Search results

Title: Overvaluation of Weight and Shape Among Weight Loss Surgery Candidates
Creator: Hecht, Leah Marie
Date: 2019
Description: 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: 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: 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: 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: SPIN TRANSPORT AND SPIN-ORBIT TORQUES IN ANTIFERROMAGNETS
Creator: Saglam, Hilal
Date: 2019
Description: 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: 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: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Direct-to-Consumer Advertising of Cognitive-Behavior Therapy for Depression
Creator: Antler, Caroline
Date: 2020
Description: 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: Is emotion regulation a mediator between parenting skills and treatment outcome in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy?
Creator: Butler, Kristina
Date: 2020
Description: 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: 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: 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: FINANCIAL BURDEN AND COPING IN HEAD AND NECK CANCER PATIENTS
Creator: Yap, Bonnie Joyce
Date: 2020
Description: 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: 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: 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: 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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Title: The Impact of Depression and Cognitive Dietary Restraint on the Association between Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Disordered Eating Behaviors
Creator: Schwartz, Natalie
Date: 2020
Description: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by loud snoring and repeated episodes of obstruction in the upper airway during sleep that...
Show moreObstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by loud snoring and repeated episodes of obstruction in the upper airway during sleep that cause partial or total stop in the airflow, often resulting in short, disruptive sleep. Sleep disruption as a result of OSA has been shown to result in reduced cognitive functioning and disordered eating behaviors, however, few studies to date have sought to determine whether OSA is associated with disordered eating behaviors. Bariatric patients are asked to restrict their food intake prior to surgery; however, restraint theory suggests that the eating behavior of those intending to restrict their intake can be disinhibited by a variety of conditions, which cause the restrained eater to engage in disinhibited and overeating behaviors. Depression has also demonstrated an association with disordered eating behaviors and cognitive dysfunction. Affect regulation theory is often cited as a possible explanation for this association, with the desire to avoid unpleasant affective states resulting in disordered eating behaviors. A sample of 93 bariatric surgery candidates were recruited from an academic medical center in a large metropolitan city to participate in the current study. Participants were recruited during their routine pre-surgical assessment for bariatric surgery and completed measures of disordered eating and depression. Both body mass index and diagnosis of OSA were obtained from patient medical chart. It was hypothesized that the presence of OSA would be related to higher levels of disordered eating behaviors, including disinhibited eating, frequency of loss of control and frequency of binge eating. Additionally, it was hypothesized that cognitive dietary restraint would moderate the association between OSA and disordered eating in bariatric patients, such that the greater the intent to strictly control food intake (i.e., greater cognitive dietary restraint), the more strongly sleep disturbance will be associated with disordered eating. Finally, it was hypothesized that depression would mediate the association between OSA and disordered eating in bariatric patients, such that depressive symptomatology accounts for the relation between OSA and disordered eating behaviors. Results indicated that the presence of OSA was not related to higher levels of disordered eating behaviors, nor did depression mediate the association between OSA and the disordered eating outcomes. Two of the moderation models were significant, including the disinhibited eating model and the frequency of loss of control over eating model. Although bariatric patients are encouraged to restrict their food intake, findings suggested that restraint does not appear to function as intended in reducing disinhibited eating behaviors in individuals with OSA. The findings for the loss of control model supported restraint theory and suggested that those with OSA who also endorse high restraint are at increased risk for experiencing loss of control over eating, whereas those who do not have cognitive dysfunction associated with OSA may or may not exhibit the same association. The current study highlights the impact of restraint on bariatric patients’ disordered eating behaviors, suggesting that restraint theory may not be entirely applicable to bariatric populations and may depend on the disordered eating behavior being examined. The current study also points to numerous gaps in the current literature and provides future directions for research on OSA and disordered eating in bariatric populations.
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Title: SPECIFICITY OF DEFICITS IN EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING IN YOUTH WITH NONVERBAL LEARNING DISABILITY, ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER AND READING DISORDER
Creator: McCue, Kimberly Ann
Date: 2021
Description: Nonverbal Learning Disability (NLD) has been the focus of four decades of neuropsychological research. However, it has yet to be included as a...
