Clinical Psychology Commons^™

The Nature Of Defenses Used By School-Aged Children With Adhd, Laurie G. Slodounik

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This study sought to develop a more nuanced clinical picture of children with ADHD by examining the relationship between their emotional dysregulation and their use of defense mechanisms—the unconscious mental processes that guard against strong emotions. Children’s responses to the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) were examined for evidence of defense mechanisms using an empirically validated scale, the Defense Mechanism Manual. The study employed a mixed between-within nonequivalent group design to examine the responses of 37 children ages 7-10. It was hypothesized that children with ADHD would use more frequent and more immature defenses than their peers without the disorder. Additionally, …

Fear Of Missing Out, Social Media Abuse, And Parenting Styles, Kylie Richter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With the increasing rise in technology use, particularly engagement in social media, it is important for researchers to gain a better understanding of the usage patterns along with the antecedents and consequences of heavy social media usage. In addition to the rise in social media usage, a new anxiety driven phenomenon is storming the research world, FoMO (Fear of Missing Out). To date, there has been little empirical research on the relationship between social media usage and psychological adjustment. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between FoMO, social media abuse, and parenting styles. It is theorized that because FoMO …

Drama Therapy And Transgender Adolescents, Ryan Lisman

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Transgender adolescents in the United States are currently a vulnerable population that often regularly face discrimination and are at a high risk for hate crimes (Center of Excellence for Transgender Health, 2016). Developing and implementing therapeutic interventions and models for working with transgender adolescents is essential at this time. In American society, there has recently been a cultural shift towards a greater sense of acceptance for the LGBTQ community (Benson, 2013), but within that, the transgender community has been consistently left behind in many aspects of progress that LGB (Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual) people have benefited from (Benson, 2013). There …

The Effect Of Smartphones On Anxiety: An Attachment Issue Or Fear Of Missing Out?, Kelly Mannion

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Previous research shows that college students tend to experience increased anxiety when they are separated from their smartphone. This anxiety has been suggested to be due to attachment, where college students have formed an attachment to their smartphone. Another explanation for this anxiety is the fear of missing out (FoMO), where college students experience worry when they cannot check in with their friends. No existing study to my knowledge has simultaneously examined the separate impact of attachment to phones and FoMO on anxiety levels, particularly during a stressful situation. The current study examines the separate and combined impacts of FoMO …

Do Calories Count? Examining The Impact Of Calorie Awareness On Food Selection, April V. Rose

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

This study examined whether purchasing behavior of patrons in a college campus cafe changed when calorie information was provided. It compared weekly sales on food items before and after calorie information was posted for a group of target items (n = 6) that had calorie counts posted in fall 2017 and two groups of comparison items. Archival sales data were collected using the existing point-of-sale system. Sales of target items, which had calories displayed next to them, dropped significantly when compared with sales of the same items during the previous year. Sales of target items also dropped significantly when compared …

Detecting Suicide Risk From Wristworn Activity Tracker Data Using Machine Learning Approaches, Pallavi Atluri

Electrical Engineering Theses

Suicide is a prevalent cause of death worldwide and depression is a primary concern of many suicidal acts. It is possible that an individual during depression never has any suicidal thoughts at all. On the other hand, some individuals in stable condition with no apparent symptoms of depression feel urges to commit suicide (suicidal ideation). Many such individuals never let anyone know what they are feeling or planning. Suicidal ideation considered an important precursor to suicidal acts.

