Psychiatry and Psychology Commons^™

Relations Between Ethnic-Racial Identity Statuses And Critical Consciousness Among Latine Adolescents, Kristia A. Wantchekon, Esther Burson, Olga Kornienko, Norma J. Perez-­ Brena, Maciel M. Hernández, M. Dalal Safa, Thao Ha

Psychology: Faculty Publications

Ethnic-­racial identity (ERI) development reflects the processes through which adolescents learn about their ethnic-­ racial background (i.e., exploration) and develop clarity about what it means to them (i.e., resolution). Research on ERI has been critiqued for not examining connections between ERI and broader social beliefs, such as critical consciousness (i.e., individuals' level of reflection about social oppression, motivation to take action against it, and the extent to which they take such action). When examining connections to ERI, research underscores the importance of considering individuals' patterns of exploration and resolution in tandem (i.e., ERI status) rather than analyzing them in isolation. …

Mental Health In Adult Oncology Patients, Jenna Pope

Capstones

Adults with cancer suffer from mental challenges that frequently go under diagnosed and under treated (Fernando et al., 2023). This can lead to lower quality of life, resulting in reduced adherence to treatment, more frequent hospital stays, increased healthcare costs, and increased mortality rates (Matthews et al., 2025). There are currently no policies on mental health screening for adult oncology patients at every outpatient appointment. By consistently utilizing standardized screening tools such as the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 during all oncology appointments, this can close the gap in policy to address mental health needs of these individuals. It is vital to …

Perceptions And Attitudes On Biospecimen Sample Collection For Dementia Research In Kenya, Lucy Kamau, Chinedu Momoh, Karen Blackmon, Caroline Kiio, Jasmit Shah, Vaibhav Narayan, Irene Meier, Olivera Nesic Taylor,, Zul Merali, Edna Bosire

Brain and Mind Institute

Background: Biospecimen sample collection is crucial in dementia diagnosis and evaluation. Limited research exists from African Countries including Kenya on people's perception on biospecimen sample collection for dementia- a disease that is largely unknown. Our aim was to understand the public perceptions towards collection of biospecimen samples for dementia research in Kenya.

Method: We conducted 8 focused group discussions (FGDs; age and gender stratified) in Nairobi to understand people's perceptions about different biospecimens (urine, saliva, blood, tears, hair, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and the brain samples). An open-ended FGD guide was used for the discussions, each lasting about 90 minutes.

Result: …

Vitality Tracking In Kenyan Adults Using Wearable Devices And Ecological Momentary Assessments, Karen Blackmon, Benard Alaka, Catherine Onyancha, Litha Musili, Raechel Kamau, Cyprian Mostert, Mansoor Saleh, Zul Merali, Chinedu Momoh, Thomas Thesen

Brain and Mind Institute

Background: Vitality is essential to healthy aging but is elusive to define and measure.Dynamic capture of fluctuations in vitality can uncover abnormal trajectories thatcould be a harbinger of frailty in older adults. Yet, these fluctuations are missed bystatic and/or sparse sampling strategies. To address the need for dynamic and high-density capture of vitality in older adults, we developed a passive sensing and activeprobing digital platform using wearable devices and smartphones. We deployed thisparadigm in older Kenyan adults and evaluated its potential for use in research on thedynamics of accelerated aging.

Method: Cognitively unimpaired (CU) Kenyan adults ≥ 35 years of …

Host-Intrinsic Factors Determine Anti-Tumor Efficacy Of Exercise In Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, Sumedha Pareek

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths with a low 5-year relative survival rate of approximately 13.3% for all stages combined. We have previously shown that exercise can improve quality of life and enhance functional capacity among patients with PDAC. Exercise induces a variety of changes in the tumor microenvironment with beneficial effects in several tumor types. However, our understanding of the clinical effects of exercise and the mechanisms that mediate anti-tumor effects are limited in pancreatic cancer.