Show moreNonverbal Learning Disability (NLD) has been the focus of four decades of neuropsychological research. However, it has yet to be included as a diagnostic category in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (i.e., currently in its fifth edition, DSM-5, American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Many of the characteristics associated with Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NLD) are similar to those found in other more established disorders such as Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Specific Learning Disorders (SLD), and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Recent research in neuropsychology and other fields has contributed to a greater understanding of the cognitive profiles of NLD, ADHD, and Reading Disorder (RD). However, the neurological underpinnings of deficits in executive functioning specific to NLD versus ADHD and RD have yet to be fully elucidated. Ongoing research has failed to distinguish NLD from other childhood disorders, including ADHD, based on specific structural or functional neurological deficits. The current study examined the specificity of deficits in executive functioning in youth with nonverbal learning disability, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and reading disorder. In addition, the study examined the degree to which the Rey Complex Figure Test subscales and Processing Speed Index (PSI) and Working Memory Index (WMI) scores (WISC-IV or WISC-III) could discriminate between the NLD group from ADHD and RD groups. Data for the present study were collected from a population served by the Pediatric Neuropsychological Service at The University of Chicago Medicine. Children who had been referred for neuropsychological assessment and whose comprehensive battery included a WISC measure (WISC-III or WISC-IV) and RCFT measurements were included. All data were archival, i.e., gleaned from the Service database; data from 202 participants was retrieved, including youth who underwent neuropsychological evaluation between 2003 and 2016. The present study hypothesized differences between NLD, ADHD, and RD diagnostic groups on visuo-spatial planning/organization, visuo-spatial working memory, long-term visuo-spatial recall, visuo-spatial recognition, verbal working memory, and processing speed. In summary, of the six executive function domains examined, two domains showed significant underperformance for the NLD group, two domains showed a non-significant trend of underperformance for the NLD group and two domains did not show significant differences between diagnostic groups.
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Title: Examining Racial Differences in Body Dissatisfaction and Disordered Eating Following Media Exposure of a Curvaceous Body Ideal
Creator: Dorsaint, Talissa
Date: 2021
Description: Previous research has found that internalization of a thin body ideal contributes to negative cognitive and behavioral symptoms, such as body...
Show morePrevious research has found that internalization of a thin body ideal contributes to negative cognitive and behavioral symptoms, such as body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. However, studies supporting a sociocultural model have typically included mostly White samples. Research suggests that there may be racial differences in body dissatisfaction and disordered eating among Black and White women, specifically that Black women may be protected from body dissatisfaction via the buffering hypothesis. However, studies have found that differences in body dissatisfaction between Black and White women are smaller than previously thought. Additionally, Black women do not feel represented in the mainstream media on the basis of their physical appearance and ascribed ideals when exposed to thin ideals. Research is needed to examine the impact of other ideals (e.g., the curvaceous body ideal) on body dissatisfaction, as well as body dissatisfaction for Black women in Western culture. The present study used an experimental design to examine differences in body dissatisfaction and disordered eating behaviors in a community sample of Black and White self-identified women before and after exposure to a thin or curvaceous body ideal. Participants were randomized to a thin ideal or curvaceous ideal condition. All participants completed a demographic questionnaire, baseline measures of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating and Visual Analog Scales before and after viewing thin or curvaceous images. Findings indicated no racial differences in baseline body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. Additionally, associations between baseline body dissatisfaction and disordered eating were significant and align with previous research, but an effect of condition was found on body satisfaction change scores. No statistically significant interaction was found between race and body ideal condition for body dissatisfaction change scores. Finally, change scores of body dissatisfaction measures were not statistically different from pre- to post-exposure of either thin or curvy body ideal conditions. Findings have significant implications for the buffering hypothesis and add to studies that have found small racial differences in body dissatisfaction. Present findings also have implications for assessment and treatment in overall eating pathology as seen by the Sociocultural Model in Black women.
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Title: The Relation Between Executive Functions and Academic Performance in Clinically-Referred Adolescents
Creator: Coultis, Nora Plumb
Date: 2021
Description: The literature on executive functioning (EF) and academic performance has focused on early academic performance in young children (Best et al....
