences In Coping, Judy L. Johnson

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nolen-Hoeksema (1987, 1991) has suggested that males engage in more problem-focused, distractive, coping strategies, whereas females engage in more emotion-focused, ruminative, coping strategies. This study tested NolenHoeksema's response styles theory, which suggests that using a ruminative response style may predispose women to depression more than men. It also examined perceptions of effective coping and utilization of social support. One hundred and twenty subjects completed the Ways of Coping Checklist, a coping questionnaire, the Perceptions of Coping Questionnaire, the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25, the Inventory of Socially Supportive Behavior, and the Personality Attributes Questionnaire. Results provide evidence for sex differences in the …

Maternal Perceptions Of The Social Development And Behavior Of Asthmatic Children, Chelley A. Merrell

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

To assess the effects of asthma on the social development and behavior of asthmatic children, 60 mothers of 6- to 13-year-old children (30 mothers of asthmatics, 30 mothers of non-asthmatics) completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL: Achenbach & Edelbrock, 1986) and were administered the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale (Vineland: Sparrow, Balla, & Cicchetti, 1984). It was hypothesized that asthmatic children would lag behind non-asthmatic peers in social development, defined as the development of age-appropriate behaviors (i.e., communication, daily living skills, and socialization). In addition, it was hypothesized that asthmatic children would exhibit more internalizing behaviors than non-asthmatic children. There were …

The Effect Of The Cooper Wellness Program In Promoting Long- Term Lifestyle Behavior Changes, Ernesto P. S. Medina Jr.

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Most research on health behavior change programs examines their effectiveness in producing initial behavior changes, but fails to evaluate long-term maintenance of those changes. This study examined the effectiveness of the Cooper Wellness Program (CWP) in Dallas, Texas, in promoting maintenance of lifestyle behavior changes for one year or longer in the areas of diet, exercise, and stress management.

The CWP offers an intensive live-in lifestyle behavior modification program in four-, seven-, or 13-day formats. Data were collected from 223 individuals who attended the CWP between January, 1989, to February, 1992. The study addressed the following areas: 1) long-term maintenance …

The Relationship Between Self-Efficacy, Outcome Expectancy, And Metabolic Control In People With Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus, Edwina Rudisill Giddens

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of the present study is to examine the relationships between self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, and metabolic control in people who have insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. Thirty-seven adults with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus completed questionnaires assessing diabetic-related self-efficacy and outcome expectancy. Their level of metabolic control was determined using glycosylated hemoglobin (GHb) and blood glucose. The subjects were statistically divided into groups of metabolic control--good and poor--based on the results of their GHb. The relationships between self-efficacy and outcome expectancy were analyzed for both groups. Results of Pearson Product Moment correlations did not reveal significant correlations between GHb and self-efficacy …

The Identification And Magnitude Estimation Of Stressors In A Selected Military Population At One Training Command, Susan W. Miller

Community & Environmental Health Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the most stressful aspects of being a student at a military training command. ·Forty students listed the significant stressors that they encounter at the training command. This list was reviewed and consolidated into a stressor rating questionnaire with 16 stressors. A convenience sample of 86 students rated the stressors. In the second part of the study, the students rated the stressors on a scale of "0 to 1000". The study revealed that the most significant stressors for students were absence of family and friends, uncertainty about their future, dealing with instructor's attitudes, …

Identification Of Which High Risk Youth Smoke Cigarettes Regularly, Alan W. Stacy, Steve Sussman, Clyde W. Dent, Thomas R. Simon, Dee Burton, Brian R. Flay

CGU Faculty Publications and Research

This study investigated which variables distinguish high school-aged adolescents who identify themselves as members of a high-risk group and, among them, those who report regular (weekly) vs. light levels of cigarette smoking. Youth who identified with a high-risk group were most likely to report problem-prone characteristics, such as a preference to take risks and smoke cigarettes. Yet, only half of them reported regular levels of smoking. Two variables delineated light smoking among these youth: not having a close friend who smoked and placing an importance on health as a value. Development of new tobacco-use prevention strategies to impart health values …

Cognitive Motivations And Sensation Seeking As Long-Term Predictors Of Drinking Problems, Alan W. Stacy, Michael D. Newcomb, Peter M. Bentler

CGU Faculty Publications and Research

The development of comprehensive theories regarding the determinants of
vulnerability toward drinking problems depends in part on longitudinal evidence
linking psychosocial precursors to clinically-relevant problem consequences. In
an investigation of some of the more promising psychosocial precursors of
problem vulnerability, we evaluated the long-term predictive effects of adolescent
cognitive motivations for alcohol use and sensation seeking on a wide variety of
adult drinking-problem consequences including driving while intoxicated (DWI).
Results indicated that the Cognitive Motivation factor was a significant, independent, nine-year predictor of a factor of Drinking-Problem Consequences. Over this same period, certain cognitive motivation and sensation seeking indicators independently …

Citizen Participation In The Development Of Religious Communities As Extended Health Care Centres, Theresa Connie Dunn

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Citizen participation was encouraged through the use of a needs and resource assessment. The assessment accomplished: 1) a process of involving rural citizens in community decision-making and 2) gathering data useful to the planning of a community chaplaincy program. Seventy participants completed a questionnaire through one of three methods: 1) self-administered by mental health service users, 2) a phone survey of residents in remote rural areas, and 3) a nominal group process involving congregational members. I focused the analysis of the data on: 1) the actual and suggested resources the participants reported for the four needs: personal, spiritual, social and …

Ontario's Mental Health System: The Experience Of Families And Their Perspective On Reform, Eric Laite Macnaughton

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Over 100 family members were interviewed—individually and in focus groups—to gain a picture of their lived experience and their perspective on reform of Ontario's mental health system. The thesis looks at needs of families in two ways. first, by examining the common themes of their experience with the mental health system and with supporting "consumers" in the community; and second, by asking families directly about their satisfaction with existing supports, and about needed additional supports. Focus group participants were asked to make suggestions about innovative models to meet unmet need, and about how families could participate more fully in the …