Health Psychology Commons^™

Social Problem Solving And Factors That Contribute To The Consideration Of Hastened Death Among Als Patients, Kristen Labin Bekelja

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine social problem-solving characteristics and other factors that contribute to the desire to hasten death among ALS patients. Participants completed six measures including: the ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised, two item Hopelessness Scale, Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy- Spiritual Well-Being Scale, ALS Specific Quality of Life Instrument-Revised, Social Problem-Solving Inventory-Revised, and the Schedule of Attitudes Toward Hastened Death. Data gathered was analyzed, using hierarchical multiple regressions, and a Pearson product-moment correlation. Results revealed that the factors of hopelessness, global quality of life, bulbar function, and negative emotion significantly predicted the desire to hasten …

Fruit Of Faith, Fruit Of The Spirit, Thomas G. Plante

Psychology

As contemporary behavioral scientists living and working within an often secular, scientific, and empirically focused world as well as being affiliated with rigorous academic institutions and research programs, we wonder if the fruits of the spirit have any empirical and scientific basis. Does engagement with religion and spirituality make us better people or make us worse?

Fruit Of The Spirit: Next Steps, Thomas G. Plante

Psychology

Overall, the chapters provide support for the notion that religious and spiritu al practices, behavior, and engagement are associated with improved psychological, physical, and community functioning and wellbeing. Religion and spirituality can make us better. The fruit of the spirit can result in a better quality of life. However, we must be mindful of the need for future quality research as well as the downside of religious engagement, too. Intolerance, rigidity, and in-group/out-group conflict can be problematic and create a situation in which tills type of religious engagement can lead to fruit that is not healthy but unhealthy. This fruit …

Alterations In Error-Related Brain Activity And Post-Error Behavior Over Time, Jason Themanson, Matthew Pontifex, Charles Hillman, Peter Rosen, Edward Mcauley

Scholarship

This study examines the relation between the error-related negativity (ERN) and post-error behavior over time in healthy young adults (N = 61). Event-related brain potentials were collected during two sessions of an identical flanker task. Results indicated changes in ERN and post-error accuracy were related across task sessions, with more negative ERN associated with greater improvements in post-error Accuracy. This relationship was independent of any cross-sectional relationships between overall task performance, individual difference factors, including personality and self-efficacy, and indices of self-regulatory action monitoring. These results indicate that the relation between ERN and post-error accuracy remains intact and consistent regardless …

Stress Reduction Process, Noor Judeh

A with Honors Projects

This paper identifies the background and causes of stress and the different techniques that can be used to reduce stress.

Difficulties Of Alternatively Certified Teachers, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Samantha J. Feinman

Publications and Research

This daily diary study followed, over a 2-week period, 252 beginning New York City public school teachers. Seventy percent were alternatively certified (New York City Teaching Fellows) and the rest, traditionally certified teachers. Alternatively certified teachers were more likely to experience stressors such as violent incidents and classroom management problems. No differences were found in exposure to stressors/difficulties such as problematic adults, student learning problems, and students experiencing emotional upset. Although differences in the rates of exposure to violent stressors could be explained by other factors (e.g., working in a low-performing school and years of experience), differences …

A Tailored Wellness Intervention For College Students Using Internet-Based Technology: A Pilot Study, Alessandro Quartiroli, Sam Zizzi

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The purpose of this study was to develop and pilot a theory-based, computer-tailored feedback system for healthy behaviors for college students at a large, public university, aiming to enhance student wellness. A total of 1300 college students were contacted. Sixty–two students completed the eight week intervention. The participants were randomly assigned into two groups and received the survey three times, consistently receiving normative or personalized feedback. The participating sample was generally healthy and mainly comprised of freshman, Caucasian, and normal weight individuals. Repeated-measure ANOVAs were run and small significant interactions were found between the type of feedback received and some …

Psychosocial Variables And Time To Injury Onset: A Hurdle Regression Analysis Model, Jeremy Sibold, Sam Zizzi

