Social Psychology Commons^™

Social Support, Problem Solving, And The Longitudinal Course Of Newlywed Marriage, Kieran T. Sullivan, Lauri A. Pasch, Matthew D. Johnson, Thomas N. Bradbury

Psychology

Married couples (N = 172) were observed as newlyweds and again one year later while engaging in 2 problem-solving and 2 personal support discussions. Microanalytic coding of these conversations was used to examine associations between problem-solving and social support behaviors over one year and their relative contributions to 10-year trajectories of self-reported relationship satisfaction and dissolution. Results demonstrated that initially lower levels of positive support behaviors and higher levels of negative support behaviors predicted 1-year increases in negative emotion displayed during problem-solving conversations. Emotions coded from the initial problem-solving conversations did not predict 1-year changes in social support behaviors. Controlling …

From Infanticide To Activism: The Transformation Of Emotions And Identity In Self-Help Movements, Verta Taylor, Lisa A. Leitz

Peace Studies Faculty Books and Book Chapters

Taylor and Leitz trace processes of collective identity construction and politicization among women suffering from postpartum psychiatric illness who have been convicted of infanticide. Joining a growing body of research suggesting that self‐help and consumer health movements can be a significant force for change in both the cultural and political arenas, Taylor and Lietz examine one such movement, a pen‐pal network of women incarcerated for committing infanticide. Taylor and Leitz show how a sense of collective identity fostered by the pen‐pal network triggered a profound emotional transformation in participants, allowing them to convert shame and loneliness into pride and solidarity, …

Social Support, Social Control And Health Behavior Change In Spouses, Kieran T. Sullivan, Lauri A. Pasch, Katherine Hanson, Kathrine Bejanyan

Psychology

Our work on support processes in intimate relationships has focused on how partners in committed relationships help one another contend with personal difficulties, and how partners elicit and provide support in their day-to-day interactions. We are particularly interested in how these support skills relate to marital outcomes (Pasch & Bradbury, 1998; Pasch, Harris, Sullivan, & Bradbury, 2004; Sullivan, Pasch, Eldridge, & Bradbury, 1998) and how they relate to behavior change in spouses (Sullivan, Pasch, Johnson, & Bradbury, 2006), especially health behavior changes. In this chapter, we review research examining the effects of social support and social control on spouses' health …

Experiences And Perceptions Of How Community-Based Interventions Can Promote Young Adults' Resilience To Suicide Within Rural/Regional Communities, Tracy Evans

Theses : Honours

In the literature, both statistics and studies have noted that suicide in rural/regional young adults' is an important concern. Recent research suggests, that to facilitate a primary approach to suicide prevention in young people, there is a need to promote the protective construct of resilience at a community level, highlighting strategies such as connectedness, and decreasing the stigma related to mental illness and health-seeking behaviour (Commonwealth Department of Health & Aged Care, 2005; Injury Control Council of Western Australia, 2006). However, there is a need to investigate and identify the links or mediating factors that promote individual resilience within a …

Attachment: The Antidote To Trauma, Joshua Straub

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Trauma and loss in life are inevitable. And all too often the traumatic experience itself can be enough to paralyze the mental, emotional, and spiritual state of any given person. Unable to interpret the traumatic experience, many instead are left defined by it. Helping clients discern the objective experience and their subjective reactions to it will help free them from the emotions and beliefs that subsequently control their lives. Based on the most relevant attachment theory research and clinical techniques, this workshop teaches the attentional strategies necessary to helping clients overcome trauma.

The Relationship Of Psychology And Social Interest To Disciplinary Infractions Committed By Women Prison Inmates, Katie Lynn Rye Olbinski

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study is a direct extension ofNoble's (2006) research that showed that psychopathy and social interest are related to disciplinary infractions committed by male inmates. While Noble's (2006) population used male inmates, this study examined the relationship of these constructs to female inmates' disciplinary infractions. Psychopathy is defined by a lack of empathy, egocentricity, and superficial charm (Cleckley, 1964). Social interest, on the other hand, is characterized by a willingness to cooperate with others and an ability to accept responsibility (Kaplan, 1991 ). Participants in this investigation were 114 female inmates from a prison facility within the Indiana Department of …

Affective Decision-Making Predictive Of Chinese Adolescent Drinking Behaviors, Lin Xiao, Antoine Bechara, Jerry L. Grenard, Alan W. Stacy, Paula Palmer, Yonglan Wei, Yong Jia, Xiaolu Fu, C. Anderson Johnson

