Psychiatry and Psychology Commons^™

Prenatal Risk For Asd: Fetal Cortisol Exposure Predicts Child Autism-Spectrum-Disorder Symptoms, Sheena Ram, Mariann A. Howland, Curt A. Sandman, Elyssia Poggi Davis, Laura M. Glynn

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

The etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is multifactorial, complex, and likely involves interactions among genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors. With respect to environmental influences, a growing literature implicates intrauterine experiences in the origin of this pervasive developmental disorder. In this prospective longitudinal study, we examined the hypothesis that fetal exposure to maternal cortisol may confer ASD risk. In addition, because ASD is four times more prevalent in males than in females, and because sexually dimorphic responses to intrauterine experiences are commonly observed, we examined whether or not any associations differ by fetal sex. Maternal plasma cortisol was measured at …

Prenatal Risk For Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd): Fetal Cortisol Exposure Predicts Child Asd Symptoms, Sheena Ram, Mariann A. Howland, Curt A. Sandman, Elyssia Poggi Davis, Laura M. Glynn

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

The etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is multifactorial, complex, and likely involves interactions among genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors. With respect to environmental influences, a growing literature implicates intrauterine experiences in the origin of this pervasive developmental disorder. In this prospective longitudinal study, we examined the hypothesis that fetal exposure to maternal cortisol may confer ASD risk. In addition, because ASD is four times more prevalent in males than in females, and because sexually dimorphic responses to intrauterine experiences are commonly observed, we examined whether or not any associations differ by fetal sex. Maternal plasma cortisol was measured at …

As A Pediatrician, I Don’T Know The Second, Third, Or Fourth Thing To Do: A Qualitative Study Of Pediatric Residents’ Training And Experiences In Behavioral Health, Rachel Petts Phd, Jeffrey D. Shahidullah Phd, Paul W. Kettlewell Phd, Kathryn A. Dehart Md, Kris Rooney Md, Ilene G. Ladd Ms, Tyler Bogaczyk Bs, Sharon L. Larson Phd

International Journal of Health Sciences Education

Despite a mandated 1-month rotation in developmental-behavioral pediatrics (DBP), pediatric residents report inadequate training in behavioral health care. As a first step in much needed curriculum development in this area, this study sought to assess learner experiences regarding the management of behavioral health problems during residency. Four focus groups were conducted for residents in years 1-3 of training in 2 residency programs in a northeastern state. Transcripts were analyzed and coded by researchers through qualitative classical content analysis. The exploratory analysis revealed 9 key themes: time requirements, rapport building, resources and referrals for behavioral health, psychiatric medications, diagnosis vs. treatment, …

Addicted To The Answer, Charumathi Raman

Capstones

Hypochondria, which is now broadly known as health anxiety, is the fear of a serious illness that continues despite evidence to the contrary from laboratory tests and the reassurance of physicians. In the past people with this disorder would go from doctor to doctor seeking an answer, but now many people rely solely upon online information.

For people with health anxiety, the Internet provides a lot of fodder. Researchers have recently coined the term "cyberchondria" to describe the phenomenon of increased health anxiety due to online health searches.

Entering questions like “Who started World War Two?” or “Who was the …

Songbook And Activities: Popular Black Music Popular Songs From The 70’S To Present Day, Akeira Hill

Music Therapy Theses

Songbook and Activities: Popular Black music Popular Songs from the 70’s to present day

Stuck In Somatic Countertransference: A Heuristic Study, Katie Hochleutner

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

This heuristic research study explored how somatic countertransference in my own body, as a clinician, is related to my freeze response when working with clients in a behavioral health hospital. Primary questions that led the research, included: what does somatic countertransference feel like in my own body as a clinician, what happens in my body during a stress response of freezing, and, how can I modulate through my stress response to become regulated in session? These curiosities led to my ultimate research question, how can I, as an emerging dance/movement therapist, modulate through my freeze response while experiencing somatic countertransference …

The Manzano Movement Method (M3): Development Of A Dance/Movement Therapy-Influenced Seated Ballroom Dance Program For Adult Day Services For Persons With Dementia, Joshua Reese "Zano" Manzano

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

The purpose of this thesis was to develop a dance/movement therapy (DMT)-influenced seated ballroom dance program for adult day services for persons with dementia. This program development project, named the Manzano Movement Method (M3), aims to support quality of life by encouraging creative expression, reminiscence and socialization. M3 explored how seated ballroom dance can support the quality of life for this population via six different lessons of the following dances: waltz, cha cha, rumba, tango, foxtrot and swing. It also explored how the program can be utilized by care providers that are not dance/movement therapists. With collaborator help—stakeholders at an …

