Social Media As Support For Partners Of Veterans With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Susan L. Ruiz, Lee Stadtlander

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Researchers have established that partners of veterans who isolate socially because of posttraumatic stress disorder are also socially impacted. It is not known how partners cope with their own social isolation and the influence of social media on the isolation while maintaining commitment to their veteran partners. Weiss’ theory of the syndrome of loneliness was used as the basis for this phenomenological study investigating social experiences in 10 female participants drawn from social media groups. Although the study was open to male or female partners, only female partners of male veterans chose to participate. Qualitative email interviews established how the …

Negative Cognitive Style, Rumination, And Negative Emotionality As Mediators Of The Antidepressive Effects Of Physical Activity Among Young Adults, Kara Pegram

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Abstract

This study assessed whether three potential cognitive and affective mechanisms mediated the relationship between physical activity and depressive symptoms. Participants were 143 young adults between the ages of 18 and 29 (M = 19.29, SD = 1.65); the majority of participants were female (72%) and Caucasian (69.9%). Participants were followed across eight weeks and completed measures of trait and state rumination, negative emotionality, cognitive style, depressive symptoms, and physical activity. A mediated model was proposed hypothesizing negative association between physical activity and depression mediated by less rumination, negative emotionality, and cognitive style. Hypotheses were examined cross-sectionally and prospectively. …

An Analysis Of The Impact Of Emotional Literacy Instruction On At-Risk Students, Shannon H. Garcia

Dissertations

This study examined the impact of social-emotional literacy instruction for at-risk adolescents ages 13 to 18 at the high school level. Of particular interest is the impact of social-emotional literacy instruction on at-risk youth Grades 9-12 in secondary high schools’ 8-week-long social-emotional literacy class through Project AWARE, particularly in the areas of suspension, expulsion, attendance, connectivity, attitude toward school, resiliency, and relational aggression rates; the data were analyzed using archival data and teacher interview. Project AWARE, the social-emotional literacy intervention examined in this study, educates and provides mentorship for at-risk students, while also providing a group educational component on relationships …

Fatalism, Diabetes Management Outcomes, And The Role Of Religiosity, Vincent Berardi, John Bellettiere, Orit Nativ, Slezak Ladislav, Melbourne Hovell, Orna Baron-Epel

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

This study aimed to determine whether fatalistic beliefs were associated with elevated levels of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and to establish the role of religiosity in this relationship. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on a sample of 183 Jewish adults with diabetes visiting a large medical center in northern Israel. Self-administered questionnaires assessed level of religiosity, fatalistic beliefs, diabetes management behaviors, and demographic/personal characteristics; laboratory tests were used to measure HbA1c. Multivariate regression indicated that fatalism was significantly associated with HbA1c (β = 0.51, p = 0.01). The association was no longer statistically significant after including self-reported religiosity in the …

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, The Primary Motor Neuron Disease, Jacob P. Naumann

The Downtown Review: An Interdisciplinary Journal Written and Peer-Reviewed by Mandel Honors College Students at Cleveland State University

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a degenerative neurological disease that damages nerve cells in the brain, in particular the neurons that are involved in voluntary muscle movements. Internationally the disorder is also known as Charcot’s disease and motor neuron disease. In the United States, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease, motor neuron disease, and more colloquially ALS. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is the most prominent of the five motor neuron diseases, distinguishing itself from the others through degeneration of both upper motor neurons (UMN) and lower motor neurons (LMN) respectively. The “Father of neurology” Jean-Marie Charcot founded …

Personality Types And Attachment Styles Underlying Body Dissatisfaction, Milad Khosravi, David Frederick

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Attachment style and personality are powerfully related to a person’s patterns of thoughts, interests, and behaviors. Surprisingly, there is little research on the links between these psychological factors and body dissatisfaction. We hypothesized that anxious attachment style and neuroticism would be linked to greater body dissatisfaction in women.

Methods: Adult women reported their overall satisfaction with their weight, muscle tone, and appearance using validated, one-item measures. Participants also completed measures of attachment style and personality type.

Results: Consistent with the hypotheses, people who were more neurotic and with more insecure-attachment styles reported higher body dissatisfaction.

