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- Title
- EXPERIMENTAL EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON BODY DISSATISFACTION AND EATING PATHOLOGY: UPWARD VERSUS DOWNWARD COMPARISONS
- Creator
- Badillo, Krystal Elizabeth
- Date
- 2019
- Description
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Research has been limited in assessing the different impacts of social media platforms on body dissatisfaction, apart from Facebook. In...
Show moreResearch has been limited in assessing the different impacts of social media platforms on body dissatisfaction, apart from Facebook. In addition, most studies have measured social media use by only assessing time. This study aimed to test experimental effects of social comparison on body dissatisfaction (BD) and desire to engage in eating behaviors. In addition, a mediation model was tested of the association between social media use and BD via social comparison. Participants viewed one of two live public Instagram profiles and were asked questions that facilitated individuals comparing their appearance to the Instagram profile. A total of 74 women completed questionnaires regarding social media use, body image, and eating disorder psychopathology. It was found that regardless of condition, desire to eat decreased after profile views, but there was no change in BD. The mediation model suggests that there was a significant indirect effect of increased BD and importance of Instagram through social comparison. Results suggest that, contrary to earlier work, overall social media use may not negatively impact BD as previously thought. Rather, it appears that trait level factors such as social comparison negatively influence BD while using social media.
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- Title
- Overvaluation of Weight and Shape Among Weight Loss Surgery Candidates
- Creator
- Hecht, Leah Marie
- Date
- 2019
- Description
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Overvaluation of shape and weight is a measure of the degree to which an individual’s self-evaluation is influenced by their shape and weight....
Show moreOvervaluation of shape and weight is a measure of the degree to which an individual’s self-evaluation is influenced by their shape and weight. Among individuals with eating disorders, this construct has been associated with elevated levels of eating pathology and psychological distress. Similarly, weight loss surgery candidates often report high levels of eating pathology, including loss of control eating, in addition to elevated levels of depression. Although studies have found poorer outcomes among those who endorse overvaluation of shape and weight in addition to loss of control eating as compared to those who deny overvaluation of shape and weight, the degree to which overvaluation of shape and weight is associated with disordered eating pathology, depression, psychosocial functioning, and self-esteem among weight loss surgery candidates has not been examined. The goals of the current study were to further elucidate these associations, including the degree to which frequency of loss of control eating episodes mediates associations. Data were analyzed from 88 individuals seeking bariatric surgery. Overvaluation of shape and weight was highly prevalent, with approximately 49% of the sample endorsing their weight and/or shape had a significant impact on their self-evaluation. The results of correlational analyses supported a link between overvaluation of shape and weight and higher levels of eating pathology, including more frequent loss of control eating episodes and disordered eating attitudes, in addition to poorer psychosocial functioning as indicated by greater psychosocial impairment, depression, and lower self-esteem. While frequency of loss of control eating episodes partially mediated associations between overvaluation of shape and weight and global eating pathology, it was not a significant mediator of the associations between overvaluation of shape and weight and shape/weight concerns, weight-related psychosocial functioning, self-esteem, or depression. These findings underscore the importance of assessing pre-surgical levels of overvaluation of shape and weight among individuals seeking bariatric surgery and suggest the importance of evaluating these attitudes and behaviors following surgery.
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- Title
- Disclosure of Mental Illness in Workplace Settings
- Creator
- Fominaya, Adam W
- Date
- 2019
- Description
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People considering disclosure of their mental illness in the workplace have tonavigate a complex set of competing pressures to arrive at a...
Show morePeople considering disclosure of their mental illness in the workplace have tonavigate a complex set of competing pressures to arrive at a disclosure decision. Existingmodels of disclosure fail to adequately consider the role of stigma, cannot be adequatelytested with measures currently in existence, and tend to ask participants about disclosureretrospectively. These limitations were addressed using a new path model which employsmeasures currently in existence, includes stigma, and assesses disclosure motivation inindividuals who have not disclosed at work. A national sample of 365 participants wererecruited using Amazon’s Mechanical Turk Marketplace (MTurk). While thehypothesized model achieved poor fit, important findings from the models tested hereprovide clear direction for future research.
