Department: Psychology ![[clear]](close-x.png "Remove this limiter")
105 matches in the database.
These are records: 1 - 30.
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1.
Aguirre McLaughlin, AnnaMaria.
Risk-Taking Behaviors and Related Constructs in 12-year-old Adolescents who were Prenatally Exposed to Cocaine.
Degree: PhD, Psychology, 2010, Case Western Reserve University
► The current study investigated risk taking and related constructs (i.e., self-regulation, developmental…
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▼ The current study investigated risk taking and related constructs (i.e., self-regulation, developmental assets) in a cohort of youth who were prenatally exposed to cocaine (CE). Participants were 283 12-year-olds (CE=138; NCE=145) enrolled in a longitudinal study investigating the developmental outcomes of prenatal cocaine/poly drug exposure. At 12 years old, data pertaining to risk taking and related constructs was gathered. Regression models were carried out statistically controlling for potential confounding variables (e.g., other prenatal and postnatal drug exposure, home environment) to ensure isolated effects could be attributed to CE. The primary outcomes included: 1) self-reported risk behavior; 2) risk-taking propensity on a behavioral task; 3) self-regulation; and 4) behavioral assets. Controlling for potential confounders, a significant effect of CE was found for self-regulation (Beta= .210; p= .030), which upon further examination revealed a CE x gender interaction effect (Beta= -.216; p= .036). That is, being CE and female significantly predicted worse self-regulation. The findings replicate and extend previous findings with this cohort further demonstrating heightened vulnerability for females who were CE. Continued study of risk taking, self-regulation, and developmental assets in youth who were CE is needed to elucidate the developmental trajectories of risk and resilience
Advisors/Committee Members: Short, Elizabeth J.
Subjects: Developmental psychology; Psychology
Keywords: prenatal exposure; cocaine; adolescence; risk taking; self-regulation; developmental assets
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2.
Andrist, Charlotte Giovanetti.
The relationship between dimensional structure and individual differences in mental ability: A perceptual model of inductive reasoning.
Degree: PhD, Psychology, 1991, Case Western Reserve University
► The purpose of the current research was to systematically investigate the relationship…
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▼ The purpose of the current research was to systematically investigate the relationship between levels of perceptual structure and individual differences in cognitive ability. Two computerized studies were conducted. The first study tested the importance of changing dimensional relationships among novel perceptual stimuli (interstimulus structure) in the prediction of individual differences. The second study further defined two specific parameters of interstimulus structure: amount and form, and tested the relationship among parameters of interstimulus structure, individual stimulus complexity (intrastimulus structure), and individual differences in cognitive ability. The first study was conducted at Lackland Air Force Base with 220 Air Force recruits. The second study was conducted at Cleveland State University with 100 college undergraduates. Results from the first study indicated that changing dimensional structure between stimuli was an important factor in the prediction of individual differences in intelligence. Study 2 replicated and expanded results from Study 1. Parameters of interstimulus form and amount were identified as independent predictors of individual differences in mental ability in Study 2. Interstimulus form was the m ost highly related to individual differences in general cognitive ability. Mediating effects were identified for stimulus complexity and the order in which problems were presented. Basic cognitive processes of discrimination and learning predicted portions of the variance attributed to interstimulus amount and form, respectively. Interstimulus structure was an important predictor of individual differences in cognitive ability after effects of basic cognitive processes were partialed out. In sum, changing dimensional relationships between stimuli were important predictors of individual differences in general cognitive ability. Royer's (1978) structural model of individual differences was supported. Results were consistent with interpretations of Spearman's (1923) qualitative model of mental ability as a model of perceptual processing.
Advisors/Committee Members: Detterman, Douglas K.
Subjects: Psychology, General
Keywords: perceptual model inductive reasoning
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3.
Basili, Laura Anne.
A descriptive analysis of the social support perceptions and resources of children with cancer and their parents.
