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 41 - 50 of 93
Description
Prior research has identified that clinicians in the treatment of eating disorders often do not adhere closely to empirically-supported treatments (EST), and are particularly likely to modify Cognitive-Behavioral therapy (CBT). Several reasons for this phenomenon, dubbed "clinician drift", have been identified, including level of clinician training, education, and type of patient care. In addition to the phenomenon of clinician drift, there has been a growing controversy within the field of clinical psychology about the compatibility of ESTs and multiculturalism. Some argue that the standardization inherent to EST resists the concept of cultural adaptability; while others have countered that cultural adaptability is essential in order for empirically supported treatments to remain relevant, ethical, and effective. In order to shed more light on this issue, this study examined how clinicians tend to drift from CBT in the treatment of Latinos suffering from eating disorders, in order to accommodate Latino culture and elements of eating behavior specific to Latino populations. We both attempted to replicate prior findings regarding predictors of clinician drift, as well as build upon the little existing research into the "culturally-motivated clinician drift." It was discovered that no therapist characteristics or client characteristics were predictive of drift. However, the majority of the sample still adapted or abandoned at least part of the CBT treatment. Their responses regarding the weaknesses of CBT for their Spanish-speaking clients can provide insight into how the treatment can be modified for more diverse clients.
ContributorsJosephs, Jamie Elise (Author) / Perez, Marisol (Thesis director) / Luecken, Linda (Committee member) / Davis, Mary (Committee member) / Department of English (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-12
Description
Early adolescence is a pivotal stage of social and emotional development. Socialization traditionally occurs in person, but social interactions via technology (e.g., social media, video games) have grown in popularity. However, little research has been conducted on how early adolescents interact with technology and how these interactions relate to their socialization as well as other factors such as reading habits or academic achievement. Seventh and eighth grade students (n = 719) completed a survey that captured information about their technology use, their academic habits and performance, and extracurricular involvement. It was hypothesized that those involved in more extracurricular activities would use the internet more socially and that internet use would be negatively correlated to both academic performance and recreational reading. Responses indicated that a majority of students have access to technology (e.g. internet, computers, television, gaming consoles, and tablets) in their homes. Social media use differed drastically between platforms. Analyses indicated a relation between amount of extracurricular activities on social television watching and social internet use, but not on social gaming. A significant negative correlation was found between recreational reading and time spent socializing online, but there was no significant effect of these factors on academic performance. Thus, hypotheses were partially supported by the relation between amount of extracurriculars and social internet use and the negative correlation between time spent socializing online and recreational reading.
ContributorsHorner, Kate Elizabeth (Author) / McNamara, Danielle (Thesis director) / McCarthy, Kathryn (Committee member) / Davis, Mary (Committee member) / Division of Teacher Preparation (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-12
Description
With no known cure, Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common dementia, affecting more than 5.5 million Americans. Research has shown that women who undergo surgical menopause (i.e. removal of the ovaries) before the onset of natural menopause are at a greater risk for AD. It is hypothesized that this greater relative risk of developing AD is linked to ovarian hormone deprivation associated with surgical menopause. The purpose of these studies was to evaluate the behavioral changes that occur after a short-term (ST) and a long-term (LT) ovarian hormone deprivation in a mouse model of AD. Wildtype (Wt) or APP/PS1 (Tg) mutation mice underwent either a sham surgery or an ovariectomy (Ovx) surgery at three months of age. Study 1 consisted of a short-term cohort that was behaviorally tested one month following surgery on a battery of spatial memory tasks including, the Morris water maze, delayed matched-to-sample water maze, and visible platform task. Study 2 consisted of a long-term cohort that was behaviorally tested on the same cognitive battery three months following surgery. Results of Study 1 revealed that genotype interacted with surgical menopause status, such that after a short-term ovarian hormone deprivation, Ovx induced a genotype effect while Sham surgery did not. Results of Study 2 showed a similar pattern of effects, with a comparable interaction between genotypes and surgical menopause status. These findings indicate that the cognitive impact of ovarian hormone deprivation depends on AD-related genotype. Neuropathology evaluations in these mice will be done in the near future and will allow us to test relations between surgical menopause status, cognition, and AD-like neuropathology.