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Context:

Psychological variables have been shown to be related to athletic injury and time missed from participation in sport. We are unaware of any empirical examination of the influence of psychological variables on time to onset of injury. Objective:

To examine the influence of orthopaedic and psychosocial variables on time to injury in college athletes. Patients or Other Participants:

One hundred seventy-seven (men  =  116, women  =  61; age  =  19.45 ± 1.39 years) National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II athletes. Main Outcome Measure(s):

Hurdle regression analysis (HRA) was used to determine the influence of predictor variables on days to …

Positive Religious/Spiritual Coping Among African American Men Living With Hiv In Jails And/Or Prisons, E. James Baesler, Valerian J. Derlega, James Lolley

Communication & Theatre Arts Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Electronic Health Records: Eliciting Behavioral Health Providers’ Beliefs [Brief Reports], Nancy C. Shank, Elizabeth Willborn, Lisa M. Pytlik Zillig, Harmonijoie Noel

Nancy Shank Publications

Interviews with 32 community behavioral health providers elicited perceived benefits and barriers of using electronic health records. Themes identified were (a) quality of care, (b) privacy and security, and (c) delivery of services. Benefits to quality of care were mentioned by 100% of the providers, and barriers by 59% of providers. Barriers involving privacy and security concerns were mentioned by 100% of providers, and benefits by 22%. Barriers to delivery of services were mentioned by 97% of providers, and benefits by 66%. Most providers (81%) expressed overall positive support for electronic behavioral health records.

Traumatic Brain Injury Knowledge And Perceived Competence Among Practicing School Psychologists, Melissa Santaguida Delucca

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are a common occurrence in school-aged children. The epidemic of TBI is the leading cause of death and disability among children and young adults (Harris, Mishkin, & Ross, 2010). Children who suffer head injuries frequently experience behavioral, adaptive, and educational deficits (Taylor et al., 2002). As child study team members, under the provisions set forth by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), school psychologists are responsible for the identification, classification, assessment, and implementation of proper school-based treatment for children who sustain a TBI. This study sought to determine New Jersey school psychologists’ endorsement of common …

Digital Video: Engaging Students In Critical Media Literacy And Community Activism, Jessie Daniels

Publications and Research

This article presents a strategy for teaching health communication that fosters critical media literacy through the strategic combination of digital video, documentary film, video worksheets, and peer-reviewed journal articles. Given the media-saturated environment in which notions of health are shaped, critical media literacy skills are crucial to students in health-related fields. Cases of key concepts illustrated through documentary films and the peer-reviewed literature are presented. The article then explores how one class took the lead in designing a community event that critically engaged both a YouTube video and a documentary film about police brutality as a public health issue.

Testing The Indirect Effect Of Trait Mindfulness On Adolescent Cigarette Smoking Through Negative Affect And Perceived Stress Mediators, C. Anderson Johnson, David S. Black, Joel Milam, Steve Sussman

CGU Faculty Publications and Research

Mindfulness refers to an enhanced attention to and awareness of present moment experience. This study examined how trait mindfulness, as measured with six items from Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale, might influence adolescent cigarette smoking frequency through its impact on depressive affect, anger affect and perceived stress mediators. Self-reported data from Chinese adolescents (N = 5287, mean age = 16.2 years, SD = 0.7; 48.8% females) were collected within 24 schools. The product of coefficients test was used to determine significant mediation paths. Results from baseline cross-sectional data indicated that trait mindfulness had a significant indirect effect on past 30-day …

Individual Differences In Perceptions Of Health-Related Behaviors, Shawn Thomas Lewis

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

When provided an opportunity for thought, individuals experience a strengthening of their already moderate attitude toward some attitude object. This process was studied in the context of variables – attitudes toward behavior, norms about behavior, and perceived behavioral control – known to predict intentions to engage in health-related behavior. A potential moderator of this process – locus of control beliefs – was also investigated. In this study, 195 participants indicated their attitudes toward eight health-related behaviors. Participants were randomly assigned to either a high or low opportunity for thought during which time they were asked to focus their thoughts on …