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- Title
- Language, Negative Affect, and Aggression in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Creator
- Dreher, Taylor
- Date
- 2019
- Description
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The goal of the present study was to use ecological momentary assessment to examine factors that predict aggression in children with Autism...
Show moreThe goal of the present study was to use ecological momentary assessment to examine factors that predict aggression in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In particular, this study sought to investigate the situation-level and person-level factors that predict the severity of children’s aggressive episodes. At the situation-level, we predicted that children would show more severe aggression after experiencing a negative affective state. At the person-level, we hypothesized that children with better grammatical and pragmatic language abilities would demonstrate less severe aggressive behavior. In addition, we predicted that language abilities would moderate the association between negative affect and aggression. We were unable to test these hypotheses due to a floor effect in the outcome variable. Thus, we conducted a series of analyses to examine how variables of interest were associated with the presence of aggressive behavior. We found an association between negative affect and aggression, such that children who experienced higher levels of negative affect were more likely to engage in aggressive behavior. However, there was not a significant relationship between language abilities and the presence of aggression. In addition, there was no evidence for a moderation effect. Future studies should examine other variables that may moderate or mediate the association between negative affect and aggression in children with ASD.
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- Title
- Comparing Complex Network and Latent Factor Models of Seasonal Affective Disorder
- Creator
- Smetter, Joseph
- Date
- 2019
- Description
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Research on Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) has produced several etiologicalmodels of SAD symptomatology, including a common cause model...
Show moreResearch on Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) has produced several etiologicalmodels of SAD symptomatology, including a common cause model that conceptualizessymptoms as the result of a single underlying disease process, and the Dual VulnerabilityModel (Young et al., 1991) which posits that psychological symptoms of depressionfollow the onset of vegetative symptoms (e.g. hypersomnia, increased appetite) inindividuals with a vulnerability to seasonal changes. Studies of the structure of SADsymptomatology have been limited in their ability to evaluate these models. This studyused exploratory factor analysis and network analysis to examine baseline winter SADsymptoms (using a modified BDI-II) in 177 adults participating in a randomizedcontrolled trial of light treatment and CBT for SAD (Rohan et al., 2015). The factoranalysis supported a four-factor model that included negative cognition/affect, loss ofvitality, dysregulation, and increases in weight/appetite. The complex network model ofSAD conceptualized the network as a system of interacting symptoms. Results of thenetwork model paralleled those of the factor analysis in producing four communities ofinter-correlated symptoms. In addition to the full symptom network, a directed acyclicgraph was constructed to model causal relations between symptoms. Results suggest thatvegetative symptoms (loss of vitality and appetite/weight) lead ultimately to cognitivesymptoms, with intermediate effects of dysregulation symptoms. This partially supportsthe Dual Vulnerability model. Findings from the factor analysis and the network analysisare compared, and their implications for and treatment of SAD is discussed.
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- Title
- Testing Relational Proximity as a Moderator of Associations Between Marital Satisfaction and Health
- Creator
- Yoder, Wren
- Date
- 2019
- Description
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Individuals with high marital satisfaction tend to have better health and engage in healthier behaviors than those with low marital...