Degree: PhD, Psychology, 1991, Case Western Reserve University
► An important aspect of the psychosocial adjustment to cancer is to utilize…
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▼ An important aspect of the psychosocial adjustment to cancer is to utilize available sources of social support. This includes support from family, friends, and medical staff. Children with cancer are unique in that they get additional support from programs such as one week summer camps. Yet children's and parents' perceptions of social support from each of these resources have not been directly examined. The present research had four primary purposes: (1) to describe and assess the satisfaction with social support resources used by children and their parents to cope with the cancer experience; (2) to assess overall satisfaction with the level of social support and perceptions of family functioning and competence in children with cancer and their parents; (3) to explore the demographic, illness, social support, and familial factors that predict psychosocial adjustment in children with cancer; and (4) to describe and assess children's and parents' perceptions of the cancer camp experience and their satisfaction with the services these camps provide. Subjects were forty-six children with cancer between the ages of 7 and 17, who attended one of two cancer camps, and their parents. Children were interviewed and given questionnaires to assess perceptions of social supp ort, self-concept, and intelligence. Parents were interviewed and given questionnaires to assess perceptions of social support, family functioning, child behavior, demographic and medical information. All interviews took place in the participants' homes. Frequency analyses, analyses of variance, and regression analyses were used to analyze the data. Findings from the interviews highlighted the resilience these families demonstrated in coping with the cancer experience. Both children and parents were found to be quite satisfied with the support they received from their families, friends, and medical staff during the illness experience. Younger children and adolescents relied on their parents and peers for their emotional and companionship support. Subjects were forty-six children with cancer between the ages of 7 and 17, who attended one of two cancer camps, and their parents. Children were interviewed and given questionnaires to assess perceptions of social support, self-concept, and intelligence. Parents were interviewed and given questionnaires to assess perceptions of social support, family functioning, child behavior, demographic and medical information. All interviews took place in the participants' homes. Frequency analyses, analyses of variance, and regression analyses were used to analyze the data. Findings from the interviews highlighted the resilience these families demonstrated in coping with the cancer experience. Both children and parents were found to be quite satisfied with the support they received from their families, friends, and medical staff during the illness experience. Younger children and adolescents relied on their parents and peers for their emotional and companionship support. Children's and parents' scores on measures of social support, self-concept, family functioning, and behavioral problems were found to be comparable with the normative data for each measure. Variables relating to the child and the family were found to be predictors of adjustment for children with cancer. Almost all children and parents were quite satisfied with the services the camps were providing them. Children described themselves as using camp as a means of emotional and companionship support. Findings from the present research indicate that these children and families have adjusted well to their illness experience, and are well supported, both by formal and informal sources of support. Results are discussed in relation to the findings of other researchers in the area of social support and in relation to the limitations of the study
Advisors/Committee Members: Short, Elizabeth J.
Subjects: Psychology, Clinical
Keywords: Children, cancer; Social support, perceptions
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4.
Bhatnagar, Kelly Anne Constant.
Effectiveness and Feasibility of a Cognitive-Behavioral Group Intervention for Body Image Disturbance in Women with Eating Disorders.
Degree: PhD, Psychology, 2010, Case Western Reserve University
► The present study investigated the effectiveness and feasibility of a cognitive-behavioral group…
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▼ The present study investigated the effectiveness and feasibility of a cognitive-behavioral group intervention for the treatment of body image disturbance in women with eating disorders. The study used a multiple-baseline design and enrolled 38 participants with a range of eating disorders. The intervention targeted attitudinal and behavioral components of body image disturbance using psychoeducation, self-monitoring, systematic desensitization and cognitive restructuring. Primary outcomes included multidimensional body image assessment (effectiveness) and treatment adherence and satisfaction (feasibility). Participants undergoing manualized group treatment reported significantly less body image disturbance than participants randomized to a waitlist control condition. However, differences disappeared after both groups had been through intervention. Participants also reported significantly less depression and eating disorder pathology from baseline to post-treatment. Feasibility outcomes suggest the intervention was well received and highly acceptable to participants. Findings emphasize the importance of adding an evidence-based body image component to standard eating disorder treatment.
Advisors/Committee Members: Overholser, James.
Subjects: Cognitive therapy; Psychology; Psychotherapy; Therapy
Keywords: Body Image Disturbance; Eating Disorders; Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
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5.
Boden, Joseph Matthew.
Defensive miserliness: Hoarding attention in the service of emotional regulation.
Degree: PhD, Psychology, 1995, Case Western Reserve University
► The purpose of the present investigation was to determine whether repressors will…
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▼ The purpose of the present investigation was to determine whether repressors will allocate attentional resources in a way that is especially conducive to using attention to regulate their emotional experience. This bias in allocation was referred to as defensive miserliness. A pair of experiments examined whether repressors were better able than nonrepressors to shift their attention from one stimulus to another in two divided attention tasks. The experiments also examined whether repressors became unwilling to shift their attention across tasks when the threat of experiencing negative emotions was made salient. The results of the first experiment suggested that repressors did indeed show a bias in the manner in which their attentional resources were allocated. A more rigorous and complex test of the hypothesis conducted in the second experiment, however, failed to support the defensive miserliness hypothesis. The bias demonstrated by repressors in the first experiment is believed to explain in part why repressors are successful at regulating emotional states, and why shifting attention is one effective way to control emotions.
Advisors/Committee Members: Baumeister, Roy F.
Subjects: Psychology, Social
Keywords: Defensive miserliness; Hoarding attention; Emotional regulation
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6.
