Psychiatry and Psychology Commons^™

Positive Affect During Goal Adoption : Why Happiness Breeds Success, Katherine Wainwright

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Prior research has shown that positive affect helps individuals to achieve their goals. typically by energizing individuals' performance during goal pursuit. However, questions remain as to whether other mechanisms might exist by which positive affect could facilitate success. Specifically, researchers have yet to address the role that positive affect might play during the process of goal adoption. In the current study, I examined whether positive affect experienced at the time of goal adoption facilitates goal achievement. Participants were induced into either a positive or neutral affective state by watching a video clip. They were also asked to adopt the goal …

Finding The Rhythm In Dance/Movement Therapy: The Use Of Tap Dance In Residential Treatment, Alexandria D’Aurio

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

This thesis project was inspired by this researcher’s passion and interest in rhythm and more specifically tap dance. There is currently no literature on the use of tap dance in dance/movement therapy. The project was guided by the research question: How can tap dance be used as a dance/movement therapy (DMT) technique? By combining tap dance and dance/movement therapy the purpose of this thesis is to provide the DMT community (clients and dance therapists) with more knowledge and tools to use for facilitation and to further deepen the process in DMT sessions. The research will be presented in a clinical …

The Effects Of A Brief Mindfulness Intervention On Impulsivity In College Students, Myles Elgin Trapp

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

This study investigated the impact of a brief, introductory mindfulness intervention on attention, executive control, and impulsivity. I randomly assigned forty-seven undergraduate students to a treatment group (TG) receiving mindfulness training and a waiting list control group (WLG). Participants completed a battery of self-report questionnaires and standardized neuropsychological tests before and after the intervention. Participants high in trait mindfulness suffered less interference on a Stroop task, were less impulsive on the Balloon Analogue Risk Task, but also evidenced less cognitive flexibility on a dual fluency test at baseline. The TG demonstrated greater improvement than the WLG from baseline to re-test …

Give Peace A Dance: An Ethnographic Research Project About A Dancing Community In Chicago And The Implications For Dance/Movement Therapy, Isabel Martinez Mulcahy

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

An ethnographic research study on the monthly gathering of a Chicagoan dancing community called Give Peace a Dance (GPD). The main goal of this study was to understand the potential therapeutic aspects of dance and creative self expression in a community setting. The ethnographic data was analyzed through the lens of Community Psychology, Chacian dance/movement therapy theory and Carl Rogers’ theory of creativity. The main research question that guided the study was: How do the participants of GPD experience this event emotionally, socially and/or spiritually? At the end, community, creativity and safety were the most important factors that emerged as …

Voice From The Deep: A Black Student's Journey In A Dance/Movement Therapy Graduate Program, Aqueena H. Smith

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the author’s experience in a dance/movement therapy program through poetry written while in graduate school. The author uses the methodologies of lyric/poetic inquiry, artistic inquiry, and autoethnography to structure this thesis research. The thesis provides affirmation that cultural background and faith affect the perspective of an individual’s experience in graduate school. Data analysis of eighteen poems written by the author revealed themes as the results of this study. The author discusses the meaning and significance of these poems that communicate the graduate experience as a whole.

Interventions For Families Victimized By Child Sexual Abuse: Clinical Issues And Approaches For Child Advocacy Center-Based Services, Poonam Tavkar, David J. Hansen

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Child sexual abuse poses serious mental health risks, not only to child victims but also to non-offending family members. As the impact of child sexual abuse is heterogeneous, varied mental health interventions should be available in order to ensure that effective and individualized treatments are implemented. Treatment modalities for child victims and non-offending family members are identified and described. The benefits of providing on-site mental health services at Child Advocacy Centers to better triage and provide care are discussed through a description of an existing Child Advocacy Center-based treatment program. Recommendations for research and clinical practice are provided.

Gaiseing Into Computer-Based Statistical Instructional Tools, Amanda Saw '11, Dale E. Berger, Justin C. Mary '14, Giovanni W. Sosa '12

CGU Faculty Publications and Research

Poster presented at the meeting of the United States Conference on Teaching Statistics (USCOTS), Cary, NC.