Show moreIndividuals with high marital satisfaction tend to have better health and engage in healthier behaviors than those with low marital satisfaction. Multiple studies have explored satisfaction-health associations for married individuals in proximal relationships (PR), but no known study has tested these associations for married individuals in long distance relationships (LDR). LDR is a relationship arrangement that challenges traditional conceptions of romantic relationships and physical closeness. Related, recent empirical work indicates marital satisfaction-health associations may be weaker in LDR than PR due to unique relational and individual factors. The current study tested whether marital satisfaction-health associations are moderated by relational proximity (i.e. LDR vs. PR). We used an adult, married sample of individuals in LDR and PR (N=293) who completed an online survey on relationships and health. Unexpectedly, moderation results suggested that associations between marital satisfaction and health did not differ by relational proximity. One potential difference emerged: Marital satisfaction was associated with satisfaction with functioning for those in PR, but not LDR. Overall, study findings challenge recent empirical work reporting between-group, relationship-health differences between PR and LDR. Clinicians can utilize our findings to improve treatment for couples and families in LDR. Future research should utilize actor-partner interdependence models and longitudinal studies to further elucidate the associations between marital satisfaction and health for individuals in this unique but increasingly prevalent relationship arrangement.
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- Title
- The Impact of Knowledge, Self-efficacy, and Stigma on STI Testing Intention among College Students
- Creator
- Thomas, Julia
- Date
- 2019
- Description
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Young people (ages 15-24) account for over half of the new cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) each year in the United States (CDC...
Show moreYoung people (ages 15-24) account for over half of the new cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) each year in the United States (CDC, 2016). The current study examined how knowledge, self-efficacy, and stigma are associated with STI testing intention among sexually active college students using path model analysis. Data were collected via an online survey (N = 76, 54% female). STI testing intention was measured using a 5-point Likert scale for eight STIs referenced in the Brief Sexual History Tool (CDC, 2018). These items comprised an intention scale with high internal consistency for this sample (α = .97). Path analysis was conducted using SPSS AMOS and MacKinnon’s ab product approach in RMediation was used to test mediating effects. The predicted path model fit the data well and the relationships between self-efficacy and knowledge, label avoidance, and intention were significant. Mediation analysis revealed significant indirect paths for knowledge and label avoidance on STI testing intention through self-efficacy. These findings indicate that self-efficacy directly impacts college students’ STI testing intention, while knowledge and label avoidance indirectly impact intention through self-efficacy. Findings suggest that providers and college health clinics may be able to increase the frequency of STI testing behavior by promoting strategies to increase students’ self-efficacy.
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- Title
- SPIN TRANSPORT AND SPIN-ORBIT TORQUES IN ANTIFERROMAGNETS
- Creator
- Saglam, Hilal
- Date
- 2019
- Description
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The electron has two fundamental degrees of freedom, i.e., charge and spin. Existing semiconductor electronics utilizes the charge degree of...
Show moreThe electron has two fundamental degrees of freedom, i.e., charge and spin. Existing semiconductor electronics utilizes the charge degree of freedom in its functionalities. Spintronics seeks, in addition, to exploit the spin degree of freedom, which can suggest promising pathways for low-power and faster operations. In conventional spintronics devices, ferromagnetic materials (FMs) have been employed as active components. However, it has recently been recognized that antiferromagnetic materials (AFMs) can also play an active role in spintronic devices. Antiferromagnets have several advantages over ferromagnets; for instance, they have net zero magnetization so that they are invisible to external magnetic fields. Also, they show resonances in the terahertz frequency range. Towards this end, this thesis focuses on spin transport and spin-orbit torques in various antiferromagnetic materials. With respect to the former, I demonstrated that spin currents can be transmitted efficiently through a metallic antiferromagnet FeMn. I detect two distinctly different spin transport regimes, which can be associated with electronic and magnonic spin currents. With respect to the latter, I investigated a possible correlation between two important spintronics concepts, i.e., spin-orbit torques and exchange bias since the ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic interface is crucial for both phenomena. The measured spin Hall angles suggest that these two effects are independent of each other, although it is worthy to mention that there are still strong spin-orbit torques even when the antiferromagnet is directly exchange coupled to the ferromagnet. Furthermore, I discuss anomalous Hall effect (AHE) and anomalous Nernst effect (ANE) in another metallic antiferromagnet, FeRh, which undergoes a temperature driven antiferromagnetic-to-ferromagnetic phase transition. The temperature dependent results show a drastic suppression of both AHE and ANE signals in the antiferromagnetic phase. Interestingly, these non-vanishing signals are opposite in sign compared to their ferromagnetic counterparts, which can suggest changes of inherent symmetries in the electronic structure of FeRh across its magnetic phase transition.
