Applied Behavior Analysis Commons^™

A Lifespan Perspective On Positive Affect Fluctuations On Purpose In Life: Findings From A 9-Year Longitudinal Study, Jonathan L. Chia, Verity Y. Q. Lua, Andree Hartanto

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Existing research has examined how static or average levels of positive affect (PA) influence purpose in life (PIL), but theoretical work suggests PA fluctuations may also play a role, potentially undermining PIL, especially in older adulthood. To this end, the present study examined the longitudinal association of PA fluctuations on PIL and the moderating role of age among 1,294 midlife and older adults in the United States, over a 9-year period (between 2004 and 2014). Results revealed a conditional effect of PA fluctuations on PIL – particularly among older individuals, and greater PA fluctuations were associated with a poorer sense …

Synthesizing Co-Reading Behaviors: Insights From Graduate Students’ Experience And A Rapid Scoping Review, Watcharasak Sudla, Wannee Kaemkate

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: Collaborative reading of research articles is essential for graduate students to develop academic reading skills through peer engagement in knowledge sharing, reflection, and feedback. However, limited information exists about the behaviors indicative of co-reading practices. This study aims to identify behavioral indicators and social participation in students’ co-reading of research articles.

Methods: In this study, we integrated key behavioral indicators of co-reading based on data from interviews with 23 graduate students and a rapid scoping review. The collected data were then subjected to content analysis and data visualization.

Results: The findings categorize individuals involved in co-reading into six groups: …

Spotting And Preventing Air Rage: Proactive Strategies For Pilots & Flight Attendants For Handling Unruly Passenger Behavior, Alan Saquella, Joe Frary

Publications

Unruly passenger behavior has become an increasingly common challenge for airline crews. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), more than 53,500 disruptive passenger incidents were reported globally in 2024, averaging one incident every 395 flights. In the U.S., the FAA recorded over 900 cases by mid-year, with more than 100 directly tied to intoxication. While the majority of flights operate without issue, the rise in verbal abuse, intimidation, and physical altercations is impacting both safety and morale in the skies.