Discussion: This study highlights the …

The Effect Of Communication Type On Knowledge Retention Of Brain Injuries, Alyson Cregger

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Misconceptions about traumatic brain injuries have been seen in the general population since 1988. Previous research has demonstrated that the misconceptions are not limited to geographical area and have been seen in health care professionals. A possible explanation for these misconceptions could be the ineffective transmission of knowledge. The current study examined the effect of an educational intervention on eight misconceptions and their ‘real life’ applications, as well as the general knowledge surrounding traumatic brain injuries. Comparative and absolute risk were also examined. Thirty undergraduate students were given a pre-test consisting of four surveys (misconceptions, application of misconception, general knowledge, …

Revisiting A Common Measure Of Child Postoperative Recovery: Development Of The Post Hospitalization Behavior Questionnaire For Ambulatory Surgery (Phbq-As), Brooke N. Jenkins, Zeev N. Kain, Sherrie H. Kaplan, Robert S. Stevenson, Linda C. Mayes, Josue Guadarrama, Michelle A. Fortier

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Background

The Post Hospitalization Behavior Questionnaire (PHBQ) was designed for assessing children's posthospitalization and postoperative new‐onset behavioral changes. However, the psychometric properties of the scale have not been re‐evaluated in the past five decades despite substantial changes in the practice of surgery and anesthesia. In this investigation, we examined the psychometric properties of the PHBQ to potentially increase the efficacy and relevance of the instrument in current perioperative settings.

Method

This study used principal components analysis, a panel of experts, Cronbach's alpha, and correlations to examine the current subscale structure of the PHBQ and eliminate items to create the Post …

An Investigation Of Aerobic Fitness, Perceived Quality Of Life And The Direct Effects Of Self-Determination Theory In College Students 2015, Alanna Darling

Master's Theses

There have been numerous studies examining the association between physical activity, motivation and quality of life. In contrast, studies focusing on aerobic fitness and its relationship with levels of motivation and perceived quality of life are lacking. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between a direct measure of aerobic fitness, behavioral regulations, and perceptions of quality of life in college-aged sample. Participants included both males (n=129; 21.1±1.8 years) and females (n=89; 20.8±1.4 years) who completed the Behavioral Regulations of Exercise Questionnaire-2 sub-scores and Perceived Quality of Life (PQoL) instruments. Participants then performed the Queen’s College Step …

How The Phoenix Took Wing: An Examination Of The Humanities Canon As It Relates To The Psychology Of Posttraumatic Growth, Stephen Dalton

Senior Theses

The investigation of posttraumatic growth as a psychological principle is giving researchers new ways to understand how it is that some people seem to thrive following events that are normally perceived as tragic and wholly negative. These survivors do not just bounce back from their tragedies; the researchers describe these people as “bouncing forward” – that is, the survivors report that their lives now are profoundly better than they were before the trauma. While the psychological research into posttraumatic growth is relatively new, the field of Humanities has conducted this same inquiry for several thousand years. For example, Friedrich Nietzsche …

A Randomized Controlled Trial Of Koru: A Mindfulness Program For College Students And Other Emerging Adults., Jeffrey M Greeson, Michael K Juberg, Margaret Maytan, Kiera James, Holly Rogers

College of Science & Mathematics Departmental Research

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of Koru, a mindfulness training program for college students and other emerging adults.

PARTICIPANTS: Ninety students (66% female, 62% white, 71% graduate students) participated between Fall 2012 and Spring 2013.

METHODS: Randomized controlled trial. It was hypothesized that Koru, compared with a wait-list control group, would reduce perceived stress and sleep problems, and increase mindfulness, self-compassion, and gratitude.

RESULTS: As hypothesized, results showed significant Group (Koru, Wait-List)×Time (Pre, Post) interactions for improvements in perceived stress (F[1, 76.40]=4.50, p=.037, d=.45), sleep problems (F [1, 79.49]=4.71, p=.033, d=.52), mindfulness (F [1, 79.09]=26.80, p

CONCLUSIONS: Results support the …

Stressors And Resources Of Oregon Psychologists: How Are Helpers Being Helped?, Nathan William Engle

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Professional psychology requires the navigation of a complex set of skills including clinical work, research, and consultation while also demanding a level of personal investment, which can tax the psychologists’ emotional and physical resources. Bearse, McMinn, Seegobin, & Free (2013) highlighted the deleterious impact of these stressors. The American Psychological Association (APA) has shown an awareness of impactful professional stress and responded by encouraging state psychological associations to create a Colleague Assistance Program (APA, 2006). Although the research and professional guild agree on the existence of professional stress, there is little research regarding the effectiveness of strategies and resources used …

Are Women Higher In Anxiety Than Men? United States Surveys, 2003‐2013, Rabale Hasan