In this project, using C57BL/6 mice from Taconic Biosciences (Tac) and Jackson Laboratories (Jax), we established a …

Assessing Cognitive Performance And Comfort Under Simulated Mri Noise And Its Association With Autistic Like Traits, Jasmin Woodhouse

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanners produce noise levels between 65 and 130 decibels. This noise, alongside the broader sensory environment of the MRI, poses challenges for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Noise exposure has been shown to impair task performance, increase errors, and affect brain activity. ASD traits are associated with decreased sound tolerance, including hyperacusis, misophonia, and phonophobia. In ASD, noisy environments disrupt inferior frontal gyrus function, impairing task response and brain connectivity. Given this, it’s crucial to understand how these sensory challenges specifically affect ASD experience and performance during MRI procedures. This study assesses cognitive performance and …

Detecting Concealed Autobiographical Information Using Feedback And Recognition P300 Erps. Exploring The Impacts Of Changed Feedback Proportions And Social Pressure In The Fcit, Cerys Parkinson-Johns, Grace Shillito, Callum Starr, Rosemary Wilmshurst

The Plymouth Student Scientist

The feedback concealed information test (fCIT) incorporates feedback on memory concealment performance within the classical CIT. Providing feedback facilitates the analysis of feedback related ERPs in addition to initial recognition related ERPs within each trial. Combining multiple ERPs aims to improve the reliability and efficiency of the test. The present study investigated the efficiency of combining recognition and feedback related P300 ERPs in detecting concealed birthdates in a personal item fCIT. Feedback proportions were altered to improve believability in feedback. Detection efficiencies using combined P300 amplitudes within this altered paradigm and the impacts of social pressures on feedback P300s were …

Examining The Correlation Between The Competing Values Framework And Other Scales Of Measure, Jesina Mistry

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Organisational culture is widely acknowledged as a critical determinant of performance and employee engagement, yet debates persist regarding how best to conceptualise and measure it. This study examines the construct validity of two widely used diagnostic tools: the Competing Values Framework (CVF) and the Organisational Culture Inventory (OCI). While the CVF has achieved broad application across sectors, questions remain regarding its empirical grounding and cross-cultural relevance. Using a quantitative, cross-sectional design, this research investigates the degree of convergence between CVF and OCI dimensions within a diverse UK-based sample spanning multiple industries and job levels. In addition, it incorporates three underexplored …

The Lived Experience Of Uk Students Transitioning To University With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, Emelia C. Steel

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Transitioning from secondary school to university is a high-risk period for managing type 1 diabetes among UK students. Canadian research identified limited systemic support during this period. However, there is a lack of qualitative insight into how students navigate this transition in the UK, where healthcare and education systems differ. This study addressed that gap through semi-structured interviews to understand what makes this transition particularly challenging and what support students would find most helpful. A purposive sample comprised seven participants aged 19–29 from four UK universities. Thematic analysis, guided by Braun and Clarke’s (2022) six-phase framework, identified three superordinate themes: …

Investigating Deception-Related Moral Conflict Using Electroencephalography (Eeg) Hyperscanning, Madie Ades

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Amplitudes of the early Bereitschaftspotential (BP) and deceptive behaviour have been theorised to be modulated by moral conflict experienced when making deceptive decisions, as the decision to lie can depend upon our moral perceptions of what is right and wrong (Panasiti et al., 2014). However, most Electroencephalography (EEG) deception paradigms lack ecological validity by utilising instructed lying and failing to incorporate genuine social interaction (Ganis & Keenan, 2009) and therefore may fail to elicit genuine moral conflict. The present study combined hyperscanning EEG with a competitive two-player social game, where participants freely chose to respond accurately or deceptively for …

The Personality Profile Of U.S. Vice President Jd Vance, Aubrey Immelman, Logan Butler

Psychology Faculty Publications

This paper presents the results of an indirect personality assessment of U.S. vice president JD Vance, from the conceptual perspective of personologist Theodore Millon.