A Short Stress Coping Intervention In Female Collegate Student-Athletes, Brett K. Steadman

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

This research examines the effect of a stress coping based intervention in the lives of female student-athletes. Sixteen female student-athletes attending Utah State University participated in a 60 minute intervention teaching skills such as progressive muscle relaxation, stressor identification, and stress coping. Participants completed the Inventory of College Students’ Recent Life Experiences before and after the intervention. The scores collected from the inventory were used to determine whether the intervention had a significant impact on the amount of perceived stress in their lives. The findings suggest that those who participated in the 60 minute intervention experienced no change in their …

Prize-Based Contingency Management: A Vehicle Miles Of Travel Reduction Intervention, Joshua D. Marquit

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

During the past 50 years, air pollution has become a growing problem throughout the Intermountain West because of increases in personal vehicle ownership and usage. Scientists continue to design interventions to improve air quality by encouraging people to reduce their personal vehicle miles of travel (VMT). However, results of these interventions have only seen modest reductions in VMT because of some methodological and measurement issues. To address these limitations, a 14-week driving reduction intervention was conducted in Cache County, Utah. This intervention employed a prizebased contingency management system within a single-subject, A-B-A withdrawal research design that rewarded participants with prizes …

Acceptance And Commitment Therapy For The Treatment Of Compulsive Pornography Use: A Randomized Clinical Trial, Jesse M. Crosby

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Compulsive pornography use (CPU) is generally defined by the inability to control the use of pornography and the resulting negative effects on quality of life or general functioning including damaged relationships, loss of productivity, impaired performance at work or school, job loss, financial expenses, guilt/shame, and personal distress. Statistics indicate that CPU may be as common as other psychological disorders and that the effects of the behavior can be just as severe. It is estimated that 1.5% to 3% of the adult population of the United States meets the criteria for compulsive pornography use. A review of the literature found …

Evidence Based Treatment Of Schizophrenia: Do We Know Enough, Faheem Khan, Haider A Naqvi

Department of Psychiatry

No abstract provided.

Assessment Of Suny Upstate Medical University’S Child Telepsychiatry Consultation Program, Mary E. Lau

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Objectives: The project assesses the child telepsychiatry services provided by SUNY Upstate psychiatrists to several county mental health clinics in central New York State. Method: Data for forty-five patients was extracted from pre-consultation forms completed by the referring clinic and post-consultation summaries completed by the Upstate psychiatrists that occurred between July 13^th, 2009 and May 12^th, 2010. The study identified characteristics of patients for whom telepsychiatry consultations were sought, reviewed recommendations provided by the telepsychiatry consultant, and noted recommended changes in therapy and medication. Results: Analysis of the data showed that there was a large variation …

Child/Adolescent Sexual Abuse And Alcohol: Proposed Pathways To Problematic Drinking In College Via Ptsd Symptoms, Emotion Dysregulation, And Dissociative Tendencies, Alicia K. Klanecky

Department of Psychology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Research has discussed the use of alcohol to self-medicate posttraumatic stress (PTSD) symptoms following child/adolescent sexual abuse (CASA). Less research has examined the self-medication hypothesis in college students. Further, investigation of the self-medication hypothesis generally precludes the integration of additional psychological vulnerabilities that may impact students’ alcohol consumption. Supported by the “dynamic” stress-diathesis perspective, emotion regulation (ER) difficulties and insufficient dissociative tendencies existing prior to and potentially altered after CASA exposure may relate to problematic alcohol use. The current study aimed to provide an initial, cross-sectional examination of 1) the relations between CASA exposure severity and alcohol use, 2) the …

Reassessing The Architecture Of The Health Beliefs Models In Low-Income Diverse Families, Krista B. Highland

Department of Psychology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Health beliefs contribute to health outcomes. These health beliefs extend to include health beliefs parents have regarding their children’s health. However, the role of parental health beliefs remains unexplored among a low-income population. This study aims to assess these beliefs and the effects they have on child health. Furthermore, this study aims to delineate potential belief differences between socioecological-level groups (e.g. population density, Latino identification, and insurance coverage).  The long-term goal is to understand the relationships among various personal health beliefs and parental health beliefs, psychosocial factors, community factors, cultural factors, organizational factors, and healthcare perceptions among this at-risk population. …