Du Undergraduate Showcase Abstracts: Research, Scholarship, And Creative Works, Kabe Aberle, Nadia Kako, Kateri Mcrae, Brooke Agulnek, Sky Palmon, Yasmine Ramirez, Francisca Aguirre Beltran, Ashley Juarez, Bridget Kim, Tessa Appel, Sterling Kerr, Spencer Ingley, Gabe Meyer, Robin Tinghitella, Dale Broder, Lily Baeza, Chloe Beers, Julia Coakley, Whitney Kelsey, Sydney Gainforth, Gabi Wing, Audrey Martin, Aaliyah Amore Berry, Brooke Watley, Kiruthika Venkatesan, Rachel Bienstock, Annabella Brotherston, Madison Bryant, Mia Burgener, Emma P. Lieb, Rachel A. Johnson, Jennifer L. Hoffman, Kania Campbell, Kiena Campbell, Courtney Cassidy, Sage Krzyzkowski, Maddox Jones, Skylar Abookire, Luke Hawkins, Sunnah Yoon, Andrea Chu, Yan Qin, Nyah Cubbison, Brian Gearity, Daniel Mcintosh, Mariely Cruz, Edward Garrido, Grady Dionne, Nicole Doris, Lyndsie Salvagio, Ann-Charlotte Granholm-Bentley, Anna Dymov, Hannah Eckert, Gabrielle Welsh, Erica Larson, Charlie Ernst, Anna Zhou, Sarah Watamura, Larissa Fedorovich-Klein, Georgie Fields, Kimberly A. Guevara, Aven Mccall, Ben Peltier, Feruz Yahia, Patrick Flores, Jadyn Floyd, Sophia Forcier, J. Von R. Monteza, Peter Sokol-Hessner, Gwendolyn Geiger, Scott Nichols, Camryn Gunter, Kendal Hengst, Charlie Bednarz, Issy Garside, Addison Baker, Rachel Mina, Brooke Hermanson, Amanda Klingler, William Highfill, Sydney Jaques, Kerstin Lewey, Allison Grossery, Daniel Linseman, Ethan Lim, Jagger Livengood, Owen Mantelli, Gabby Pappas, Abby Mcdonald, Madeleine Dierking, Eve Miller, Emma Loeber, Anna Marlow, Michael Kerwin, Ella Mathews, Hillary Hamann, Khadija Mohamed, Vivian Nguyen, Gabri Notov, Ifunayachi Ogbonna-Ukuku, Sunil Kumar, Charles Baysah, Sarah Olson, Don Sullivan, Anna Paradiso, Jay Parrish, Mira Pronobis, Alisha Pravasi, Kerstin Haring, Diego Ramirez, Christopher Reardon, Juliana Ramirez, Casey Doherty, Ella Kestner, Teagan Weindel, Cate Billings, Pablo Torre-Walter, Lucy Rand, Samantha Reynolds, Mark Siemens, Khadeeja Rashid, Laine Satterlee, Piper Heilbronner, Lily Pound, Ben Whitehurst, Anna Respet, Lizzie Lesoing, Sydney Hertel, Aya Saad-Masri, Brooke Ballenger, Max Proske, Hannah Rosenberg, Ellia Nakahara, Sophia Espinoza, Ivan Woolhouse, Simon Ruland, Gorkem Er, Timothy Sweeny, Melaku Saketa, Michela Schenk, Maren Lynch, Madi Hamm, Grace Schroeder, Michelle Rozenman, Rana Seif, Jackson Hall, Marisela Simental, Daniel Paredes, Aaron Mena, Preston Spaan, Evelyn Stovin, David Andrew Swartz, Anh Tran, Daniel Pittman, Luke Farchione, Emily Boyer, Ukari Verner, Lacey Conrad, Jonathan Velotta, James Weiner, Jagger Gossett, Noah Sherry, Sam Proud, Ben Block, Avi Narayana, Zoey Weiss, Alyssa Wilson, Gabrielle Walsh, David Zonana, Keely Wright, Kena Riveria, Lillybelle Deer, Jena Doom, Elysia Davis, Isabelle Yaremenko, Caitlyn Young

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

Abstracts from the DU Undergraduate Research Showcase.

Effects Of Self-Monitoring On Teachers’ Behavior-Specific Praise And Students’ Behavior In A Center-Based Classroom, Samantha Walsh

Theses

The current study explores the effects of self-monitoring on teachers' use of behavior-specific praise (BSP) and its impact on student behavior in a center-based classroom. Self-monitoring, a cost-effective and time-efficient intervention, has been proven effective in previous research for enhancing educator performance. However, previous studies have often combined self-monitoring with other interventions, leaving a gap in understanding its effects in isolation. This study aims to replicate the work of Justus et al. (2023) by examining the impact of self-monitoring on paraprofessionals in a center-based classroom with students aged 6-10. Using a multiple baseline design across participants, three paraprofessionals were trained …

Spiritual Practices In Survivor Care: A Qualitative Analysis Of Christian Faith-Based Shelters And Survivor Well-Being, Jeanne L. Allert

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

Christian faith-based organizations constituted a significant proportion of shelter programs for survivors of sex trafficking in the United States, with an estimated 63% identifying as Christian-affiliated (Institute for Survivor Care, 2024). Despite their prevalence, such programs often elicited skepticism due to the rise of secularism (Pew Research, 2022) and concerns that spiritual programming might retraumatize survivors (Ahrens et al., 2010; Hodge, 2020). However, Ahrens et al. (2010) and Hodge (2020) also found that religious practices can be helpful. This qualitative study employed a trauma-informed, descriptive survey design to explore the experiences of 158 trafficking survivors, who had either resided in …

Religious Beliefs, Cooperation, And Evolutionary Mechanisms, Nicole Fellice Ko, Norman P. Li

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Religion is an organized system of spiritual beliefs, practices, and rituals that often involve a sense of the divine (Schilbrack, 2022). An evolutionary mechanism is an evolved set of traits that interpret environmental inputs and generate behavioral responses that enhance survival or reproductive success (Li et al., 2018). Cooperation refers to the act of individuals or groups working together to achieve a shared goal or mutual benefit (Alós-Ferrer & Garagnani, 2020).