Braden, Abby L.
SEARCHING FOR MEANING: AN INVESTIGATION OF LIFE MEANING IN DEPRESSED ADULTS.
Degree: PhD, Psychology, 2011, Case Western Reserve University
► Psychological risk factors for depression and suicide have been identified, but the…
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▼ Psychological risk factors for depression and suicide have been identified, but the impact of life meaning on symptoms of depression and suicide has not been adequately examined in empirical investigations. The present study examined life meaning in depressed patients at the VA Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio, during an initial assessment consisting of a diagnostic interview and self-report questionnaires. Patients were re-evaluated at an 18 week follow-up visit. Two measures of life meaning were completed, the Life Regard Index – framework subscale and the Personal Meaning Profile. Among depressed veterans, less life meaning was significantly related to more severe depression, more intense hopelessness, and more frequent thoughts of suicide. Furthermore, life meaning contributed to the understanding of suicidal ideation above and beyond known risk factors. Follow-up analyses revealed that an increase in life meaning during the 18 week follow-up was significantly related to a decrease in depressive symptoms and hopelessness. Researchers and clinicians are encouraged to address the impact of a lack of life meaning on the development and course of depressive symptoms, hopeless thoughts, and suicidal behaviors.
Advisors/Committee Members: Overholser, James.
Subjects: Clinical Psychology
Keywords: depression; suicidal ideation; life meaning; Veterans
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7.
Buccigross, James Mitchell.
Predicting recidivism among violent juvenile delinquents.
Degree: PhD, Psychology, 1993, Case Western Reserve University
► The present study represents an attempt to improve upon current methods of…
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▼ The present study represents an attempt to improve upon current methods of recidivism prediction with violent juvenile delinquents. Data on 500 male juvenile delinquents convicted of at least one violent felony was utilized in a chart review study designed to combine psychometric methods of prediction utilizing personality measures with methods employing demographic data. Psychometric methods were represented by a new MMPI scale intended to measure personality inclinations toward violent recidivism in juveniles. Methods utilizing demographic data were represented by Survival Analysis. This combination was intended to overcome the limitations of each approach employed separately. Neither the new MMPI scale nor the Survival Analysis procedure was able to differentiate between nonrecidivists, nonviolent recidivists, or violent recidivists. Thus the attempt at the improvement of recidivism prediction was unsuccessful.
Advisors/Committee Members: Overholser, James C.
Keywords: Predicting recidivism; violent juvenile delinquents
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8.
Buder Shapiro, Jane Robin.
Self structure and emotional functioning: The effect of self-complexity on success and failure.
Degree: PhD, Psychology, 1992, Case Western Reserve University
► The present study measured the relationship between the structure of the self…
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▼ The present study measured the relationship between the structure of the self and change in self-esteem following a success or failure experience. People high or low in self-complexity were given bogus positive or negative feedback on a cognitive test designed to target one of several self-esteem domains. It was predicted that for individuals low in self-complexity the effects of feedback to one domain would spread to other self-esteem domains; this was not expected to occur for individuals high in self-complexity. It was also hypothesized that the self-referent complexity task would correlate with a self-neutral complexity task. The second hypothesis was confirmed while the first prediction was not. Several explanations are offered to account for the lack of significant results regarding the first hypothesis. Most importantly, an alternative explanation of the self-complexity measure in terms of information processing ability is proposed which might clarify these findings.
Advisors/Committee Members: Zimring, Fred.
Subjects: Psychology, Clinical
Keywords: Self structure emotional functioning self complexity
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9.
Bull, Beth Anne.
Stressors and coping strategies of children with cancer and healthy children: A cross-sectional study.
Degree: PhD, Psychology, 1994, Case Western Reserve University
► The present study described and compared the stressors and coping strategies of…
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▼ The present study described and compared the stressors and coping strategies of 60 children and adolescents ages 9-18: 20 recently diagnosed subjects with cancer, 20 long-term disease-free survivors of cancer, and 20 healthy subjects without a previous or present diagnosis of cancer. As expected, recently diagnosed subjects identified significantly more cancer-related stressors than survivors on the Children's Stress Inventory (CSI), illustrating the breadth with which cancer affects their lives. Contrary to expectation, newly diagnosed youth did not use more emotion-management coping strategies in response to general stress than healthy youth. Developmental analyses found that, with the exception of survivors coping with cancer-related stress, young children (ages 9-13) and adolescents (ages 15-18) used comparable amounts of emotion-management coping strategies, a form of coping that is conceptualized as requiring higher abstract reasoning skills. While this supported the hypothesis that recently diagnosed children and adolescents would use comparable amounts of emotion-management, it was contrary to the hypothesis that in both the Survivor and Healthy groups, adolescents (ages 15-18) would use more emotion-management than children (ages 9-13). One explanation for the children in this study generally using more emotion-manageme nt than would be expected for their cognitive maturity may be their significantly higher intelligence compared to the adolescents. However, this younger group of children also demonstrated use of another less complex and sophisticated form of emotion-management characterized by denial, which may account for their increased use of emotion-management. As expected, children and adolescents with cancer, for the most part, demonstrated variability (i.e., differences) in the types of coping strategies they used in cancer-related versus non-cancer-related stressful situations. This finding suggests that children with cancer use coping strategies flexibly in order to manage the changing context and demands of a variety of stressful situations. Finally, recently diagnosed subjects evidenced a significant negative relationship between state distress and self-rated coping effectiveness, while healthy youth showed a similar relationship between trait distress and effectiveness. Study limitations as well as treatment and theoretical implications are discussed.
