Theses and Dissertations
This collection includes both ASU Theses and Dissertations, submitted by graduate students, and the Barrett, Honors College theses submitted by undergraduate students.
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Description
This study utilized targeted messages and expert and referent sources in an effort to promote physical activity behavior in college students. College students aged 18-25, excluding collegiate athletes, were randomized into three conditions using their current physical activity level. Two of the conditions received targeted messages highlighting three primary components of social cognitive theory - self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and goals - while the third condition received no messages. In addition, the experimental conditions received the messages from either an expert (i.e., a personal trainer) or a referent (i.e., a close friend). In this way, this experiment analyzed whether receiving social cognitive theory messages increased physical activity indicators compared to the control condition, as well as if the message source caused differences in the physical activity indicators. Moreover, participants completed Time 1 and Time 2 measures to determine if receiving messages or not caused changes over a one week time period. Seven physical activity indicators were assessed: self-efficacy, positive outcome expectations, negative outcome expectations, attitudes, response-efficacy, intentions, and physical activity behavior. Results revealed that both the personal trainer and close friend conditions had significantly higher scores than the control condition for intentions at Time 1 and Time 2, as well as physical activity behavior at Time 2. Moreover, the personal trainer condition had significantly higher positive outcome expectations compared to both the friend and control conditions. No other significant differences were found across conditions for Time 1 attitudes, response-efficacy, negative outcome expectations, self-efficacy, and Time 2 attitudes, and self-efficacy. Overall, targeted messages were effective in increasing physical activity intentions and behavior regardless of the message source.
ContributorsMarmo, Jennifer Lauren (Author) / Roberto, Anthony J. (Thesis advisor) / Mongeau, Paul A. (Committee member) / Ainsworth, Barbara E. (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2012
Description
Depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts or actions are on the rise in adolescents (National Institute of Mental Health, 2015; Bridge, Asti, & Horowitz, 2015). Parents, school administrators, and therapists are searching for resiliency factors with in at-risk groups to aid students in need. In previous work, Luthar and Zigler (1992) reported that intelligent youth are more resilient than less intelligent youth under low stress conditions but they lose their advantage under high stress conditions. This study examined whether intelligence (reflected in grade point average; GPA) and maladaptive (internalizing and externalizing symptoms) behaviors are negatively related in adolescents, and tested whether level of stress, reflected in emotion regulation and friendship quality, moderated that association. It also probed whether the relationships differ by gender. Sixth-graders (N=506) were recruited with active parental consent from three middle schools. Adolescents completed self-report questionnaires Regarding demo graphics, maladaptive behaviors, emotion regulation, and friendship quality, and GPA data were collected from the school. Regression analyses found that GPA was negatively related to externalizing symptoms. Girls with poor friendship communication report significantly higher maladaptive behaviors. This relation was more pronounced for girls with high GPAs, as predicted. Results support the theory that intelligent female adolescents are more reactive under adverse circumstances. Future efforts should follow students through middle school into high school to evaluate whether friendships remain important to adjustment, hold for boys as well as girls, and have implications for relationship interventions.
ContributorsGonzales, Ashlyn Carol (Author) / Luthar, Suniya (Thesis director) / Davis, Mary (Committee member) / Infurna, Frank (Committee member) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-12