CGU Faculty Publications and Research

The goal of the current investigation was to address whether affective decision making would serve as a unique neuropsychological marker to predict drinking behaviors among adolescents. We conducted a longitudinal study of 181 Chinese adolescents in Chengdu city, China. In their 10th grade (ages 15–16), these adolescents were tested for their affective decision-making ability using the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and working memory capacity using the Self-Ordered Pointing Test. Self-report questionnaires were used to assess academic performance and drinking behaviors. At 1-year follow-up, questionnaires were completed to assess drinking behaviors, and the UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale was used to examine …

Behavioral Couple Therapy: Partner-Involved Treatment For Substance-Abusing Women, William Fals-Stewart, Wendy K.K. Lam, Michelle L. Kelley

Psychology Faculty Publications

Among the various psychosocial interventions presently available to treat alcohol and drug abuse, it could be argued that partner-involved treatments are the most broadly efficacious. There is not only substantial empirical support for the use of couple-based treatments in terms of improvements in primary targeted outcomes, such as substance use and relationship adjustment, but also in other areas that are of clear public health significance, including intimate partner violence (IPV), children's adjustment, and cost-benefit ratio and cost-effectiveness. During the last few decades, programmatic research on the application of partner-involved therapies for substance abuse has been among the most active and …

Arginine Vasopressin And Male Attachment: A Marital And Family Therapy Perspective, Calvin James Thomsen

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Social neuroscience offers a promising way to understand some dimensions of adult attachment. Arginine vasopressin (AVP) is a neuropeptide with significant implications for human social behavior and it provides an important testing ground to explore links between social/interpersonal neurobiology and attachment. It has a distinctive impact on the social/relational behavior of certain male animals, most notably prairie voles. It fosters monogamy, creates attachment to both mate and offspring, and increases affiliation and a desire for physical proximity with other animals of the species. There has been much speculation that it might play a similar role with human males. This study …

College Students Concern Toward Public Intoxication, Ashley N. Mason

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

A survey of college students was administered in order to better understand why students choose to either walk after consuming alcoholic beverages or drive after consuming alcoholic beverages. Students were asked to answer demographic questions along with opinion questions as well. The main variables used in this study were perceived severity of offense, perceived certainty of offense (i.e. level of concern about getting stopped), moral condemnation and punishment avoidance.

Univariate, bivariate and multivariate analyses were examined to see what characteristics have an impact on students behavior regarding public intoxication. Although significant with one or both dependent variables, perceived severity, perceived …

The Importance Of Gender And Readiness To Change In The Prediction Of Drinking And Negative Consequences Of First-Year Student Drinkers, Margot E. Ackermann

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

College drinking is widespread, and binge drinkers can experience serious consequences. The present study examined the effectiveness of two interventions, expressive writing and behavioral monitoring, as well a combined condition, in reducing drinking and negative consequences associated with drinking. Gender differences and differences in readiness to change binge drinking were also assessed. Participants (N = 97) completed a pretest, eight weekly intervention activities, and a posttest during their first semester of college. An ANOVA tested the hypothesis that individuals higher in readiness to change binge drinking participated in more of the weekly intervention activities; this hypothesis was not supported. A …

Authoritarianism, Hostility Toward Women, Attitudes Toward Violence, Rape Myth Acceptance, And Sexual Aggression, Gina M. Bondi

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Almost one out of every five women has been, or will have been, the victim of sexual aggression and/or rape in their lives (National Institute of Justice, 2000). This staggering statistic exemplifies the importance of speculating which traits are related to, or are predictive of, sexually aggressive behavior. Based on previous research, the current study investigated relationships between authoritarianism, hostility toward women, attitudes toward violence, and rape myth acceptance, as related sexual aggression in undergraduate men It was projected that authoritarianism, hostility toward women, attitudes toward violence, and rape myth acceptance would significantly and positively predict all dimensions of sexual …

College Students And Gambling: Gauging The Effects Of Gender On Impulse Control, Sensation Seeking, And Mental Health As Predictors Of Involvement, Terry D. Burger

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The main purpose of the current study was to enhance the global understanding of adolescent Internet gambling involvement by examining rates of participation and the influence of impulse control, sensation seeking, and mental health problems as predictors of involvement. In addition to a demographic survey to gather information including year in school, age, gender, mode of gambling participation (online vs. traditional venues), age gambling participation began (for both non-Internet and Internet modes), disposable income, and hours spent online each week, the current research study questionnaire was comprised of a three standardized instruments: {a) the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS); (b) …

Nonlinear Dynamics And Interpersonal Correlates Of Verbal Turn-Taking Patterns In A Group Therapy Session, David Pincus, Stephen J. Guastello