Advisors/Committee Members: Drotar, Dennis.
Subjects: Psychology, Clinical
Keywords: Stressors coping strategies children cancer healthy children cross-sectional study
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10.
Burck, Allison L.
Relationships among Play, Coping, Stress and Adjustment in Young Children.
Degree: PhD, Psychology, 2011, Case Western Reserve University
► Play is linked to numerous constructs, such as interpersonal and cognitive processes…
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▼ Play is linked to numerous constructs, such as interpersonal and cognitive processes and coping ability. While there is important research on play, the relationships among play, coping, stress and adjustment have not been fully examined. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between play and coping and to determine if play and coping may serve as buffers between stress and adjustment. Furthermore, this study investigated the interaction between coping and play as it relates to adjustment. The participants in this study were 61 girls, in grades kindergarten through fourth grade. Measures were collected from the child, parent and teacher. It was hypothesized that better players would have better coping and better adjustment and that moderation and mediation effects would be found when examining the constructs. The results were that children’s play skills were positively related to coping skills and to adjustment. Specifically, imagination, organization and positive affect in play were positively associated with parental ratings of adaptive functioning. Play was also positively associated with emotion regulation and frequency and quality of child reported coping strategies. Furthermore, this study provided additional support that coping was positively related to adjustment. Specifically effortful control, emotion regulation and child reported frequency of coping strategies were positively associated with parent and teacher ratings of adjustment. There were no moderation or mediation effects. Results provided increasing evidence that better play is associated with better coping and both of these constructs are associated with better adjustment.
Advisors/Committee Members: Russ, Sandra.
Subjects: Psychology
Keywords: Play; Coping; Stress; Adjustment; Children
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11.
Cain Spannagel, Sarah A.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INTERPERSONAL THEMES IN PLAY AND PROSOCIAL MORAL REASONING.
Degree: MA, Psychology, 2008, Case Western Reserve University
► Research has shown that both pretend play and prosocial moral reasoning relate…
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▼ Research has shown that both pretend play and prosocial moral reasoning relate to the socio-emotional constructs of emotional understanding, perspective taking, and empathy. It then makes theoretical sense that play processes should relate to prosocial moral reasoning. The present study investigated this relationship and also served to provide further validation evidence for the Interpersonal Themes in Play Scale (ITPS). It was hypothesized that the ITPS scale scores would be related to prosocial moral reasoning in that children who showed more prosocial behaviors in their play would demonstrate more advanced moral reasoning. This study also investigated the relationship among prosocial moral reasoning, empathy, and prosocial behavior. Results indicated that some prosocial themes in play did relate to prosocial moral reasoning categories and to sharing behavior. For example, Sharing/Turn-taking in play was significantly negatively related to hedonistic reasoning (r(58)= -.26) and Cooperation in play was significantly positively related to stereotyped reasoning (r(58)=.25).
Advisors/Committee Members: Russ, Sandra W.
Subjects: Psychology, Clinical
Keywords: PROSOCIAL; MORAL REASONING; PROSOCIAL MORAL; PROSOCIAL MORAL REASONING; REASONING; MORAL; Empathy
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12.
Cain Spannagel, Sarah Ann.
THE IMPACT OF ACCESS TO SERVICES AND SYMPTOM SEVERITY ON PARENTING STRESS AND STRESS-RELATED GROWTH IN PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM.