ContributorsPalmer, Justin M. (Author) / Bimonte-Nelson, Heather (Thesis director) / Oddo, Salvatore (Committee member) / Davis, Mary (Committee member) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-12
Description
Adolescence, a period of life characterized by drastic physiological as well as psychological development, is undoubtedly daunting. With the rise of social media, this period has become increasingly difficult for teenagers to navigate as social media continues to transform the way they develop psychologically. By increasing their need for social validation, creating a sense of hyper-connectivity, and encouraging an unprecedented lack of empathy, social media negatively impacts self-esteem, a pillar of the social and emotional development endured by teens in these formative years. The result of this impact, low self-esteem is linked to a plethora of serious outcomes ranging from eating disorders and anxiety, to substance abuse and depression. These outcomes are the reasons why social media's effect on the self-esteem of teenagers is an issue worth addressing.
ContributorsBradshaw, Sydney Brenda (Author) / Sanft, Alfred (Thesis director) / Heywood, William (Committee member) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / The Design School (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
Fueled by fear in the post-9/11 United States, American intelligence agencies conduct dragnet data collection on global communication. Despite the intention of surveillance as preventative counter-terrorism action, the default search and seizure of global communication poses a threat to our constitutional rights and individual autonomy. This is the case especially for people who may be thought of as in opposition to our current political climate, such as immigrants, people of color, women, people practicing non-western religions, people living outside of the United States, activists, persons engaging in political dissent, and people with intersecting identities. Throughout the Fall and Spring semesters, I have done research, conducted visual experiments and designed exploratory projects in order to more thoroughly identify the issue and explore the ways in which visual communication design can aid in the conversation surrounding global surveillance. It was the intention of my fourth year social issue projects to explore the role of visual communication design in the dialogue surrounding surveillance, principally focusing on the responsibility visual communication design has in spreading ideas about how to globally subvert surveillance until governments disclose information about their unconstitutional actions or until whistleblowers do it for them. My final project, the fourth year social issue exhibit, focuses on how improving our personal password habits can help us gain agency in digital spaces. Using the randomness of rolling a dice to generate entropy can help us generate stronger passwords in order to secure sensitive information online. Using design as a method of communication, my fourth year social issue exhibit shared information about how encrypted passwords can act as the first line of defense in protecting ourselves from invasive data collection and malicious internet activity.
ContributorsBailey, Lauren Nicole (Author) / Sanft, Alfred (Thesis director) / Heywood, William (Committee member) / The Design School (Contributor) / School of Social Transformation (Contributor) / School of Art (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
Humans are undeniably a part of nature. Without Earth's and her resources, we cease to exist. However, in recent years society has lacked the foresight or possibly care to understand the impact of our actions both on the planet and ourselves. Resources that industrialized societies are based on are dwindling in reserves and the impact of our actions in getting such resources has been largely harmful. In order to change cycles of overexertion both in our selves and the planet, we must change the ways we think. I propose that humans, very much like the Earth, have limited resources and need to be more mindful in our choices. Wellness and sustainability are two branches of sustaining a larger system and our collective future. On an individual scale, wellness is sustaining our individual resources (i.e. time, energy, thoughts), and can be aided through simple practices to encourage healthy patterns and processes. Sustainability in terms of the planet is sustaining our common resources. This requires a change in our individual selves as well as cooperation to change the larger systems that we are parts of. I separated wellness into three components, core values, positivity, and time management. Sustainability is separated into lifestyle, systems thinking, and learning from life. For each of the six components, I briefly describe their importance and benefits.
ContributorsShamas, Ariel Judith (Author) / Sanft, Al (Thesis director) / Heywood, William (Committee member) / The Design School (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
The overall purpose of this study is to address how graphic design can begin to solve the particular social issue of the effect of screen time on child development. In order to reach that particular conclusion, the research begins with an exploration of theories of child development themselves, both physical and cognitive. After establishing their relevance and importance, the issue of the predominance of screens in this current culture is discussed. When it comes to the main point, that screen time affects how children develop, there are two polarized sides to the argument: pro-screens and anti-screens. After reviewing the valid points from each position, the discussion moves to the solution: graphic design. The specific solutions of the pixelPLAY campaign website, the Start Them Young promotional video, and the exhibit, Playing With Pixels: How Screens Can Affect Your Infant's Development, are described in detail as to how they can effectively communicate this social issue and spread awareness. Overall, the argument stands that screens are not going anywhere. It benefits this current generation of new parents to properly educate their child on the correct way to use this omnipresent digital medium in order for them to grow up as healthy, independent, socially responsible and capable individuals. The best chance for success emerges if the parents themselves become aware of the right and wrong ways to use screens, lead by example, and halt unhealthy habits before they even begin. Graphic design can be the match to the flame and set fire to getting this extremely relevant and important issue into the public eye.