Honors Scholar Theses

A large proportion of the U.S. population suffers from anxiety and related mental illnesses. An in-depth analysis needs to examine all possible factors that may explain why anxiety is on an upward trend and why women are more likely than men to present with anxiety. This study examined the anxiety in five cross-sectional United States surveys (Total N=19,630) taken in 2003, 2006, 2009, 2011, and 2013. Predictors such as demographics (e.g., race, age, gender), medical conditions, behavioral choices (e.g., BMI, exercise, sleep), and psychosocial stressors were investigated. Linear regression and logistic regression analyses were used to examine trends. Anxiety is …

Diabetes Self-Management Education For Adolescent Patients: The Importance Of A Developmentally Sensitive Approach, Laura Mumme

Senior Honors Theses

The attention of healthcare providers to the developmental level of adolescent patients with type one diabetes (T1D) maximizes effective patient education and glycemic control. Due to the dynamic changes that occur in the mind and body during adolescence, self-care for adolescent T1D patients is overwhelming as it envelopes activities of everyday life. The disease process and the unique aspects of adolescence in relation to T1D are important for caregivers to consider. Developmentally appropriate teaching during the initial onset of the disease must inform the patient and the patient’s family of the basics of the disease process and the daily care …

Psychosocial Correlates Of Perceived Stress And Depressive Symptoms Among Help-Seeking Hispanic Smokers, Monica Webb Hooper Phd

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Objectives: Research has demonstrated robust associations between perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and cigarette smoking. The extent to which these findings from the general population generalize to Hispanic smokers is unknown. The present study examined (a) correlates of perceived stress and depressive symptoms among help-seeking Hispanic smokers and (b) whether maladaptive coping and social support were related to stress and depressive symptoms. Design: Hispanic smokers (N=123) enrolled in an RCT completed demographic and smoking history, perceived stress, depressive symptoms, perceived social support, and maladaptive coping measures. Results: Bivariate associations indicated that perceived stress was positively correlated with depressive symptoms …

Mindfulness, Self-Regulatory Capacity, And Regulation Of Health Behaviors - 2015 Award Winner, Elizabeth Mccrary

Russell Library Undergraduate Research Award

Mindfulness, the trait or state of heightened attention and awareness of the present moment, has been connected to a wide variety of self-regulatory behaviors, including health behaviors. Specifically, mindfulness has been linked to smoking cessation (Heppner et al., 2015), reduced alcohol misuse (Murphy & MacKillop, 2011), and reduced substance abuse (Witkiewitz & Bowen, 2010). Additionally, mindfulness-based dialectical behavior therapy has been successful in teaching affect regulation skills to patients with binge eating disorder (BED). BED patients were also more adept in using these regulation skills during negative affect experiences (Kristeller, Baer, & Quillian-Wolever, 2006). Even though research links mindfulness to …

Factors Associated With Youth Athletes Discontinuing Vs. Staying In A Sport, Jessica R. Shibko

Undergraduate Distinction Papers

This study investigated the factors that go into youth athletes deciding to drop out of a sport versus staying in the sport. To test this, current Otterbein University athletes and non-athletes took an online questionnaire that asked specific questions pertaining to their experience in sport participation. We tested the hypotheses that (1) those who began specializing in sports at a younger age will be less likely to continue participation, (2) parental pressure would be a reason for dropout and parental support would influence the athletes to stay in, and (3) those who continued participation in sports would perceive a healthy …

Predicting Prenatal Care Utilization: Pregnancy Intention, Marital Status, Education, And Religiosity, Andrea D. Clements, Beth A. Bailey

ETSU Faculty Works

Abstract available through the Annals of Behavioral Medicine.

"Identifying As Religious" And "Strength Of Religious Commitment" Predict Substance Use Rates, But "Type Of Religion" Does Not, Andrea D. Clements, Natalie Cyphers

ETSU Faculty Works

Abstract available through the Annals of Behavioral Medicine.

Deconstructing Counselling: The Complexity Of Psychosocial Support Services In Nakivale Refugee Settlement, Emily Luba

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research analyzes the psychosocial social support component of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) services in Nakivale Refugee Settlement. The objectives are (1) to define psychosocial support (2) to contextualize what services are being provided in Nakivale (3) to analyze what challenges exist for providing adequate support and (4) to discuss some strategies being employed by refugees and service-providers to combat these difficult circumstances.

56 semi-structured individual and group interviews and 2 focus group discussions were conducted to reach 96 respondents. This total includes Congolese, Rwandan, Burundian, Somali, and Ethiopian male and female refugees and organization representatives from the …