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- Title
- The Impact of a Parent Education Program on Parent Expectations for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Creator
- James, Megan
- Date
- 2019
- Description
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The purpose of this study was to determine if parent psychoeducation about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) impacts parents’ short-term and/or...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to determine if parent psychoeducation about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) impacts parents’ short-term and/or long-term expectations for their children with ASD. The impact of parent psychoeducation on parents' expectations for their children with ASD was assessed. Research has demonstrated that a parent’s engagement in their child’s therapy impacts the effectiveness of that intervention. Given the importance of parents’ engagement in therapy, it is clinically relevant to identify the variables that may influence a parent’s level of engagement. Working from the framework of Bandura’s expectation theory, the ability to assess and intervene on expectations would likely have a positive influence on parental engagement. Participants attending parent psychoeducation and parents on a waitlist for parent psychoeducation completed expectations questionnaires before and after parent psychoeducation. Results of a 2x2 (group x time) mixed factorial ANOVA did not support the hypotheses that expectations changed over time as a function of completing parent psychoeducation. These results are discussed in terms of potential adjustments to current parent psychoeducation curriculum or additional variables that may be of interest to better improve (i.e. increase) parent expectations.
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- Title
- Maternal-Fetal Attachment: Does it predict parenting outcomes?
- Creator
- Desai, Shivani S.
- Date
- 2018
- Description
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Maternal-fetal attachment (MFA) predicts critical aspects of the caregiver-child relationship, including parental sensitivity and engagement....
Show moreMaternal-fetal attachment (MFA) predicts critical aspects of the caregiver-child relationship, including parental sensitivity and engagement. However, little is known about the relation between MFA and specific parenting beliefs and attitudes that contribute to these positive parenting behaviors, such as parenting sense of competence and parenting stress. The aim of this longitudinal study was to examine if MFA predicts specific domains of parenting sense of competence and parenting stress when children are two years of age. Participants included 53 mainly Caucasian women with a mean age of 33.9 years. MFA was assessed during pregnancy (mean gestational age = 27.02 weeks) using the Maternal Fetal Attachment Questionnaire. Parenting sense of competence and stress were assessed when the children were 2 years of age with the Parenting Sense of Competence questionnaire and the Parenting Stress Index questionnaire. Results of regression analyses indicated that higher levels of MFA significantly predicted higher levels of parenting satisfaction, a domain of parenting sense of competence. They also indicated that higher levels of MFA predicted lower levels of two domains of parenting stress, including stress associated with attachment and role restriction. These findings suggest that prenatal attachment is important to assess during pregnancy, as it may predict future parenting beliefs and attitudes, including sense of competence and stress.
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- Title
- A Randomized Controlled Trial of Direct-to-Consumer Advertising of Cognitive-Behavior Therapy for Depression
- Creator
- Antler, Caroline
- Date
- 2020
- Description
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Almost half of individuals in the US struggling with depression never seek treatment and, of those that do, over half receive inadequate care....