Cognitive Profiles And The Impact Of Medication On Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Lucy J. Wimpenny

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most frequently diagnosed disorders in children and adolescents. Individuals with ADHD often display behavioral symptoms, including inattention and/or impulsivity, which can also lead to struggles in the school setting. Current research has suggested that deficits in processing speed and working memory are common in individuals diagnosed with ADHD and are often seen on measures of cognitive ability. Positive outcomes have been associated with the use of psychostimulant medication to treat the symptoms of ADHD, although little research has supported this form of treatment to improve cognitive functioning in individuals diagnosed with …

Traumatic Stress Responses In Mothers And Fathers To Pediatric Intensive Care Treatment: The Role Of Beliefs, Carla Cirilli

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of traumatic stress responses in parents of children treated in a pediatric intensive care unit, specifically parental beliefs about their child’s illness and their own coping self-efficacy as related to the severity of parental acute and posttraumatic stress. Archival data from a study conducted August 2004 through July 2005 in the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia PICU were used. Two hundred and forty-five parents were assessed at 48 hours after admission, and 180 parents were assessed 3 months postdischarge. At Time 1, parents completed a screening measure assessing psychosocial factors and …

An Examination Of The Interactive Effects Of Mindfulness And Stress On Negative Health Habits In A Primary Care Population, Christina J. Dichiara

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The overarching goal of this study was to better understand relationships between health habits, stress, and mindfulness. In doing so, this research examined the interaction of mindfulness with responses to stress as it affects negative health habits. There was also a psychometric development study conducted, using confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) to test the applicability of the two-factor model of the PHLMS to a primary care population. Data were collected from 198 adult patients in a primary care medical practice. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 89 years old, were 51% female, and 92% Caucasian. For CFA analyses, three fit …

An Evaluation Of A Group Nutritional Program In A Population Of Obese Individuals With Psychiatric Disabilities, Jamie Via

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Individuals with serious mental illnesses are at high risk for obesity. The increased risk of obesity and comorbid medical conditions among individuals with serious mental illnesses has increased the need to seek and utilize effective treatments to address obesity in this population. In efforts to address the need for effective treatment, Eli Lilly and Company developed the Solutions for Wellness program. The aim of this study was to examine if the Solutions for Wellness nutritional program was effective in increasing wellness knowledge and increasing healthy lifestyle choices within a small sample of obese individuals with serious mental illnesses. The nutritional …

Age Effects And Heuristics In Decision Making, Tibor Besedeš, Cary Deck, Sudipta Sarangi, Mikhael Shor

Economics Faculty Articles and Research

Using controlled experiments, we examine how individuals make choices when faced with multiple options. Choice tasks are designed to mimic the selection of health insurance, prescription drug, or retirement savings plans. In our experiment, available options can be objectively ranked, allowing us to examine optimal decision making. First, the probability of a person selecting the optimal option declines as the number of options increases, with the decline being more pronounced for older subjects. Second, heuristics differ by age, with older subjects relying more on suboptimal decision rules. In a heuristics validation experiment, older subjects make worse decisions than younger subjects.

Organizational Wellness Programs: Who Participates And Does It Help?, Justin Michael Dumond

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Several research questions exist concerning the effectiveness of employee wellness programs. Do Theory of Reasoned action components such as health attitudes and intentions lead to wellness program involvement? Does wellness program involvement moderate the relationships between occupational stress, turnover, and job performance, such that wellness involvement mitigates the negative impact of occupational stress? Additionally, does wellness involvement moderate the relationships between work/life imbalance, turnover, and job performance, such that wellness involvement mitigates the negative impact of work/life imbalance? Data from 10,430 employees of an organization with an optional wellness program was analyzed. Hypotheses relating to TRA and the work/life imbalance-job …