ContributorsDella Corna, Gabriela Margarita (Author) / Sanft, Alfred (Thesis director) / Heywood, William (Committee member) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / The Design School (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
In previous research, Luthar and Barkin (2012) found that across three different samples collected from three high-achieving schools, adolescents reported elevated rates of maladjustment behaviors, which include substance use, and internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Additionally, past research has also indicated that these maladjustment behaviors are related to parent relationships. A group of high-achieving adolescents that research has not yet focused on are those attending boarding schools, who may have higher-quality relationships with parents due to less daily strife. This study aimed to examine high-achieving adolescents across five samples from five high schools, two of which were boarding schools. This study hypothesized that the high-achieving adolescents attending both boarding schools would report lower rates of substance use, internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and lower rates of perceived parent criticism and expectations in comparison to those attending the day schools. Substance use, internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and parent relationships were measured using self-report measures that were completed by students attending these schools. Results showed that both boarding schools reported elevated rates of substance use in comparison to the three day schools and these rates measured above national norms. At the same time, both boarding schools reported lower rates of internalizing and externalizing symptoms when compared to rates reported by the day school students. This study also found that there were differences among parent relationship measures, such as criticism and expectations, among all school samples. Results of this study also showed that aspects of parent relationship, such as parent knowledge, were associated with rates of substance use among all school samples. In summary, boarding school students showed elevated substance use, similar parental relationship quality, and lower mental health symptoms compared to day school students. For all students, some aspects of the parental relationship were related to levels of substance use.
ContributorsTaracena, Emily Gabriella (Author) / Luthar, Suniya (Thesis director) / Infurna, Frank (Committee member) / Davis, Mary (Committee member) / Division of Teacher Preparation (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-12
Description
This study addresses a gap in the literature by examining interactions between parental monitoring and parental autonomy giving/personal autonomy in predicting changes in drinking behavior from high school to college. Using data from two unique studies (study 1 was 62.8% female, n = 425; study 2 was 59.9% female, n = 2245), we analyzed main effects of parental monitoring, parental autonomy-giving, and personal autonomy. We also analyzed interactions between parental monitoring and autonomy-giving, and between parental monitoring and personal autonomy. Analyses found significant main effects of parental monitoring on drinking, with high levels of parental monitoring protecting against heavy drinking. Personal autonomy was a protective factor in both high school and college, whereas parental autonomy-giving did not predict drinking behavior in either high school or during the transition to college. This calls into question the extent to which parental autonomy-giving is a primary influence on personal autonomy. Hypothesized interactions between parental monitoring and parental autonomy giving/personal autonomy were not statistically significant. In summary, parental monitoring seems to be protective in high school, and personal autonomy—but not parental autonomy-giving—is also protective. Whereas the latter finding is well established from previous studies, the protective effect of personal autonomy during the transition to college is a novel finding. This relationship suggests that efforts to identify sources of personal autonomy in early adulthood and methods for increasing autonomy may be warranted.
ContributorsStack, Jaclyn Elaine (Author) / Corbin, William (Thesis director) / Meier, Madeline (Committee member) / Davis, Mary (Committee member) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-12
Description
The literature has consistently established levels of adolescent maladjustment well above national norms for both socioeconomic (SES) extremes (Lyman & Luthar 2014). Yet literature on positive adolescent adjustment, and its protective or even corrective factors is lacking (Eisenberg, Zhou, & Coller, 2001). This study examined the effects of gender and SES on parent attachment in relation to reports of prosocial behavior. Eleventh grade adolescents (N = 397) were recruited from two public high schools for academically-gifted students who were either high or low-level SES (i.e. the extremes). The students provided passive consent and answered questions on their demographics, perceived relationship with their parents, and tendency to behave in a prosocial manner. Multivariate analyses of variance and follow up analyses of variance were run by gender and SES to determine main effects for gender and SES on parent attachment and prosocial behavior. Regressions following preliminary correlations analyzed whether parental attachment predicted higher levels of adolescent prosocial behavior. Results demonstrated that females communicated with their mothers significantly more and reported higher levels of prosocial behavior than their male counterparts. Findings with regard to SES revealed that high SES adolescents reported increased parent attachment, whereas low SES adolescents reported higher levels of community\u2014based prosocial behaviors. Finally, certain dimensions of parent attachment predicted increases and decreases only in specific prosocial behaviors. Because prosocial behaviors change throughout adolescence, future ventures should consider a longitudinal analysis to obtain a more comprehensive picture of adolescent positive adjustment.
ContributorsAli, Hira (Author) / Luthar, Suniya (Thesis director) / Infurna, Frank (Committee member) / Davis, Mary (Committee member) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-12