Psychodiagnostically relevant data relating to Vance were collected from biographical sources and media reports and synthesized into a personality profile using the Millon Inventory of Diagnostic Criteria (MIDC), which yields 34 normal and maladaptive personality classifications congruent with DSM-III-R, DSM-IV, and DSM-5-TR.

The personality profile yielded by the MIDC was analyzed in accordance with interpretive guidelines provided in the MIDC and Millon Index of Personality Styles manuals. Vance’s primary personality patterns were found …

Perfectionism And Compulsive Exercise: A Systematic Review And Preliminary Meta-Analysis, Elizabeth Bills, Shannon R. Muir, Rose Stackpole, Sarah J. Egan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: There is a consistent link between perfectionism and compulsive exercise, and both are implicated in the maintenance of eating disorders, however no meta-analysis to date has quantified this relationship. We hypothesised that there would be significant, small-moderate pooled correlations between perfectionism dimensions and compulsive exercise. Methods: Published, peer-reviewed articles with standardised measures of perfectionism and the Compulsive Exercise Test were included. There were 7 studies included (N = 3117 participants, M age = 21.78 years, 49% female). Results: Total perfectionism (r = 0.37), perfectionistic strivings (r = 0.33), and perfectionistic concerns (r = 0.32) had significant pooled positive associations …

Sertraline To Reduce Recidivism In Impulsive Violent Offenders (Reinvest): A Randomised Double Blind Clinical Trial, Tony Butler, Emaediong I. Akpanekpo, Lee Knight, Kristy Robledo, David Greenberg, Andrew Ellis, Stephen Allnutt, Kay Wilhelm, Alison Jones, Rodney Scott, Bianca Ton, Luke Grant, Philip Mitchell, Ross Tynan, Jocelyn Jones, Dominic Villa, Duncan Chappell, Carolynn Dixon, Alison Churchill, Val Gebski, Tony Keech, Peter W. Schofield

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Biological studies suggest serotonin modulation via selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) might reduce impulsive violence, however, robust evidence in offender populations is limited. We aimed to determine whether sertraline reduces violent reoffending compared with placebo in highly impulsive men with recurrent violent offending.

Methods: We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised clinical trial in community settings in New South Wales, Australia. Eligible participants were men aged 18 years or older with ≥2 prior violent convictions and a Barratt Impulsiveness Scale score ≥70. Following a 4-week single-blind active run-in phase with sertraline, participants were randomly assigned (1:1, minimization stratified by key …

As Effective As You Perceive It: The Relationship Between Chatgpt’S Perceived Effectiveness And Mental Health Stigma, Scott N. Hannah, Deirdre Drake, Christopher D. Huntley, Joanne M. Dickson

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Individuals are increasingly using artificial intelligence chatbots, such as ChatGPT, to seek conversational support for their personal mental health difficulties. Heightened concerns about mental health stigma may make anonymous, on-demand chatbot interactions more appealing for some than traditional face-to-face support. This study examined if using ChatGPT-4 for personal mental health difficulties is associated with two distinct forms of stigma, anticipated stigma and self-stigma. Our main aim was to investigate if the perceived effectiveness of ChatGPT use for mental health issues mediates the relationship between ChatGPT usage and anticipated stigma and self-stigma. The sample comprised 73 participants, mostly undergraduate psychology students. …

Young Adults And Early-Onset Psychosis: A Grounded Theory Study Of Experiences Of Identity Development, Katherine Hayden-Lewis, Deborah Rubel

The Qualitative Report

While identity development is a crucial task for young individuals ages 15-25, current research inadequately centralizes identity development in the context of first-time psychosis related to schizophrenia spectrum disorders. This study addresses the knowledge gap by exploring the grand research question, “How does a young person experience their identity development after the first episode of psychosis?”. Constructivist grounded theory methods influenced by critical frameworks were used to collect and analyze data with seven young adults engaged in first episode psychosis programs. Participants were young adults, between the ages of 19-24, that at the time of the study were enrolled in …