Detecting the suicide risk in individuals with mood disorders is a major challenge. The current clinical practice to assess suicide risk in these …

Individualized Music Improves Social Interaction Of Women, But Not Men, With Dementia, Emily Farrer, Diana Hilycord

Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research

Dementia is tragic both for patients with the disease and for their family members. As this neurodegenerative disorder progresses, cognitive functions deteriorate, agitation and aggression increase, and mood worsens (McDermott, Orrell, et al., 2014; Spiro, 2010; Vasionyté & Madison, 2013). Non-pharmacological approaches, such as active music therapy or passive music listening, can be effective in reducing these symptoms. However, no past studies have examined how music listening affects the social interactions of patients with dementia. As such, this study examined whether nursing home residents with dementia are more engaged and interactive if they listen to individually selected music for 15 …

The Predictors Of Juvenile Recidivism: Testimonies Of Adult Students 18 Years And Older Exiting From Alternative Education, La Toshia Palmer

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this descriptive, qualitative study was to identify and describe the importance of the predictors of juvenile recidivism and the effectiveness of efforts to prevent/avoid juvenile recidivism as perceived by previously detained, arrested, convicted, and/or incarcerated adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education in Northern California. A second purpose was to explore the types of support provided by alternative schools and the perceived importance of the support to avoid recidivism according to adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education.

Methodology: This qualitative, descriptive research design identified …

The Role Of Stressors And Academic Competence In Adolescent Depression By Race, Ishani R. Deo, Hazel M. Prelow

Journal of Adolescent and Family Health

This study used a sample of 260 African American and European American adolescents to investigate whether adolescents' perceptions of academic competence serve as a mediator of the relationship between different interpersonal stressors and depression symptoms, and whether the utility of this model changes with race. The association between exposure to violence and depression symptoms was mediated by academic competence, and race moderated the indirect paths from both discrimination experiences and violence exposure to depression. In addition to the significant differences by race, there was a significant indirect effect for African Americans exposed to violence. These findings suggest that African American …

Assessing Attention, Nicole Hagan

Scholars Week

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common mental health disorder that can be recognized by its symptoms of hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity (Anderson, 2012). While having these symptoms is not desirable to most, presenting them in a psychological evaluation can be advantageous to some. College students diagnosed with ADHD can receive special benefits, such as prescription medication that can be misused for recreational purposes or to enhance academic and/or athletic performance (Sansone & Sansone, 2011). The current research project looked at feigned ADHD and how one responds to an ADHD measure when instructed to feign, either with or without …

Intimate Partner Violence Stigma: The Intersection Of Race And Socioeconomic Status, Antoinette Fleming

Annual Graduate Student Symposium

Approximately 36% of all women in the United States will experience intimate partner violence (IPV) at some point in their lifetime (Black et al., 2011). Stigma is one consequence associated with IPV. African American (Black) victims may be more heavily stigmatized than European American (White) victims (Willis-Esqueda & Harrison, 2005). Socioeconomic status (SES) may also affect a person’s perception of the victim. To date, little research has been conducted to explore the interaction of race and SES on the stigma of IPV. The current study hypothesized greater stigma would be displayed toward Black victims and low SES victims. Participants consisted …

The Relationship Between Maternal Distress And Adjustment Problems In Adolescents With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: An Examination Of Family Routines And Communication As Moderators, Ryan Nicole Cummins

LSU Master's Theses

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common disorder in youth. The presence of comorbid internalizing and externalizing symptoms is a frequent occurrence in ADHD youth; comorbid symptoms are associated with poor adjustment into adolescence and negative trajectories into adulthood. There are many contributing factors in the development of comorbid symptoms (e.g., parental distress and family environment). Thus, it is important to understand the relationship between contributing factors and the ways in which family consistency helps to manage problem behaviors in adolescents with ADHD. One way to increase consistency is through the use of routines and positive communication. The present study examined …

Is Social Anxiety Related To An Attentional Bias To Suicide?, Austin Warner Lemke

LSU Master's Theses

Suicide is the cause of death of over 800,000 people worldwide each year and is one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. Individuals with elevated social anxiety appear to be at a particularly high risk for suicide. Attentional bias is a maintaining factor in a broad range of psychological conditions including social anxiety, and an attentional bias toward suicide-related cues is related to both past and future suicide attempts. However, little research has been done on attentional biases toward suicide-related cues, and no known research has examined whether individuals with elevated social anxiety have a bias toward …

An Examination Of Factors That Affect Male Body Image In College Students, Jennifer Elise Van Meter