Emotional Eating Behaviors And Parental Feeding Practices In Three-Year-Old Children And Their Association With Body Composition One Year Later, Keely Wright, Kenia Rivera, Elysia Poggi Davis

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

Emotional eating – eating in response to negative emotions regardless of hunger – is an obesogenic trait that often develops in childhood and remains a habit through adulthood. Greater emotional eating is associated with a higher body mass index (BMI; kg/m2) in 7-12-year-old children (Webber et al., 2009). However, few studies have examined the relations between emotional eating and weight gain in preschool-aged children. Moreover, there is limited research on parental feeding practices and weight gain in preschool-aged children. The current work investigated the association of emotional eating behaviors during an emotional eating task in three-year-old children with change in …

Benefits Of Extended Unemployment Insurance On Post-Unemployment Outcomes, Alyssa Roche

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates how unemployment insurance (UI) affects individuals during and after unemployment. Drawing on historical evidence from recent recessions in the United States, publicly available data, behavioral insights, and mathematical modeling, it argues that the benefits of extending UI outweigh the potential costs. The analysis incorporates a wide range of sources, including empirical economic studies using regression models and psychology and business research that highlight behavioral responses to financial stress and job insecurity. By combining quantitative data with behavioral context, the thesis offers a more comprehensive understanding of how extended UI influences job search decisions, wage outcomes, and overall …

Enhancing Mental Health Through Mind-Body Exercises In Sedentary Students: A Systematic Review With An Indonesian Perspective, Izmi Alya Khairunnisa, Aditya Denny Pratama

Jurnal Sosial Humaniora Terapan

Sedentary Behavior (SB) among students is associated with increased risks of depression, anxiety, stress, and weakened immune function. According to the WHO, SB contributes to approximately two million deaths each year. This systematic literature review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of mind-body exercises in improving mental health outcomes—specifically stress reduction, anxiety management, and emotional regulation—among students with sedentary lifestyles. Using the PRISMA framework, 2,201 articles were identified from databases including Scopus, PubMed, and ProQuest, with six studies meeting the inclusion criteria. The review found that mind-body exercises such as yoga, tai chi, and pilates significantly reduce stress and anxiety, enhance …

Conducting Background Checks In The Corporate Security Environment, Alan Saquella

Publications

In the current threat landscape, the background check has become a critical frontline defense in protecting corporate assets, brand integrity and personnel safety. But as any security leader will tell you, the traditional background check — focused on criminal history, employment verification and references — has limitations, especially in today’s regulatory environment.

Federal and state restrictions continue to erode the depth and scope of what can be legally reviewed, and meanwhile, insider threats and deceptive candidates are becoming more sophisticated. In this context, it's no longer about whether to conduct background checks — it's about how to conduct them effectively, …

Exposure To Different Motives Of Scientists Moderates Responses To Scientific Consensus: The Case Of Cultured Meat, Kimin Eom, Bryan Kwok Cheng Choy

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

This research examines how exposure to different motives of scientists affects the impact of scientific consensus on public attitudes toward cultured meat. While scientific consensus on the safety of cultured meat generally increased positive attitudes toward it, this effect depended on information about scientists’ motives. Exposure to information about scientists’ financial motives weakened the positive effect of scientific consensus because it undermined trust in scientists. Information about scientists’ prosocial motives did not influence the scientific consensus effect. These findings suggest that perceived motives can shift trust in experts, thereby affecting the influence of experts on public attitudes.

Bridging The Gap: Exploring The Intersection Of Formal Mental Health Services And Informal Social Supports In Bipoc Communities, Patrice D. Patton-Campbell

Dissertations

Despite growing awareness of mental health disparities, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities continue to face significant barriers in accessing culturally responsive mental health care. This dissertation explores the intersection between formal mental health services and informal social supports such as family, religious institutions, and community networks to understand which systems are more trusted, accessible, and effective for BIPOC individuals. Grounded in Urban Liberation Psychology and guided by decolonial and culturally responsive care frameworks, this qualitative study draws from focus groups and interviews with 33 participants, including both community members and service providers from the Chicagoland area and …

Assessment Of Children's Preference For Differentially Signaled Variable Ratio, Signaled Variable Ratio, And Fixed Ratio Schedules Of Reinforcement, Todd M. Owen

Posters and Presentations: Munroe-Meyer Institute

No abstract provided.