I Don't Know: An Artistic Inquiry Self-Study Of Clinical Decision Making In Dance/Movement Therapy, Sarah Wiltgen

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

The purpose of this artistic inquiry self-study was to engage in an embodied, in-depth process of exploration regarding how I engage in clinical decision-making. My research question was: “how do I, as an emerging dance/movement therapist, approach the clinical decision-making process?” Data was recorded through written journaling and video recorded improvisational movement. Journaling and movement were elicited through the visualization of a moment in a dance/movement therapy session in which I was caught off guard and needed to make a clinical decision. Such moments provoked anxiety and a freeze response that interfered with effective clinical intervention. Data was analyzed through …

Grief Moves: An Embodied Artistic Inquiry Into Losing And Finding The Self, Joanna Taubeneck

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

The purpose of this embodied artistic inquiry self-study was to investigate the role and felt-experience of grief during the process of professional identity loss. The use of this particular methodology offered the researcher an opportunity to use movement as the means towards both collecting and analyzing data so that the relationship between grief and identity transition could be sensed physically. Data was collected with a research consultant during six sessions of movement improvisations inspired by each of Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’ (1969) five stages of grief. The researcher and research consultant met six times as a result of their decision to include …

Dance/Movement Therapy Utilizing Therapy Dogs For Adults Diagnosed With Psychotic Disorders, Alyssa Danielle Owens

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

The purpose of this project was to develop dance/movement therapy (DMT) interventions incorporating therapy dogs with the goal of increasing present moment awareness in adults diagnosed with psychotic disorders. Individual interviews were held with two therapy dog handlers who served as consultants for the purpose of obtaining information regarding therapy dogs and how they are used in sessions. These individual interviews were audio recorded and transcribed to inform the development of three DMT interventions in collaboration with the dog handlers. A version of the Delphi Method was utilized in order to systematically organize the data obtained from the interviews (Hsu …

Caring For The Whole Clinician: A Body-Based Framwork For Self-Care And Supervision, Aliza Roth

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

The purpose of this program development project was to create a framework for clinical supervision that utilizes yoga and dance/movement therapy in support of the holistic wellness of mental health professionals. Clinicians are at risk for burnout and compassion fatigue, especially when they place more emphasis on their client’s well-being than their own. Research points to the significance of incorporating self-care, stress-management and embodied awareness of self and client into the supervision process; however, there remains an underdeveloped body of knowledge related to body-based frameworks for clinical supervision and how such frameworks relate to clinician self-care. Utilizing the five yogic …

Making Meaning Of Repetitious Movement Patterns: A Heuristic Inquiry, Elise Marie Ringenberg

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

The purpose of this research study was to explore how I, an emerging dance/movement therapist, understand and embody my own and my clients’ repetitious movement patterns. Through a heuristic inquiry, I explored how my body knowledge/body prejudice informs my observations and assessments of repetitious movement patterns exhibited in others. I also investigated how I may use my findings to create unbiased dance/movement therapy interventions. I collected data in the form of journal responses following individual dance/movement therapy sessions where I observed repetitious movements in children at my internship site, a medical unit at a children’s hospital. Secondly, I collected movement …

The Art Of Fortune-Taking, Allison Weintraub

Capstones

People suffering grief or emotional distress turn to many places for comfort, which can make them a target of psychic scam artists. Stigma about falling for scams might prevent victims from seeking help. https://medium.com/@allison.weintraub/the-art-of-fortune-taking-5cdedb6718d0

Change In Brain Volume And Cortical Thickness After Behavioral And Surgical Weight Loss Intervention, Cara Bohon, Allan Geliebter

Lander College of Arts and Sciences Publications and Research

Obesity is associated with reduced cortical thickness and brain volume, which may be related to poor nutrition. Given that brain atrophy in anorexia nervosa recovers with nutritional improvements and weight gain, it is worth examining how brain structure changes at the other end of the weight spectrum with weight loss. Thus, this study aimed to examine change in cortical thickness and brain volume in 47 patients with severe obesity who participated in no treatment, behavioral weight loss, or bariatric surgery. T1-weighted MRI scans were conducted pre-treatment and approximately four months later. Measures of cortical thickness, gray matter volume, and white …