Show moreAlmost half of individuals in the US struggling with depression never seek treatment and, of those that do, over half receive inadequate care. Although the efficacy of CBT for MDD is well established, the rate of individuals receiving psychotherapy has declined. With copious evidence supporting the effectiveness of direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of pharmaceuticals, the current study evaluated the potential utility of DTCA of CBT for MDD.One hundred seventy-eight adults with (a) prior exposure to DTCA for antidepressants and (b) no mental health diagnoses or treatment were randomly assigned to view one of three video conditions: CBT for depression (CBT, n = 60), CBT plus information on antidepressants (CBT+MED, n = 58), or Control (arthritis and diabetes Public Service Announcements (PSAs); n = 60). After viewing the video participants completed measures of attitudes about, and willingness to engage in, CBT and antidepressant medication. The study was conducted online with participants being recruited through Prolific and the survey created via Qualtrics.Compared to controls, participants viewing CBT DTCA videos (with or without information on antidepressants) were more willing to engage in CBT, had less public and self-stigma associated with CBT, and believed CBT has less potential for harm. Compared to the CBT group, the CBT+MED group reported greater concern about the risks of disclosing personal information in a therapy setting.These results extend previous findings by applying the DTCA marketing style to a specific diagnosis and type of therapy. Findings indicate that DTCA-style ads for CBT for MDD can be effective in reducing stigma and increasing treatment willingness. They further suggest that DTCA-style marketing of evidence-based psychotherapies can be efficacious when created for specific treatments and disorders. The findings have substantial implications for public health and the dissemination of evidence-based practice.
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- Title
- Correlating Veterans' Employment Status by Analysis of Recovery from the Recovery Assessment Scale-Short Form
- Creator
- Avezuela-Perez, Margaret
- Date
- 2020
- Description
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Past research has examined the low employment rates in veterans with serious mental illness (SMI) (Zivin et al., 2011) and the research...
Show morePast research has examined the low employment rates in veterans with serious mental illness (SMI) (Zivin et al., 2011) and the research suggests that the benefits of employment for veterans are improved mental health symptoms, better finances, and better self-esteem (Bond et al., 2001). The specific relationship between employment and recovery from SMI in individuals has been examined (Drake et al., 2001; Bond et al., 2001; Modini et al., 2016). Previous research has not examined the correlation between recovery from SMI and employment, specifically in a population of veterans with SMI. The current study examines the relationship between recovery and employment of veterans with SMI, using the Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS) as a measure of recovery. A logistic regression analysis yielded that no relationship was found between recovery and employment status. Results of this study suggest there may be other factors affecting the relationship between these two factors. Moreover, there is the possibility that there is no relationship between recovery and employment.
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- Title
- Is emotion regulation a mediator between parenting skills and treatment outcome in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy?
- Creator
- Butler, Kristina
- Date
- 2020
- Description
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Disruptive behavior disorders are prevalent in preschool children and are associated with a range of negative developmental sequelae. There is...
Show moreDisruptive behavior disorders are prevalent in preschool children and are associated with a range of negative developmental sequelae. There is extensive evidence that Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is an effective behavioral parent training program for decreasing disruptive behaviors in young children. However, the mechanism that accounts for the reduction in externalizing behaviors in PCIT is not well understood. Children’s emotion regulation (ER) is one possible mechanism that accounts for treatment effectiveness. Parenting skills focused on in PCIT serve to increase warmth in caregiver-child interactions, which, in turn, lead to increases in children’s ER skills. ER also has been shown to moderate externalizing behaviors in PCIT. However, to date, there are no longitudinal studies that have examined ER as a mediator in PCIT. The aim of this study was to determine if child ER serves as a mediator between changes in parenting skills and decreases in externalizing behavior problems after PCIT treatment. A diverse sample of 67 children and their mothers participated in PCIT treatment in a community mental health center. All variables were assessed twice, at baseline and after treatment. Positive parenting skills (“Do Skills”) and negative ones (“Don’t Skills”) were assessed during a video recorded 5-minute task using the Dyadic Parent-Child Interaction Coding System. Child ER was assessed during a video recorded 5-minute clean-up task with a behavioral coding scheme adapted from previous research. Child behavior problems were measured using the Child Behavior Checklist Externalizing Scale. Difference scores used in the final analyses were calculated by subtracting the baseline score from the final assessment score for each measure.Results of linear regression analyses revealed a significant, negative relation between changes in ER and externalizing behavior problems. Findings did not support ER as a partial mediator between parenting skills and child externalizing problems. However, moderation analyses indicated that change in ER moderated the relation between change in positive parenting skills (Do Skills) and change in behavior problems, such that the interaction was significant for greater changes in ER. Specifically, increases in Do Skills led to less improvement in disruptive behaviors in children whose ER skills decreased. Also, increases in Do Skills led to greater reductions in behavior problems in children whose ER skills showed greater improvement. This study provides evidence that change in ER moderates changes in Do Skills and change in externalizing problems in PCIT. Findings also suggest that adding strategies to PCIT that focus on increasing child ER may enhance effectiveness of this treatment.