Degree: PhD, Psychology, 2011, Case Western Reserve University
► Research has consistently demonstrated that parenting a child with autism can lead…
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▼ Research has consistently demonstrated that parenting a child with autism can lead to increased perceived stress for parents. This stress may be affected by a number of variables such as the severity of the child’s autism symptoms and the difficulty accessing essential services. There may also exist a complex pattern of interaction among these variables. Parental coping and level of hopefulness may mitigate this stress in some way. Furthermore, some parents may actually demonstrate personal growth as a result of parenting for a child with a pervasive and chronic condition such as autism. The current study investigated several questions: (1) Is symptom severity associated with parenting stress? 2) Is access to services related to child clinical outcomes, parenting stress, and parental stress-related growth? 3) Do hopefulness and coping ability function as mediators of these relationships? Thirty-eight parents of children with autism were obtained from a Cleveland Clinic autism patient registry. Parents were asked to complete several questionnaires related to access to services, specifically met and unmet service needs (Family Support Index; Heller and Factor, 1993), level of hopefulness (Adult Trait Hope Scale; Synder, 1991), coping (Coping Health Inventory for Parents; McCubbin et al., 1983), parenting stress (Parenting Stress Index-Short Form; Abidin, 1995), stress-related growth (Stress Related Growth Scale; Park et al., 1996), and child outcomes (Ohio Autism Clinical Impression Scale; Butter and Mulik, 2006) Main results were that autism severity at diagnosis was not related to any variables. Current severity was related to parenting stress. As predicted, met service needs was significantly negatively related to child’s current level of severity. Results were that met service needs was significantly negatively related to parenting stress and significantly positively related to parental coping. Coping and met service needs were both significantly positively related to stress-related growth. This study did not find that coping and hopefulness functioned as mediators. This study is the first to examine the relationships among these variables with this population, and the findings have important implications for professionals serving these families.
Advisors/Committee Members: Russ, Sandra.
Subjects: Psychology
Keywords: autism, access to services, family impact, stress-related growth, child outcomes
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13.
Cairns, Kenneth B.
Repression, self-presentation and action identification: Audience effects on self-deception.
Degree: PhD, Psychology, 1992, Case Western Reserve University
► Repressors attend to unfavorable feedback concerning the self for longer in public…
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▼ Repressors attend to unfavorable feedback concerning the self for longer in public than in private, presumably to devise a self-presentational response to this feedback (Cairns, 1989). In Study 1, it was predicted that repressors who viewed unfavorable feedback would express more thoughts aimed at refuting or understanding another's impression of such feedback than would subjects in other conditions. Subjects received favorable or unfavorable public feedback and completed a thought-listing task. Repressors expressed more thoughts concerned with another's impression of this feedback than did subjects in other conditions. In private, people may avoid the unpleasant implications of unflattering feedback by shifting to simplistic levels of thought. In Study 2, it was predicted that repressors would shift to low levels of action identification when presented with unfavorable information in private, but not in public. Subjects viewed feedback in public or private and completed two measures of action identification. Ratings of thought-listing protocols indicated that subjects shifted levels of action identification, but not in accordance with the predictions.
Advisors/Committee Members: Baumeister, Roy F.
Subjects: Psychology, Social
Keywords: Repression; Self-presentation; Self-deception
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14.
Chooi, Weng Tink.
Birth Order and Motivation.
Degree: MA, Psychology, 2009, Case Western Reserve University
► The main goal of this study is to determine if motivation style…
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▼ The main goal of this study is to determine if motivation style is the underlying construct that bridges birth order effects with intelligence, school performance and personality, as found in previously published work. Participants completed a survey to assess motivation style as measured by the tendency to activate or inhibit behavior based on learned rewarding or punishing environmental cues. The study failed to find significant birth order differences for motivational style with the exception of an inverse relationship between family size and fun seeking tendency. Larger age gap between siblings corresponds with higher reward seeking. Family size and academic achievement are negatively correlated, and the only and oldest child have higher academic achievement scores. Limitations of the study include a restricted range in intelligence and achievement due to the selection of participants from a college population.
Advisors/Committee Members: Thompson, Lee.
Keywords: 2-tailed; Sig; BIRTH ORDER; Pearson Correlation; Pearson; BIS; age gap
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15.
Chooi, Weng Tink.
Improving Intelligence by Increasing Working Memory Capacity.
