Matching Items (8)
Description
Critical flicker fusion thresholds (CFFTs) describe when quick amplitude modulations of a light source become undetectable as the frequency of the modulation increases and are thought to underlie a number of visual processing skills, including reading. Here, we compare the impact of two vision-training approaches, one involving contrast sensitivity training and the other directional dot-motion training, compared to an active control group trained on Sudoku. The three training paradigms were compared on their effectiveness for altering CFFT. Directional dot-motion and contrast sensitivity training resulted in significant improvement in CFFT, while the Sudoku group did not yield significant improvement. This finding indicates that dot-motion and contrast sensitivity training similarly transfer to effect changes in CFFT. The results, combined with prior research linking CFFT to high-order cognitive processes such as reading ability, and studies showing positive impact of both dot-motion and contrast sensitivity training in reading, provide a possible mechanistic link of how these different training approaches impact reading abilities.
ContributorsZhou, Tianyou (Author) / Nanez, Jose (Author) / Zimmerman, Daniel (Author) / Holloway, Steven (Author) / Seitz, Aaron (Author) / New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences (Contributor)
Created2016-10-26
Description
Studies have demonstrated that telomere length is influenced by a person’s perception of stressors and other studies suggest that interparental conflict is a stressor for children. The current study sought to determine if child perception of interparental conflict is a better predictor of telomere length than parent perception of interparental conflict. This study also sought to determine whether behavior problems are the medium for how child perception of conflict influences telomere length. Using multiple regression analyses between reports of interparental conflict, reports of child behavior problems, and child telomere length ratios, it was determined that child report of conflict was a better predictor of behavior problems and telomere length. Child report of behavior problems was the medium whereby child report of conflict predicted telomere length. While these results were not significant, it does provide the first evidence that child perception of interparental conflict influences telomere length more than parental report of interparental conflict. This suggests that intervention programs designed to reduce conflict between parents should include a method for helping children process their feelings about of interparental conflict to preserve telomere length.
ContributorsFuller, Austin David (Author) / Lindstrom-Johnson, Sarah (Thesis director) / Elam, Kit (Committee member) / Ruof, Ariana (Committee member) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
The theoretical basis of the proposed study is drawn from an ecological-transactional (Lynch & Cicchetti, 1998) systems approach to development, which focuses on contexts, and correspondingly, overlays the gender affirmative model’s (GAM) transactional model of support (Keomeier & Ehrensaft, 2018) to reveal protection in the school ecology. Combining these two approaches provides unique insights into protective factors in the school ecology, distinct from developmental systems approaches driven by the minority stress model (Meyer, 2003), which are designed to highlight the multidimensional quality of risk (Eisenberg et al., 2019). The dissertation had two central aims: 1) to report on the development of the Gender Affirmative School Climate (GASC) scale, a self-report survey designed to capture high school climate specific to the domain of gender, and 2) to explore how gender affirmative school climate (GASC) relates to student self-esteem and school belongingness. Unique from risk factors approaches the central aims sought out to identify protective factors within a developmental system ecology of the high school context.In two pilot studies (N=12; N=758; trans = 413, non-trans = 344) and primary study (N=813; trans = 482, non-trans = 328) results for scale development provide evidence to validate assumptions that the proposed (GASC) construct captures what was intended, that is, school climate specific to the domain of gender. However, measurement invariance procedure showed that not all items operated equivalently across trans and non-trans groups, and confirmed that the proposed scale meets criteria for “weak measurement invariance”. High school students that reported more positive school climate reported lower self-esteem scores. Only one protective moderator was consistent with hypotheses: More feelings of similarity to peer group gender (boys) emerged as a protective factor for transgender identified high schoolers attenuating the negative relationship between perceptions of school climate and self-esteem. Latent measurement models for each gender group demonstrated that the school belongingness construct is highly related to the proposed (GASC) construct. This demonstrated domain overlap with “feelings of school belongingness” signals that the proposed scale showed good convergent validity. The results provide insight about ways high schools can be pro-active to promote a healthier school climate for transgender students.