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- Title
- PREPARE2THRIVE: A COMMUNITY-BASED PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH PILOT INTERVENTION
- Creator
- Guy, Arryn Aleia
- Date
- 2020
- Description
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African Americans living with HIV and serious mental illness (AALWH and SMI) experience multi-level barriers to treatment engagement including...
Show moreAfrican Americans living with HIV and serious mental illness (AALWH and SMI) experience multi-level barriers to treatment engagement including structural discrimination, HIV and SMI stigma, medical mistrust, and poor patient-provider relationships. Personal resources such as HIV treatment self-efficacy and active coping are identified in the extant literature as buffers to barriers to treatment engagement, and may be mechanisms by which individuals living with HIV engage effectively with treatment. Using Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) the current study piloted a culture-specific, group-level psychoeducational intervention to improve treatment engagement among AALWH and SMI (N = 16). Overall, acceptability for intervention was high (M(SD) = 33.18(5.66) [range 6-42]). Inferential statistics indicate significant increases in CD4+ counts; HIV treatment self-efficacy, perseverance; psychological appointment attendance; and instrumental support seeking. Additionally, there was a statistically significant decrease in medical appointment attendance and self-distraction coping. An increase in ART engagement, and a decrease in viral load were also observed, however these results were not statistically significant. The peer-led intervention was highly accepted by participants. Participants demonstrated increases in HIV treatment self-efficacy, psychological appointment attendance, and CD4+ counts following completion of the intervention; however, had worse medical appointment attendance. The author highlights the clinical significance of the findings here. Taken together, results support mixed outcomes for the CBPR-developed and peer-led intervention.
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- Title
- The Relation Between Community Violence Exposure and Young Children's Psychopathology Symptoms
- Creator
- Gibson, Lynda L
- Date
- 2020
- Description
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Chronic community violence exposure (CVE) has become an everyday issue for many children living in inner-city neighborhoods. However, few...
Show moreChronic community violence exposure (CVE) has become an everyday issue for many children living in inner-city neighborhoods. However, few studies have examined the effects of CVE on symptoms of psychopathology in young children. The primary aim of this study was to examine the relation between CVE and internalizing and externalizing symptoms in preschool children. Another goal was to determine if the relations between CVE and both types of symptoms were affected by the type of exposure, the location of the event, and the relationship between the child and the individual involved in the event. A signal-contingent ecological momentary assessment (EMA) design was used in which 32 caregivers reported on their age 3-5 year-old children’s exposure to community violence, and their internalizing and externalizing symptoms for one week. A total of 152 events of community violence were reported during this period, revealing that the children were exposed to an alarmingly high frequency of these events. Results of multilevel model (MLM) analyses showed that increased frequency of momentary CVE was associated with more severe caregiver-reported internalizing and externalizing symptoms throughout one-week. Additionally, witnessed CVE, situations occurring near home, and situations involving someone known by the child strengthened the association between CVE and symptom severity. The present findings reveal that some of the long-term negative effects associated with trauma exposure occur in a shorter time-span when children are exposed to community violence on a daily basis. They also provide guidelines that can be used to inform future assessment of CVE and strategies that may be effective for intervention.