Degree: PhD, Psychology, 2011, Case Western Reserve University
► A study by Jaeggi and her colleagues (2008) claimed that they were…
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▼ A study by Jaeggi and her colleagues (2008) claimed that they were able to improve fluid intelligence (gf) by training working memory. Subjects who trained their working memory on a dual n-back task for a period of time showed significant improvements in working memory span tasks and fluid intelligence tests such as the Raven’s Progressive Matrices and the Bochumer Matrices Test (BOMAT) after training compared to those without training. The current study aimed to replicate and extend the original study conducted by Jaeggi et al. (2008) in a well-controlled experiment that could explain the cause or causes of such transfer if indeed the case. There were a total of 93 participants who completed the study, and they were randomly assigned to one of three groups – a passive control group, active control group and experimental group. Half of the participants were randomly assigned to the 8-day condition and the other half to the 20-day condition. All participants completed a battery of tests at pre- and post-tests that consisted of short timed tests, a complex working memory span and a matrix reasoning task. Participants in the active control group practiced for either 8 days or 20 days on the same task as the one used in the experimental group, the dual n-back, but at the easiest level to control for Hawthorne effect. Results from the current study did not suggest any significant improvement in the mental abilities tested, especially fluid intelligence and working memory capacity, after training for 8 days or 20 days. This leads to the conclusion that increasing one’s working memory capacity by training and practice did not transfer to improvement on fluid intelligence as asserted by Jaeggi and her colleagues (2008, 2010).
Advisors/Committee Members: Thompson, Lee.
Subjects: Experimental Psychology
Keywords: working memory training; intelligence
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16.
Christian, Kelly M.
Effects of Anxious Mood on Play Processes.
Degree: MA, Psychology, 2009, Case Western Reserve University
► Children endorsing anxiety traits can potentially use play as a way to…
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▼ Children endorsing anxiety traits can potentially use play as a way to experience, access, and adjust to positive and negative emotional experiences. The present study investigated the relationship between play skills and anxiety in young school-aged children. Forty-three children were randomly assigned to either an anxious mood induction condition or control condition.Results of this study indicated the anxious and control groups did not differ in play processes following the mood manipulation procedure. Overall, children in both conditions had significantly better play scores following the mood manipulation procedure when compared to baseline. In addition, a significant negative correlation was found between self-reported state anxiety and baseline Organization scores. Within the anxious mood induction condition, grade acted as a significant moderator on participant’s baseline and post-mood induction play scores. Third graders had significantly more organization, imagination, comfort, and affect in their play when compared to first and second grade children.
Advisors/Committee Members: Russ, Sandra.
Subjects: Psychology
Keywords: childhood anxiety; pretend play; mood induction
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17.
Christian, Kelly M.
The Construct of Playfulness: Relationships with Adaptive Behaviors, Humor, and Early Play Ability.
Degree: PhD, Psychology, 2011, Case Western Reserve University
► The main purpose of this study was to develop a better understanding…
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▼ The main purpose of this study was to develop a better understanding of the construct of playfulness in school aged children by examining associations between playfulness and adaptive behaviors, humor, and temperament. A secondary aim of this study was to explore the predictive role of early pretend play ability on current playfulness. It was hypothesized that playfulness would positively relate to the capacity to problem solve, regulate affect, and effectively communicate emotions. In addition, playfulness was expected to positively relate to humor and adaptive temperament styles. Pretend play processes were expected to predict playfulness four years later. Forty three children in fourth through sixth grades were administered validated measures of coping, emotion regulation, emotion expression, sense of humor, and temperament. Playfulness was assessed using both parent and teacher report forms of the Child Behaviors Inventory of Playfulness (CBI; Rogers, et al., 1998). Pretend play was assessed with the Affect in Play Scale (APS; Russ, 2004) four and five years prior to data collection. As hypothesized parent reported playfulness significantly related to active coping, emotion regulation, a willingness to express emotions, and the affiliation category of temperament. Inconsistent with hypotheses, teachers’ perceptions of playfulness related to low use of coping strategies and were not associated with adaptive behaviors. The CBI teacher report form was not considered an adequate measure of playfulness for school aged children. It remains unclear how the construct of playfulness relates to early pretend play abilities. As expected, imagination and organization in early pretend play predicted current emotion regulation abilities. The best predictors of parent reported playfulness were affiliation and verbal intelligence. For teachers, the best predictors of playfulness were grade level and lack of using avoidant coping strategies. Parent and teacher ratings of playfulness were not related to one another. Teachers were not adequate reporters of playfulness among school aged children. Results support early pretend play as a predictor of later emotion regulation abilities and variables of humor. Recommendations are made to develop a self-report measure of playfulness for school aged children.
Advisors/Committee Members: Russ, Sandra.
Subjects: Psychology
Keywords: playfulness; play ability; adaptive coping; temperament; sense of humor
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18.
Clower, Martha Wolf.
The impact of sex-role development upon utilization of life review in males.