Potential Mechanisms Of Influence Between Spiritual Practices And Cognitive Health: A Systematic Review And Conceptual Model, Katherine Carroll Britt, Hayoung Oh, Augustine Cassis Obeng Boateng, Sherry Morgan, Sato Ashida, Corey Nagel, Roland J Thorpe, Harold G Koenig

Staff and Researcher Publications

Background/Objectives: This systematic review summarizes the evidence regarding potential mechanisms underlying the relationship between spiritual practices and cognitive health in adults. The review was performed based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist.

Methods: An extensive search of six electronic databases (i.e., PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, Sociological Abstracts, ATLA, CINAHL) was conducted using keywords related to spiritual practices, religious activities, and cognitive health from 1 January 2000 to December 2025. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal tool aligned with the study design.

Results: A total of …

Impact Of Common Variants On Brain Gene Expression From Rna To Protein To Schizophrenia Risk, Qiuman Liang, Yi Jiang, Annie W. Shieh, Dan Zhou, Rui Chen, Feiran Wang, Meng Xu, Mingming Niu, Xusheng Wang, Ramu Vadukapuram

School of Medicine Publications

Genetic variants influencing gene expression have been extensively studied at the transcriptional level. How these variants affect downstream processes remains unclear. We quantitated ribosome occupancy in prefrontal cortex samples from the BrainGVEX cohort and integrated these data with transcriptomic and proteomic profiles from the same individuals. Through cis-QTL mapping, we identified genetic variants associated with transcript level (eQTLs), ribosome occupancy (rQTLs), and protein level (pQTLs). Notably, only 34% of eQTLs have their effects propagated to the protein levels, suggesting widespread post-transcriptional attenuation. Using both a gene-based approach and a variant-based approach we identified omics-specific QTLs that associated with brain disorder …

Physician Peer Review: Just Culture And Practical Implementation In An Emergency Department, Christian Fromm, Monica Colicino, Merle A. Carter, Elizabeth M. Datner

Einstein Health Papers

BACKGROUND: Although regulatory agencies require hospitals to engage in peer review to maintain accreditation, quality assurance review processes are not standardized, and well-structured peer review of clinical cases involving medical errors and adverse events governed by Just Culture principles is not widespread. We implemented such an emergency department (ED) physician peer review process and performed an analysis of cases that underwent review.

METHODS: We formed an ED physician peer review committee at our institution guided by Just Culture principles, including promotion of a culture of safety to encourage open reporting of errors and near misses, and top-down leadership commitment to …

Perception Of Emotion In Autism With Controlled Elicitation (Peace), Austin Gillespie, Rachel E. Dewald

Undergraduate Research Symposium Lightning Talks

It is possible that autistic people find it easier to socialize within their own peer group (Beaupré & Hess, 2006), by recognizing socio-emotional nonverbal cues, due to a shared neurodivergence. To assess this, it would be helpful for researchers to have a database of emotional stimuli, validated for use with autistic individuals. Unfortunately, this does not exist. This current study’s objective is to create such a database that evokes natural emotion, rated by autistic individuals to be used in future research. All participants completed the Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) which measures the participants’ ability to identify and describe their own emotions …

Women’S Lived Experiences With Harassment In Gaming, Angelo Cordero, Alejandra Santos, Claudia Q. Luu

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Background and objectives: Women in gaming communities face discrimination due to their gender; however, gaps exist in the literature in understanding how allyship helps mitigate harassment’s harmful effects. To address this, we conducted a qualitative study exploring women’s lived experiences of sexual harassment in gaming and how women perceive allyship in gaming communities. Methods and approach: We used an inductive thematic analysis to identify patterns in participants’ experiences. Our sample (N = 165) included adult women who identified as gamers, recruited from a university and various Discord gaming communities. Results: We uncovered six main themes regarding women’s harassment experiences in …