Show moreThe literature on executive functioning (EF) and academic performance has focused on early academic performance in young children (Best et al., 2011). Few studies have assessed the relation between EF abilities and academics in adolescents, which is particularly important because the demand on EF skills greatly increases in middle and high school (Best et al., 2011). Environmental factors, including completing multiple assignments, managing increased independent work, and changing classes, exacerbate the EF burden and reduce cognitive resources (Langberg et al., 2013; Samuels et al., 2016). Academic tasks also become more complex during middle and high school, for example, requiring solving algebraic problems, reading comprehension, and expository writing (Bull & Scerif, 2001; Sesma et al., 2009). Thus, complex academic tasks in adolescence likely require a higher demand on EF abilities compared to academic tasks in early childhood. The extant literature also has several limitations, such as focusing on only a couple of EF or academic domains and using parent- or teacher-report ratings rather than performance measures. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the relation between four domains of EF (i.e., working memory, inhibition, shifting, and planning) and three areas of academic performance (i.e., reading, writing, math) in a sample (N = 87) of clinically-referred middle and high school students. Contrary to expectation, results of hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that the measures of EF did not contribute significant additional variance to scores in reading and writing performance after controlling for IQ. It is notable that the EF variables did contribute a significant amount of additional variance to math scores after controlling for IQ and diagnosis. However, only working memory was significantly associated with math performance. This finding suggests that strategies designed to enhance working memory may be effective in improving math performance in students who are underperforming.
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Title: STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK ON A NOVEL EMOTION REGULATION INTERVENTION FOR PRESCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN WITH DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS: A THEMATIC ANALYSIS
Creator: Lossia, Amanda
Date: 2019
Description: Disruptive behavior disorders are among the most prevalent psychological disorders in preschoolers. There are evidence-based treatments for...
Show moreDisruptive behavior disorders are among the most prevalent psychological disorders in preschoolers. There are evidence-based treatments for these disorders, but clinically significant behavior problems persist in approximately one-fourth to one-third of children after treatment. These treatments consist of behavioral parenting interventions and are not designed to directly address children’s affective dysregulation, which is a core component of behavior problems. To address this limitation, a manualized intervention was developed to treat disruptive behavior in preschool-age children by specifically targeting their emotion regulation abilities as the mechanism of change by coaching the caregiver to scaffold the child’s emotion regulation strategy use. The purpose of the present study was to further the development of this intervention by obtaining feedback from key stakeholders (i.e., caregivers and therapists) on the intervention’s focus, content, and procedures. Obtaining this feedback is an essential component of developing a novel psychosocial intervention. A qualitative thematic analysis of in-depth focus group discussions was conducted. Data were organized into the following broad themes: Intervention approach (support for targeting emotion regulation but ensuring the approach is an appropriate fit and considering the important role of behavioral strategies; additional focus on facilitating a positive caregiver-child relationship; developing some independent regulation skills in the child), Intervention structure and session content (making the intervention structure more flexible or modular; retaining the main intervention components with modifications to enhance acceptability, relevance, and developmental appropriateness), The caregiver’s role (the caregiver’s role is of primary importance and should be active throughout all sessions; ensuring adequate caregiver preparation and skill development; additional primary focus on facilitating the caregiver’s own emotion regulation; attention to the caregiver’s own therapeutic needs), Individualized approach (individualizing the content and timing of all sessions to account for individual needs), Generalizability (ensuring generalization of skills to home and other settings through effective at-home practice and including other primary caregivers and family members in sessions), and Learning and skill development (considering individual differences in how children and caregivers learn and modifying activities accordingly). These themes and stakeholders’ specific feedback will guide revisions to the intervention manual prior to pilot testing and further examination of efficacy and effectiveness.
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Title: Testing a pilot intervention aiming to increase transgender allyship among future healthcare providers
Creator: Yoder, Wren
Date: 2021
Description: Transgender individuals often experience poor health outcomes related to a lack of provider knowledge and comfort around transgender issues. ...
Show moreTransgender individuals often experience poor health outcomes related to a lack of provider knowledge and comfort around transgender issues. Ally identity development and cultural humility theories have been used to develop interventions shown to improve attitudes, knowledge, and skills related to being an ally to the transgender community. Additionally, healthcare providers have reported a desire for online tools related to transgender healthcare, and online interventions can be more cost effective than traditional in-person trainings. The current study developed an hour-long online intervention composed of six activities aiming to increase attitudes, knowledge, skills, and identification as an ally to the transgender community. Tests were conducted to assess whether these domains increased significantly from baseline to post in the intervention condition compared to the control condition and whether the increase was maintained at 2-week follow up. The sample included cisgender (i.e., male or female) students studying a subject related to healthcare recruited online through Prolific (N = 78). Results indicated that knowledge and skills increased significantly from baseline to post in the intervention condition compared to the control condition, and increases were maintained at 2-week follow up. However, this was not the case for attitudes and identity. These findings largely replicate existing research on knowledge about transgender individuals and provide new insights into skills, attitudes, and identity related to transgender allyship. Findings can inform future research on transgender allyship intervention design and allyship theory as well as support improvements in clinical practice and policy related to transgender healthcare services.
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