Degree: PhD, Psychology, 1991, Case Western Reserve University
► In this study, life review was examined as it relates to sex-role…
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▼ In this study, life review was examined as it relates to sex-role development in males before and after the mid-life transition. Consistent with the literature, life review is defined as an internally focused self-evaluative process encompassing elements of self-analysis, comparison and synthesis. It was hypothesized that utilization of life review is related not to chronological age, as has been suggested, but to sex-role development. In addition, life review was examined in the context of its adaptive implications. The question was asked, is engagement in life review related to self-esteem? Forty males aged 30 to 40 and forty males aged 55 to 67 were evaluated on measures of sex-role development and self esteem. In addition, each subject provided a taped, unstructured life history. Results indicated that there is no relationship between life review frequency and sex-role classification in younger males. However, among older males, those who are sex-reversed (feminine, expressive) engage in significantly higher amounts of life review. Conversely, older males who are sex-typed (masculine, instrumental) are minimally engaged in life review. While self esteem was not found to be related to life review frequency, it was related to sex-role classification. Subjects in both groups who are members of high male classifications have significantly higher sel f esteem than those in low male classifications. These findings suggest that moderate life review activity is typical of males across the life span. Only highly expressive, minimally instrumental older males utilize life review to a great extent. And highly instrumental, minimally expressive older males engage in little, if any, life review. To the extent that life review may be an adaptive, dynamic psychological process related to the later life developmental tasks of integration and acceptance, these findings have implications for clinicians working with older males.
Advisors/Committee Members: Kessler, Jane W.
Subjects: Psychology, Developmental
Keywords: impact sex role development upon utilization life review males
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19.
Coelho, Vera Lucia Decnop.
Culture and psychopathology: Schizophrenia and depression among Latinos and Euro-Americans.
Degree: PhD, Psychology, 1995, Case Western Reserve University
► Studies have shown that individuals from different cultural backgrounds may differ on…
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▼ Studies have shown that individuals from different cultural backgrounds may differ on how mental illness is conceived and experienced. This study constituted a cross-cultural investigation of mental disorders in two ethnic groups. The illness experience of Latinos and Euro-Americans outpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia and major depression was assessed with a quantitative and qualitative instruments, the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), and the Context of Illness Experience Interview (CIEI), respectively. On the BSI, an inventory that assesses level of symptomatic distress in nine dimensions, patients were compared in the number of symptoms reported (PST), level of general distress (GSI), and pattern of scale elevations. The factor structure of the BSI was also analyzed for the ethnic groups. Latinos were expected to report higher scores on the PST and GSI measures, and also to report higher level of distress on at least the Somatization dimension. The results showed a non-significant ethnic difference on number of symptoms reported on the BSI. In relation to level of distress, however, a significant ethnic difference was found, with Latinos scoring higher than Euro-Americans as predicted. On the p attern of scales elevation, Latinos had significantly higher scores than Euro-Americans on Somatization, Obsessive-Compulsive, Anxiety and Phobic Anxiety. However, the results from a multiple regression showed that only Obsessive-Compulsive and Anxiety provided additional contribution to differentiate the ethnic groups. Significant differences between schizophrenia and depression patients were only found for the Depression and Obsessive-Compulsive scales, with patients with major depression scoring higher than those with schizophrenia. On the CIEI, patients were compared on their conceptions about the nature of their psychiatric condition, as well as their conceptions about causes of illness and prognosis. As expected, Latinos described their problems significant more often than Euro-Americans as "Nervios", while the opposite occurred in relation to "Mental Illness", which was more often cited by Euro-Americans. Biological factors were more often accepted by Euro-Americans; however, a significant difference only occurred when Heredity and Chemical Imbalance categories were collapsed. The participants' views of the effects of illness on self and on family suggested important differences on meanings of illness among Latinos and Euro-Americans, though no statistically significant ethnic differences were found. Patients with major depression tended to emphasize causes associated with life events significantly more often than patients with schizophrenia across both ethnic groups. The importance of combining quantitative and qualitative data in the present study was emphasized. Finally, the inclusion in the DSM-IV of cultural issues in the assessment of mental disorders was recognized as an important step to the recognition that the experience of mental illness varies across the world
Advisors/Committee Members: Strauss, Milton E.
Subjects: Psychology, Social
Keywords: Cultures, Latinos and Euro-Americans; Schizophrenia and depression
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20.
Cooper, Rachael Dawn.
The Impact of Linguistic Skills on the Play of Preschoolers with Developmental Delays.
Degree: MA, Psychology, 2012, Case Western Reserve University
► Play provides a window into the cognitive world of children. A crucial…
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▼ Play provides a window into the cognitive world of children. A crucial question is whether play differences in children with developmental disabilities stem from a generalized symbolic deficit or a narrow language deficit. 73 children diagnosed with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD; n=15), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD; n=16), Specific Language Impairment (SLI; n=15), comorbid ADHD/SLI (n=7), or were typically developing (n=20) were evaluated on a 5-minute play sample using the Affect in Play Scale-Preschool Version for comfort, imagination, organization, and elaboration. Play performance in the SOUND condition was evaluated more favorably for the ADHD and typical groups than the SLI, SLI/ADHD and ASD groups. However, play of the SLI and SLI/ADHD groups was comparable to the ADHD and Typical groups in the NO SOUND condition, supporting the idea of a narrowly defined symbolic deficit in the linguistic domain. In contrast, children with ASD appeared to evidence a global, generalized symbolic deficit.