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- Title
- THE MODERATING AND MEDIATING ROLE OF SELF-REPORTED FAMILY ACCOMMODATION ON THE RELATION BETWEEN OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE SYMPTOMS AND RELATIONSHIP SATISFACTION IN AN ADULT, CLINICAL SAMPLE OF INDIVIDUALS IN ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS
- Creator
- De Leonardis, Andrew J
- Date
- 2020
- Description
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Severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) is associated with treatment resistance, and in an interpersonal context, is associated with...
Show moreSeverity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) is associated with treatment resistance, and in an interpersonal context, is associated with increased relationship distress and decreased relationship satisfaction. In addition, caregivers for those with clinical levels of OCS often engage in family accommodation (FA) behaviors that serve as an extension of the OCD patient’s compulsive behavior. However, the literature on the interchange of OCS, FA, and relationship satisfaction is limited in scope because it focuses mainly on the perspective of the caregiver or partner of the individual with OCD. The current study aims to address this limitation by examining OCS, FA, and relationship satisfaction variables from the perspective of the individual with OCD. Participants included 78 adults with self-reported OCD who were recruited in the US through clinics and clinicians specializing in OCD treatment, as well as from OCD non-profit organizations to target non-treatment-seeking participants. After controlling for demographic variables, results indicated the following: (1) a significant positive association between OCS and FA, (2) a significant negative association between OCS and relationship satisfaction, and (3) a lack of an interaction between FA and OCS when predicting relationship satisfaction. However, the third result was trending towards significance and may be statistically underpowered. Exploratory analyses found FA to be a partial mediator of the association of OCS and relationship satisfaction. The findings support current trends in the research literature as well as contradict extant research on the associations between OCS, FA, and relationship satisfaction. Additionally, findings continue to show the importance of addressing family accommodation in treatment of individuals with OCD.
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- Title
- FINANCIAL BURDEN AND COPING IN HEAD AND NECK CANCER PATIENTS
- Creator
- Yap, Bonnie Joyce
- Date
- 2020
- Description
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In order to contribute to knowledge about how treatment impacts the financial well-being of patients diagnosed with head and neck cancer, this...
Show moreIn order to contribute to knowledge about how treatment impacts the financial well-being of patients diagnosed with head and neck cancer, this study examined the relationship between patient characteristics, financial burden, and financial coping over the treatment period among patients receiving treatment for locally advanced head and neck cancer at a major midwestern medical center. A sample of 65 participants completed self-report questionnaires on out-of-pocket costs, use of financial coping strategies, healthcare utilization, and personal and medical characteristics. Participant disease-specific information was obtained from their medical charts. Age, illness intrusiveness, and distance significantly predicted use of lifestyle-altering financial coping strategies. In addition, human papillomavirus (HPV) status significantly predicted use of care-altering financial coping strategies. Results of hierarchical linear regression analyses found significant main effects of financial burden, loneliness, and social support as predictors of the use of financial coping strategies. Moderation effects of loneliness and social support were not found. Trajectories of out-of-pocket costs indicated that costs are highest at the beginning of treatment and decrease over time. The results highlight the non-disease characteristics of patients diagnosed with head and neck cancer that may make them more vulnerable to financial distress and financial burden. Future studies with larger and more representative sample sizes could further add to information about the impact of cancer treatment on patient financial wellbeing.
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- Title
- The effect of information overload on knowledge recall and related cognitions for an educational program based on the Mental Health First Aid Model
- Creator
- Bink, Andrea B.
- Date
- 2020
- Description
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Early-intervention public health education programs have been effective at teaching a skillset to help others. However, some of these programs...