Development Of A Scale To Assess Avoidance Behavior Due To A Fear Of Falling: The Fear Of Falling Avoidance Behavior Questionnaire (Ffabq), Cortney Durand, D. Shalom Powell

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background: A history of falls or imbalance may lead to a fear of falling which may lead to self-imposed avoidance of activity; this avoidance may stimulate a vicious cycle of deconditioning and subsequent falls.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop a questionnaire that would quantify avoidance behavior due to a fear of falling.

Design: This study consisted of two parts, questionnaire development and psychometric testing. Questionnaire development included an expert panel and 39 assisted living residents. Psychometric testing included 63 community dwelling subjects with various health conditions.

Methods: Questionnaire development included the evaluation …

Thrust Joint Manipulation Education: Student Perceptions Of Learning And Practical Experiences In Spinal Manipulation Within Entry-Level Physical Therapist Education Programs, Joshua Thomas Marks, Lisa Basl

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background: Spinal thrust joint manipulation (TJM) education is mandatory in all professional entry-level physical therapy programs, yet TJM is under-utilized in daily practice. This descriptive study expands on previous data about how TJM is taught and includes data for the perceived confidence students have when performing TJM.

Methods: A 39-question descriptive survey inquiring about TJM education and selfperceived confidence in performing TJM was distributed via email to 213 accredited physical therapy programs.

Subjects: Respondents ranged in age from 22-45 (mean age=25.61 years). Respondents included 435 professional physical therapy students (84 male, 285 female) who have completed their …

In-Group Implicit Prejudice Against Mexican Americans In The Rio Grande Valley, Christelle Fabiola Garza

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The existence of in-group implicit prejudice against persons of Mexican origin was examined. Implicit refers to cognitive processes that the individual is unaware. Implicit attitudes are associations between social targets and positive or negative feelings that are passively learned from the environment. The measure we used to assess implicit prejudice was the Implicit Association Test. We also examined acculturation using the Acculturation Rating Scale for Mexican Americans (Flores-Niemann et al., 1999). Family values, assessed using the Cultural Values Scale (Unger, et al., 2002), and skin tone defined by light or dark complexion using a Photovolt 577 reflectance meter, were also …

Effects Of The Frontier Environment On Identity Development Among First Generation College Students, Kenli Ann Urruty

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The unique experience of first generation college students from frontier communities as they transition to college has not yet been explored in the literature. The current study was designed to explore those experiences and the ways the frontier context and first generation status shape identity development once these youth have left their families and home communities and made the transition to college. To gain a rich understanding of the experiences of first generation college students from frontier communities, this study employed a phenomenological qualitative design and the findings were interpreted through a social constructionist lens. Eleven emerging adults were recruited …

The Impact Of Study Skills Courses On Academic Self-Efficacy In College Students, Brenna M. Wernersbach

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Colleges across the nation are increasingly interested in improving retention of students. Many universities have begun offering workshops and courses targeted at improving study skills in academically underprepared students with the goal of helping students succeed in higher education and continue enrollment. The impact of such courses on study skills themselves has been supported, but prior research has not examined the courses impact on students' beliefs about their ability to succeed in college–that is, their levels of academic self-efficacy. This study examined pre- and post-test levels of academic self-efficacy in college students enrolled in a study skills course in comparison …

School Refusal Behavior: The Relationship Between Functions And Symptom Sets, Marisa Charlene Hendron

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The current study examined the relationship between functions of school refusal behavior and internalizing and externalizing symptom sets in a community sample of 200 youth and parents recruited from two truancy settings. The first hypothesis was that youth who endorsed refusing school primarily to avoid stimuli that provoke negative affectivity (function 1) would report more symptoms of generalized anxiety and depression. The second hypothesis was that youth who endorsed refusing school primarily to escape from aversive social or evaluative situations (function 2) would report more symptoms of social anxiety. The third hypothesis was that youth who endorsed refusing school primarily …