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Interpersonal processes and dynamics are ubiquitous topics in psychotherapy, yet they are difficult to study and are theoretically fragmented across therapeutic subdisciplines. The current study tests an integrative model of interpersonal dynamics in small groups using nonlinear dynamical systems theory. The conversation of one group therapy session (with six adolescent sex offenders) is analyzed using orbital decomposition, which allows for the identification of patterns in categorical time series data. The results show evidence of selforganizing social patterns, based on formal measures of turbulence (Lyapunov dimension), information novelty (Shannon's entropy), and complexity (fractal dimension). The degree of patterning in turn taking …

Effect Of Comorbid Psychiatric Disorders On Measures Of Group Cohesion In Substance Abusers, Sharon Bradford Robbins

Doctoral Dissertations

Substance dependence and treatment have been the focus of research for a number of years. Recently more attention has been directed toward identifying the most appropriate treatments for people with more complicated substance disorders, those with substance dependence and mental illness. The current study examined three aspects of group cohesion, a necessary condition for effective outcomes, in 64 substance abusers with a comorbid mental illness. The rated aspects of group cohesion included overall group climate, individual group members' self-worth, and each member's perception of the relationship with the group leader. Groups were divided according to profiles based on results from …

What Is Positive Disclosure And To Whom Do We Disclose? The Role Of Topics, Gender And Type Of Relationship In Positive Self-Disclosure, Elizabeth Landers Ford

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study examined what topics (including experiences, feelings, and thoughts) people define as positive self-disclosure. The study also looked at reasons people generate for self-disclosing versus not disclosing something positive. Male and female students spontaneously described a past experience or feeling they perceive to be personal and positive. They then indicated whether or not they disclosed about these experiences or feelings to their father, mother, same-sex friend, and a past or present significant other/spouse. These descriptions were coded into one of eight categories: Religion, Family Development, Friendship, Sex, Romance, Self-Confidence, Achievement, and Helping Behavior, plus a Miscellaneous category. There were …

Juvenile Fear Of Crime And Attitudes Towards The Police: The Effect Of Implementing A School Resource Officer Program In Alaska High Schools, Sean A. Case

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This paper presents data concerning the effect uniformed police officers have on attitudes towards the police and fear of crime within the high school setting. Two identical surveys were administered to 522 high school students at two periods during a school year. The primary purpose was to determine whether placing uniformed police officers, called School Resource Officers, in high schools would improve attitudes towards the police and reduce the fear of crime. Although opinions towards the police were positively affected and the fear of crime was reduced, neither was affected significantly. The primary implication drawn from this research is that …

Mixing Motives: The Relationship Between College Students' Helping Behaviors And Alcohol Use, Randy Lee Halberda

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study investigates the relationship between volunteer helping and alcohol use and drinking problems in a sample of 396 college students. Two pilot studies were conducted to adapt a measure of helping behavior (Kaskutas, Oberste, & Zemore, 2002) for use with college students. The present study tests the hypothesis that students who help others are less likely to consume alcohol and subsequently less likely to suffer alcohol-related problems than their peers. Additionally, a path model specifying mediators between helping behaviors and drinking outcomes was examined. The proposed path model predicted that volunteer helping affects well being and perceived peer …

The Relationship Among Pathological Internet Use, Level Of Social Anxiety, And Degree Of Self-Esteem, Mark Tanner Gibson

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the variables of degree of selfesteem, level of social anxiety, level of education, age, and gender can predict whether or not individuals meet criteria for Pathological Internet Use (PIU). The Diagnostic Questionnaire was used to ascertain the degree of pathology in each participant's Internet use. Participants also completed a 25-item Social Anxiety Inventory, a 30-item SelfEsteem Inventory, and several demographic items. The sample consisted of399 individuals, 31 of whom met criteria for PIU (leaving 368 Non-PIUs). A discriminant analysis was used to analyze the data to determine whether PIUs and Non-PIUs …

Predictors Of Participation In Premarital Prevention Programs: The Health Belief Model And Social Norms, Kieran T. Sullivan, Lauri A. Pasch, Tara Cornelius, Ellen Cirigliano

Psychology

The development of effective programs to prevent marital dysfunction has been a recent focus for marital researchers, but the effective dissemination of these programs to engaged couples has received relatively little attention. The purpose of this study is to determine which factors predict couples' participation in premarital counseling. Predictive factors were derived from the health prevention literature, with a particular focus on the health belief model (HBM). Couples' beliefs and attitudes about premarital counseling were assessed at least six months before their wedding, and participation was assessed after their wedding. Results indicate that the strongest predictors of couples' participation were …

An Exploration Into Gender Role Conflict, Attitudes Toward Females, And Relationship Beliefs, Julia M. Wood

Doctoral Dissertations

Gender role conflict and negative attitudes toward females have been areas of increasing concern since the early 1970s. Research has shown that both gender role conflict and negative attitudes toward females cause complications for the person with such perspectives. Relationships are an area that has been impacted by gender role conflict and attitudes toward females. Determining the impact that gender role conflict and attitudes toward females have upon each other and upon relationship beliefs will increase awareness of the seriousness of these complications allowing clinicians to focus therapeutic interventions on methods that will increase relationship quality.