Show moreEarly-intervention public health education programs have been effective at teaching a skillset to help others. However, some of these programs have also been criticized for delivering more information than is necessary to learn the skill. Receiving too much information could cause information overload and interfere with program goals. The current study investigated the differential effect on outcomes of two trainings: (i) a standard training with lecture material about depression and anxiety (illness-information), and a skillset to guide interpersonal support for someone with depression and anxiety (skill-information); and (ii) a targeted training that omitted the lecture material and only presented the skillset. Predicted outcomes were that the combination of illness-information and skill-information in the standard training would result in information overload and would interfere with skill-information recall and attitude change. The current study also investigated two variables that could influence outcomes: general information overload about mental health (MHIO) and interest in the topic of mental health. Results were that participants in the standard training endorsed significantly more information overload and performed significantly better on recall measures than participants in the targeted training. Both trainings were effective at attitude change. Finally, preexisting MHIO was associated with training information overload, care seeking, and skill-information recall. Preexisting topic interest was associated with skill-information recall. Results suggest that some background lecture material might be necessary to learn how to support someone with depression and anxiety. Also, programs that promote interpersonal support are effective at attitude change no matter how much information they provide.
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- Title
- The Differential Influence of Computerized Neuropsychological Assessment Across Psychopathology
- Creator
- Singh, Shifali
- Date
- 2020
- Description
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The method of administering neuropsychological assessments has transformed with the advent of novel technologies. The present study examined...
Show moreThe method of administering neuropsychological assessments has transformed with the advent of novel technologies. The present study examined how the manual versus computerized administration of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) influenced the relation between psychological symptom severity and performance on the WCST, using perseverative responses and failures to maintain set (FMS) subscales. The Dot Counting Test, Depression Anxiety Stress Scales, and SUPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale were used to measure performance validity, depression and anxiety, and impulsivity. Eighty-five participants were recruited from the Chicagoland area. Participants reported their age, gender, handedness, education, ethnicity, computer and smartphone familiarity, and medication use. Age ranged from 18 to 66 years (mean (SD) = 34.3 (15.8)), and 49.4% were recruited from an outpatient facility. For perseverative responses, both method of administration of the WCST were equivalent regardless of psychological symptom severity. For FMS, method of administration itself influenced performance, and particularly the impact of impulsivity symptom severity on FMS. Specifically, method of administration significantly moderated the relationship between FMS and Lack of Perseverance, Sensation Seeking, and Positive Urgency. There were also significant main effects between FMS, Lack of Perseverance, and Positive Urgency. The findings from this study suggest that the equivalence between the manual and computerized versions of the WCST depends on the WCST subscale and the type of psychological symptom. New normative data need to be developed for the computerized WCST, along with a more consistent method of scoring and interpreting WCST subscales.
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- Title
- The Association Between Executive Functioning, Verbal Memory, and Internalized Stigma in Predicting Psychotropic Medication Adherence Behaviors Among People with Serious Mental Illness
- Creator
- Powell, Karina
- Date
- 2020
- Description
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Long-term symptom management is an important consideration for many individuals with serious mental illness to maintain recovery over time,...
Show moreLong-term symptom management is an important consideration for many individuals with serious mental illness to maintain recovery over time, prevent relapse and rehospitalization, and decrease symptom severity. Psychotropic medications can be an important aspect of treatment planning; however, many barriers exist that can impact medication adherence and treatment efficacy. Research suggests that internalized stigma and neurocognition may impact medication adherence, but research has yet to investigate the relationship between these three constructs in tandem. In this study, medication adherence was measured via medication possession ratio calculated from pharmacy records (objective) and self-reported medication use (subjective). Selection of neurocognitive domains and assessment measures was informed by MATRICS and ISBD-BANC consensus batteries. The primary expectations were that verbal memory and executive functioning would be related to medication adherence behaviors and that these domains would moderate the relationship between internalized stigma and medication adherence. A consistent association was seen between measures of self-reported medication use over time, suggesting participants were generally consistent in their reported use. While analyses testing the primary hypotheses were nonsignificant, in the context of limitations of statistical power, trends emerged that may be worthy of further investigation. Future research should continue to explore the potentially multifaceted relationships between factors contributing to adherence. A more comprehensive understanding these relationships has implications for clinicians and consumers in addressing treatment barriers and disengagement by developing more nuanced and targeted interventions.
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