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. 

Displaying 1 - 2 of 2
Filtering by

Clear all filters

151001-Thumbnail Image.png

The influence of benefit finding on activity limitation and everyday adaptation to chronic pain

Description
In rehabilitation settings, activity limitation can be a significant barrier to recovery. This study sought to examine the effects of state and trait level benefit finding, positive affect, and catastrophizing on activity limitation among individuals with a physician-confirmed diagnosis of either Osteoarthritis (OA), Fibromyalgia (FM), or a dual diagnosis of…

In rehabilitation settings, activity limitation can be a significant barrier to recovery. This study sought to examine the effects of state and trait level benefit finding, positive affect, and catastrophizing on activity limitation among individuals with a physician-confirmed diagnosis of either Osteoarthritis (OA), Fibromyalgia (FM), or a dual diagnosis of OA/FM. Participants (106 OA, 53 FM, and 101 OA/FM) who had no diagnosed autoimmune disorder, a pain rating above 20 on a 0-100 scale, and no involvement in litigation regarding their condition were recruited in the Phoenix metropolitan area for inclusion in the current study. After initial questionnaires were completed, participants were trained to complete daily diaries on a laptop computer and instructed to do so a half an hour before bed each night for 30 days. In each diary, participants rated their average daily pain, benefit finding, positive affect, catastrophizing, and activity limitation. A single item, "I thought about some of the good things that have come from living with my pain" was used to examine the broader construct of benefit finding. It was hypothesized that state and trait level benefit finding would have a direct relation with activity limitation and a partially mediated relationship, through positive affect. Multilevel modeling with SAS PROC MIXED revealed that benefit finding was not directly related to activity limitation. Increases in benefit finding were associated, however, with decreases in activity limitation through a significant mediated relationship with positive affect. Individuals who benefit find had a higher level of positive affect which was associated with decreased activity limitation. A suppression effect involving pain and benefit finding at the trait level was also found. Pain appeared to increase the predictive validity of the relation of benefit finding to activity limitation. These findings have important implications for rehabilitation psychologists and should embolden clinicians to encourage patients to increase positive affect by employing active approach-oriented coping strategies like benefit finding to reduce activity limitation.
ContributorsKinderdietz, Jeffrey Scott (Author) / Zautra, Alex (Thesis advisor) / Davis, Mary (Committee member) / Barrera, Manuel (Committee member) / Okun, Morris (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2012
168329-Thumbnail Image.png

Using Diffusion Tensor Imaging to Identify the White Matter Correlates of Motor Skill Learning and Visuospatial Processes in Older Adults

Description
Repetitive practice of functional movement patterns during motor rehabilitation are known to drive learning (or relearning) of novel motor skills, but the learning process is highly variable between individuals such that responsiveness to task-specific training is often patient-specific. A number of neuroimaging and neurophysiological methods have been proposed to better…

Repetitive practice of functional movement patterns during motor rehabilitation are known to drive learning (or relearning) of novel motor skills, but the learning process is highly variable between individuals such that responsiveness to task-specific training is often patient-specific. A number of neuroimaging and neurophysiological methods have been proposed to better predict a patient’s responsiveness to a given type or dose of motor therapy. However, these methods are often time- and resource-intensive, and yield results that are not readily interpretable by clinicians. In contrast, standardized visuospatial tests may offer a more feasible solution. The work presented in this dissertation demonstrate that a clinical paper-and-pencil test of visuospatial function may improve predictive models of motor skill learning in older adults and individuals with stroke pathology. To further our understanding of the neuroanatomical correlates underlying this behavioral relationship, I collected diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance images from 19 nondemented older adults to determine if diffusion characteristics of white matter tracts explain shared variance in delayed visuospatial memory test scores and motor skill learning. Consistent with previous work, results indicated that the structural integrity of regions with the bilateral anterior thalamic radiations, corticospinal tracts, and superior longitudinal fasciculi are related to delayed visuospatial memory performance and one-week skill retention. Overall, results of this dissertation suggest that incorporating a clinical paper-and-pencil test of delayed visuospatial memory may prognose motor rehabilitation outcomes and support that personalized variables should be considered in standards of care. Moreover, regions within specific white matter tracts may underlie this behavioral relationship and future work should investigate these regions as potential targets for therapeutic intervention.
ContributorsLingo VanGilder, Jennapher (Author) / Schaefer, Sydney Y (Thesis advisor) / Santello, Marco (Committee member) / Buneo, Christopher (Committee member) / Rogalsky, Corianne (Committee member) / Duff, Kevin (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021