Diurnally Active Rodents For Laboratory Research, Roberto Refinetti, G. J. Kenagy

Psychological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Although inbred domesticated strains of rats and mice serve as traditional mammalian animal models in biomedical research, the nocturnal habits of these rodents make them inappropriate for research that requires a model with human-like diurnal activity rhythms. We conducted a literature review and recorded locomotor activity data from four rodent species that are generally considered to be diurnally active, the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus), the degu (Octodon degus), the African (Nile) grass rat (Arvicanthis niloticus), and the antelope ground squirrel (Ammospermophilus leucurus). Our data collected under 12L:12D light-dark cycles confirmed and expanded …

Assessment Of Interprofessional Team Collaboration Scale (Aitcs): Further Testing And Instrument Revision., Carole Orchard, Linda L Pederson, Emily Read, Cornelia Mahler, Heather Laschinger

Nursing Publications

INTRODUCTION: The need to be able to assess collaborative practice in health care teams has been recognized in response to the direction for team-based care in a number of policy documents. The purpose of this study is to report on further refinement of such a measurement instrument, the Assessment of Interprofessional Team Collaboration Scale (AITCS) first published in 2012. To support this refinement, two objectives were set: Objective 1: to determine whether the items from the data collected in 2016 load on the same factors as found for the 2012 version of the 37-item AITCS. Objective 2: to determine whether …

Father–Daughter Bonds: A Comparison Of Adolescent Daughters’ Relationships With Resident Biological Fathers And Stepfathers, Cynthia G. Campbell, Elizabeth J. Winn

Psychological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Objective: To investigate whether the interpersonal dynamics of closeness are different in stepfather–stepdaughter versus father–daughter relationships during adolescence.

Background: Establishing a general process model of the relational factors contributing to greater closeness between fathers and daughters is a preliminary step toward examining variations in such processes.

Method: The data were from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (ADD Health), a nationally representative sample of adolescents. Respondents were female adolescents who were living with either a biological father (n = 1,881) or stepfather (n = 273) and reported on the availability and involvement of their (step)fathers, …

Biculturalism Dynamics: A Daily Diary Study Of Bicultural Identity And Psychosocial Functioning, Seth J. Schwartz, Alan Meca, Colleen Ward, Ágnes Szabó, Verónica Benet-Martínez, Elma I. Lorenzo-Blanco, Gillian Albert Sznitman, Cory L. Cobb, José Szapocznik, Jennifer B. Unger, Miguel Ángel Cano, Jaimee Stuart, Byron L. Zamboanga

Psychology: Faculty Publications

We examined two conceptualizations of bicultural identity – the Bicultural Identity Integration (BII) framework (cultural identity blendedness-distance and harmony-conflict) and cultural hybridizing and alternating (mixing one’s two cultural identities and/or switching between them). Utilizing data from a 12-day diary study with 873 Hispanic college students, we examined three research questions: (1) cross-sectional and longitudinal intercorrelations among these biculturalism components, (2) links among daily variability in these biculturalism components, and (3) how this daily variability predicts well-being and mental health outcomes over time. Bicultural hybridizing was positively related to, and longitudinally predicted by, both BII blendedness and harmony. Daily fluctuation scores …

Investigating Affective Pathways For The Influence Of Justification On Self-Control, Morgan Hill

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

People struggle with temptation in their everyday lives. Research often attributes failures in self-regulation to overwhelming and uncontrollable impulses. However, research also supports the idea that cognitive factors (e.g., justification) can license tempting behavior and allow individuals to behave in ways that run counter to their long-term goals. In addition, it is likely that affect plays a role in justification-based self-control failure. The current set of three studies investigated the role of affect in justification-based self-control failure. Study 1 tested the prediction that recall of past successes would result in increased positive affect. Study 2 assessed whether justification results in …

Evaluation Of Short Term Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Intervention In A Primary Care Setting, Kevin Hengeveld

Doctoral Projects

Introduction: Depression and anxiety are chronic recurring medical conditions that impact all aspects of health. When depression and anxiety are present with other comorbid diseases, mortality and health care costs are higher. Children and young adults are particularly vulnerable to mental health issues. Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for this demographic. Depression is common in adolescents with an incidence of 8 to 20 percent. Primary care provides 70 percent of mental health care in the United States, and the primary intervention offered is pharmacological. Evidence suggests that a combination of medication and psychotherapy provide superior relief of …