Using the Gender Role …

Substance Using Women : The Social Meaning Of Substance Use For Using Women And The Negotiation Of Identities, H. Suzanne Mackeith

Theses : Honours

This thesis is framed as an inquiry into the attitudes and experiences of women to their use of psychoactive substances and the contribution that use makes to their construction of gendered identities and meanings they derive from their use. The thesis also explores how these meanings relate to, and contrast or concur with, wider social attitudes relating to ‘feminine’ identity, issues of resistance and control, self control, happiness, independence and dependence, social roles and relationships, risk-taking and safety. The thesis aims to contribute to feminist understandings concerning substance use and to add a feminist interpretative voice to the alcohol, tobacco …

Recruitment Of Engaged Couples For Premarital Counseling: An Empirical Examination Of The Importance Of Program Characteristics And Topics To Potential Participants, Kieran T. Sullivan, Carmen Anderson

Psychology

The recent emphasis on prevention in helping couples to avoid marital distress may be limited by lack of participation in prevention programs by engaged couples. The purpose of this study is to understand what potential participants perceive are attractive characteristics in premarital prevention approaches. Eighty-six engaged couples completed questionnaires assessing demographics, personality and the relative importance of premarital program characteristics. The results indicate that leader characteristics, content, and topics such as communication, finances, and problem-solving are the most important elements of premarital counseling to couples. Differences based on gender and risk level are reported. Suggestions are made for more effective …

Thinness In Women: The Impact Of Female Body Weight On Relationship Satisfaction And Commitment, Wendy Walter Campbell

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study represents an investigation of the impact of weight change on romantic relationships, and the hypothesized gender difference in the importance assigned to a partner's weight. Participants were 221 undergraduate students (148 women and 73 men) from a medium sized Midwestern University. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions in which their weight in a photo image was increased, decreased or left unchanged. Upon inspecting the image, participants were asked to complete measures of relationship satisfaction and commitment (including among others, items from the Dyadic Adjustment Scale [DAS]), the Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale [KMSS], as well …

Creation Of Paranoia, Part Ii, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

This is the final section of an article that explores parallels between delusions and paranoia suffered by society and by the mentally ill. Motives behind the creation of paranoia are discussed. Focus is given to creation of paranoia toward the Jewish people, because this social pathology has infected most of the world for a greater period of time than any other. Reaction to rejection of ideology is found to be an important motive for creation of paranoia in society. Other manifestations of social paranoia, such as the creation of false memories, are also discussed. (Note 1: The article is written …

Expanding A Gang Tattoo Removal Program For San Bernardino County, Appannagari M.D. Gnanadev

Theses Digitization Project

This thesis covers the background and history of cultural attitudes towards body art, scarification and tattoos, the history of street gangs and their influence and impact on Southern California communities, and an in-depth program analysis of the "Gang Tattoo Removal Program" established at the Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC).

Adult Attachment Styles And Their Relationship To Marital Satisfaction In Couples In First Marriages Of Seven (7) Years Or Longer, Melanie Whiteway

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Portuguese-Americans And Mental Health Treatment Client-Therapist Ethnic Match, Ethnic Identity, And Satisfaction With Treatment, Katherine B. Gamble

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Multicultural issues in psychotherapy have increasingly been recognized as important in the provision of mental health services to our diverse population. Issues such as beliefs about mental health, attitudes toward authority, and even world view affect how clients access and make use of psychotherapy. Cultural views are essential to how one sees the world, and consequently there is much debate about whether clients would benefit from having therapists from the same cultural background. Ethnic identity, or the degree to which a person holds to the beliefs of their culture of origin, consequently plays an important role in psychotherapy. The Portuguese …

Emotional Dysregulation In Children With Aids-Diagnosed Mothers: A Comparative Study, Kathleen O'Brien-Sheber

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Social Support In Marriage: Translating Research Into Practical Applications For Clinicians, Kieran T. Sullivan, Lauri A. Pasch, Kathleen A. Eldridge, Thomas N. Bradbury

Psychology

How spouses support one another may be important in understanding and preventing marital distress, but has received relatively little attention. Instead, the behavioral model of marriage and corresponding treatment protocols have focused on the importance of good conflict management skills in preventing and treating marital distress. This paper outlines recent research indicating that couples social support skills predict marital outcome two years later, above and beyond conflict management skills. These results indicate that successful prevention and treatment programs may need to incorporate support skills training as well as conflict management training. Practical implications of this research are outlined, and specific …