Visitor Experience Model At The Marian Shrine Of La Vang, Younghee Lee, Hyo Dan Cho

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This research explores tourists’ experiences at La Vang in Vietnam. La Vang as a place of Catholic Marian apparition, is a sacred pilgrimage site that holds great religious significance for Catholics. This study employs both qualitative and quantitative methodologies to develop a model of the visitor’s experiences at La Vang. The initial qualitative study involved in-depth interviews and participant observation. Subsequently, the findings of the qualitative study were validated in the second quantitative study, which involved 75 surveys with residents of Macau who visited La Vang. This study proposes seven key scales measuring tourists’ experiential aspects at the sacred place. …

Forensic Psychology Of Serial Killers, Karla Suarez

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

Many serial killers share patterns in psychological and neuropsychological disorders and behaviors. These behaviors and patterns should be recognized and acknowledged to understand why serial killers murder without remorse or guilt. It is important to discuss matters such as common patterns, typologies, and characteristics within serial killers. After looking at these essential aspects of serial killers, common neurodevelopmental disorders, brain damage, and biological epigenetics will be further explored. In order to fully assess this topic, forensic psychology and behavioral analysis are essential to aid in understanding serial killers and how their brains function to lead them to the actions that …

Dance/Movement Therapy Interventions That Can Address And Decrease Impacts Of Developmental Prosopagnosia: A Literature Review, Caitlin Rivenbark

Expressive Therapies Theses

This literature review explores dance/movement therapy (DMT) as a treatment modality for developmental prosopagnosia (DP) or face blindness. Research on DP causes and assessments are limited, as well as research on treatments and supportive management. In order to conceptualize how DMT might support people with DP, this paper focuses on mitigating the impacts of having the condition by exploring treatments for conditions with similar impacts including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and social anxiety disorder (SAD). The interventions included were pharmacotherapy, behavioral contingencies, mainstream therapies, and alternative therapies including DMT and drama therapy (DT). The various …

Varied Versus Non-Varied Behavior-Specific Praise On Student On-Task Behavior, Jessica Boss

Masters Theses, 2020-current

The current study examined the effects of praise statements on students’ behavior by assessing how varied and non-varied behavior-specific praise statements effect student on-task behavior. An alternating treatment design was used to compare the treatment conditions of varied and non-varied BSP. During baseline, participants were not given feedback on their praise statements or their interactions. After baseline, participants were taught to a mastery criterion on varied and non-varied BSP conditions. In the experimental phase, the participants alternated between a condition providing non-varied BSP and a condition providing varied BSP. The results of this study showed that both varied and non-varied …

Evaluating The Use Of Positive Self-Talk As An Antecedent Intervention For On-Task Behavior In Adolescents With Adhd, Sydney Setchel West

Masters Theses, 2020-current

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of using positive self-talk statements to increase the on-task work behavior of students with ADHD who have low baseline levels of on-task work behavior. A multiple baseline design across two participants was used to assess the impacts of the intervention. During the baseline phase, on-task work behavior was measured for participants as they completed independent work. Following baseline, participants were removed from the classroom and recited 5-10 positive self-statements regarding their ability to focus on their work. Data were taken on the participants on-task work behavior after returning to their …

Adapting A Contingency Contract Across Environments For Interfering Behaviors And Coping Skills, Samantha N. Eckstein

Masters Theses, 2020-current

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of taking an already successful contingency contract for an individual and adapting it to two separate environments to determine the effects on interfering behaviors and the utilization of coping skills. An AB design was utilized to allow for comparison of effects between conditions (i.e., control and treatment). The independent variable was the contingency contract(s) used across all settings and there were three dependent variable measures. These were the effects on interfering behaviors, skills demonstrated, and the utilization of coping skills. There is not enough evidence shown in the data to …