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study is to determine whether viewing photos of muscular men or viewing photos of toned men produces greater body dissatisfaction scores for male college students. Prior to receiving the intervention, participants completed a pretest measuring their body satisfaction. The intervention was administered in a group setting and took approximately 30 minutes to administer. After receiving the intervention, participants completed the same assessment measures as the pre-test, but in a post-test form. Results indicate that there was a significant difference between pre-test and posttest body satisfaction ratings for men who viewed muscle photos and mend who viewed …

Relationship Between Male Athletic Identity And Romantic Relationship Satisfaction, Mark Alan Logan

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study is to determine if male athletic identity plays a role on romantic relationship satisfaction, so that it can be implemented into couples counseling and work to decrease the divorce rate. Participants completed two measures, the Relationship Assessment Scale (RAS; Hendrick, 1988) and the Athlete Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS; Brewer & Cornelius, 2001), administered via a Qualtrics survey. The survey was accessed by Amazon Mechanical Turk participants and it took approximately 10 minutes to administer. Results indicate that there was not a significant difference in relationship satisfaction ratings between low, medium, and high groupings of athletic …

Practice Standards For Initial Adhd Assessment: A Review, Lauren Spencer

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

There are many challenges that come with diagnosing attentiondeficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), including shared symptoms with many similar disorders, high comorbidity of other mental disorders, and subjective bias from informant reports. Three clinical guidelines for diagnosing ADHD currently exist, published by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP). However, these guidelines are outdated as they are based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) and do not include more recent research. This project was intended to update …

The Effect Of The Type Of Mental Disorder On Mental Health Stigma, Kristina Conkright Peterson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Mental health stigma is an important topic as it has an influence on the care clients receive, as well as resources allocated by society. Previous research has primarily investigated the topic of stigma associated with schizophrenia and various factors that may influence the endorsement of stigmatizing beliefs. Few studies have investigated whether the type of mental disorder has an influence on the level of stigma. The current study evaluated the difference in the level of stereotypes endorsed across three conditions: schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, and a typical person. Additionally, this study evaluated the reliability of using a global stereotype score …

A Necessary Evil, Kaitlyn Marsh

The Diana McDonald Writer's Challenge

In this research essay, Kaitlyn Marsh clearly explains the benefits of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Illnesses (DSM), in terms of promoting more humane treatment of people with mental illness, offering credibility that mental illness is in fact a medical issue, and establishing consistency in how psychologists and psychiatrists diagnose and treat patients. However, Kaitlyn also explains how the thorough diagnostic checklists and information have enabled “big pharma” to exploit the DSM to generate a dramatic increase in the numbers of Americans being diagnosed with and medicated for mental illness. She concludes that the DSM is an invaluable …

Schizotypy And Health Promotion: The Mediating Role Of Depressive Symptoms, Michael Rice

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: In general populations, schizotypy and depressive symptoms may be present at sub-clinical levels. Previous research has shown that schizotypy may negatively associate with underlying factors of health promotion. Furthermore, depressive symptoms have also been shown to negatively correlate with underlying factors of health promotion. Method: Undergraduate students and Mturk users were asked to complete an online questionnaire consisting of surveys measuring schizotypy, depressive symptoms and health promotion. Results: A meditation model showed a significant negative indirect effect of schizotypy through depressive symptoms on health promotion. Additionally, schizotypy positively predicted health promotion when depressive symptoms were controlled. …

Bisexuality And Motherhood: An Investigation Of Psychological Distress, Parenting Efficacy, And Self Esteem Through Identity Theory, Laurin B. Roberts

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Bisexual individuals are more likely to be parenting as compared to other sexual minority individuals, however a review of the current research on sexual minority parenting and families demonstrates a limited understanding of the experiences unique to this population. Furthermore, the socialization of parenthood as both a heterosexual practice, and one that is intertwined with womanhood suggests bisexual mothers may encounter unique challenges and experiences in negotiating these two identities. Therefore the current study seeks to expand upon the literature with a primary aim of understanding the relationship between bisexuality and motherhood identities, psychological distress, parenting efficacy, and self-esteem from …