ContributorsScrofani, Stephan (Author) / Martin, Carol L. (Thesis advisor) / DeLay, Dawn (Thesis advisor) / Lindstrom-Johnson, Sarah (Committee member) / Low, Sabina (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
Although adverse events cannot always be prevented, the negative outcomes on development can potentially be modified by considering methods of fostering positive emotional and behavioral responses. The study examined biopsychosocial health outcomes in the presence of uncontrollable adverse childhood events with the goal of identifying a potential intervention to increase resilience, health, and safe behaviors among at-risk children. It was hypothesized that adverse events can result in positive biopsychosocial outcomes in the presence of high scores on the Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishments (PERMA) model of well-being, self-efficacy, gratitude, and the ability to envision a positive future self. The study retrospectively examined adverse childhood events and present behavioral, emotional, and physical health outcomes. Participant (n = 685) data were analyzed using Hayes PROCESS (v3.5) to test all components of the moderation model. Results suggest that as adverse events increase, health adversity also increases. However, those with high intrapersonal strengths showed better health outcomes. Through understanding intrapersonal pathways in the presence of adverse events, the study can potentially identify mechanisms important for promoting resilient outcomes in childhood that could cascade into adulthood.
ContributorsBraunstein, Bailey Marie (Author) / Mickelson, Kristin (Thesis advisor) / Hall, Deborah (Committee member) / Lindstrom-Johnson, Sarah (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
This thesis is a continuation of the Humanities Lab “Narratives of School Shootings” class, which analyzed the impact of school violence on students and communities and examined the narratives and factors that exist relating to school shootings. A primary focus of the class was youth activism and advocacy. In collaboration with the Greenlights Grant Initiative, which was created to combat violence in schools, Barrett students were partnered with school districts to assist in grant writing. Using projects from “Narratives of School Shootings”, the team deduced which grants best supported each school district and worked with the districts to write and submit them. These grants are used for proactive and reactive measures to keep student emotionally and physically sound. Through this process, Barrett students analyzed the intricacies of grant writing and government funding, as well as how those contribute to cycles of inequality.
ContributorsZimmerman, Daniel (Author) / Brammer, Elizabeth (Co-author) / Miller, Allison (Co-author) / Lindstrom-Johnson, Sarah (Thesis director) / Blasingame, James (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of English (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
This thesis is a continuation of the Humanities Lab “Narratives of School Shootings” class, which analyzed the impact of school violence on students and communities and examined the narratives and factors that exist relating to school shootings. A primary focus of the class was youth activism and advocacy. In collaboration with the Greenlights Grant Initiative, which was created to combat violence in schools, Barrett students were partnered with school districts to assist in grant writing. Using projects from “Narratives of School Shootings”, the team deduced which grants best supported each school district and worked with the districts to write and submit them. These grants are used for proactive and reactive measures to keep student emotionally and physically sound. Through this process, Barrett students analyzed the intricacies of grant writing and government funding, as well as how those contribute to cycles of inequality.
ContributorsBrammer, Elizabeth (Author) / Miller, Allison (Co-author) / Zimmerman, Daniel (Co-author) / Lindstrom Johnson, Sarah (Thesis director) / Blasingame, James (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Department of English (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
This thesis is a continuation of the Humanities Lab “Narratives of School Shootings” class, which analyzed the impact of school violence on students and communities and examined the narratives and factors that exist relating to school shootings. A primary focus of the class was youth activism and advocacy. In collaboration with the Greenlights Grant Initiative, which was created to combat violence in schools, Barrett students were partnered with school districts to assist in grant writing. Using projects from “Narratives of School Shootings”, the team deduced which grants best supported each school district and worked with the districts to write and submit them. These grants are used for proactive and reactive measures to keep student emotionally and physically sound. Through this process, Barrett students analyzed the intricacies of grant writing and government funding, as well as how those contribute to cycles of inequality.
ContributorsMiller, Allison (Author) / Zimmerman, Daniel (Co-author) / Brammer, Elizabeth (Co-author) / Lindstrom Johnson, Sarah (Thesis director) / Blasingame, James (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
Past research suggested that lutein (L) and zeaxanthin (Z) play a role in many aspects of cognitive functions including motor speed, working memory, executive function, psychomotor speed and verbal fluency among elderly people. Moreover, L and Z are the only carotenoids found in the eye, and they are correlated with improved contrast sensitivity, improved temporal vision, reduced glare disability, and reduced risk of age related-macular degeneration (AMD). Animal and postmortem research suggests that MPOD may be a biomarker for predicting cognitive decline with age. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the potential relationship between MPOD and cognition in young healthy adults. There were fifty participants in the current study, 25 had low MPOD. The remaining participants exhibited high MPOD, which was measured using a macular pigment densitometer. People with low MPOD did not perform any worse than people with high MPOD. Although low MPOD in young adults may be a biomarker for future cognitive decline, the effects may lay dormant until later in life. Future research should explore this possibility by replicating this study with an older population.
ContributorsZimmerman, Daniel (Author) / Nanez, Jose E (Thesis advisor) / Shipstead, Zachary (Committee member) / Hall, Deborah (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014