Advisors/Committee Members: Short, Elizabeth.
Subjects: Clinical Psychology; Experimental Psychology; Language
Keywords: play; developmental delays; linguistic skills; APS-P; symbolic deficit; language deficit; language
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21.
Cordiano, Tori Jo Sacha.
Construct Validity of the Affect in Play Scale - Brief Rating (APS-BR).
Degree: PhD, Psychology, 2009, Case Western Reserve University
► The aim of this study was to enhance the construct validity of…
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▼ The aim of this study was to enhance the construct validity of the Affect in Play Scale – Brief Rating (APS-BR) by investigating both convergent and discriminant validity. The APS-BR is an adaptation of the Affect in Play Scale (APS) that allows an observer to score children’s cognitive and affective processes in pretend play without the use of videotape. Convergent validity was assessed through relationships between pretend play and both divergent thinking and the personality variable of openness to experience. Openness to experience was assessed via self- and parent-report adaptations of Costa and McCrae’s NEO Personality Inventory – Revised (NEO PI-R; 1992). Discriminant validity was assessed by examining relationships between pretend play and the personality variables of agreeableness and conscientiousness on the NEO PI-R. It was hypothesized that organization, imagination, and affect expression in play on the APS-BR would relate to divergent thinking, and that imagination, affect expression, and comfort in play would relate to openness to experience. No significant relationships were expected between pretend play and either agreeableness or conscientiousness. 81 first- and second-grade children were assessed using the APS-BR, the Alternate Uses Test (a measure of divergent thinking), and a self-report adaptation of the NEO PI-R. Parents reported on aspects of their children’s personality using a second adaptation of the NEO PI-R. The main findings were that organization and imagination in play significantly related to divergent thinking, as hypothesized. Also as hypothesized, imagination, affect expression, and comfort in play significantly related to parent-report openness to experience. As expected, no significant relationships were found between pretend play and either agreeableness or conscientiousness. The results of this study contribute to the construct validity of the APS-BR and support its use in clinical and research settings. In addition, results also support the theory that play processes would relate to both divergent thinking and openness to experience.
Advisors/Committee Members: Russ, Sandra.
Subjects: Personality; Psychological tests; Psychology
Keywords: Child psychology, psychology, child assessment, pretend play, play assessment, personality, openness to experience
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22.
Corvi, Andrea P.
Subjective Time Perception Predicts Delay of Gratification.
Degree: MFA, Psychology, 2010, Case Western Reserve University
► This study investigated the relationship between time perception and impulsivity using a…
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▼ This study investigated the relationship between time perception and impulsivity using a healthy, undergraduate population. The 79 participants were Introductory Psychology students at a Midwestern University. Data were collected on internal clock speed (ICS), behavioral impulsivity, intelligence, and several personality measures. As expected, ICS predicted behavioral impulsivity beyond known predictors of impulsivity (R²=.073, B= -11.05, p=.022). When using multiple regression analyses, ICS and known predictors accounted for 24.9% (F[4,61]=4.72, p=.002) of the variance. However, unexpectedly, participants who had slower ICS were more impulsive than participants who had faster ICS (r=-.311, p=.014). A predictive model combining ICS error and known predictors accounted for 26.5% (F[4,61]=5.14, p=.001) of the variance in behavioral impulsivity. As anticipated, participants who had more error in ICS were more impulsive than participants who had less error (r=.428, p=.001). Results are discussed in terms of current theory relating ICS and impulsivity, and a new theoretical framework is advanced.
Advisors/Committee Members: Demaree, Heath.
Subjects: Psychology
Keywords: time perception, internal clock speed, impulsivity, delay of gratification
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23.
Cousino, Melissa K.
The Role of Family Factors, Illness-Specific Youth Quality of Life and Pediatric Parenting Stress for Youth with Poorly Controlled Type 1 Diabetes.
Degree: MA, Psychology, 2012, Case Western Reserve University
► Objective: The purpose of the study was to test interactive models that…
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▼ Objective: The purpose of the study was to test interactive models that examined the moderating effects of diabetes-specific family conflict on the relationship between parental involvement in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) care and illness-specific psychosocial outcomes for youth in poor metabolic control and their parents. Methods: Youth (N=72) ages 10-18 years with poorly controlled diabetes (A1c >8.5%) and one parent/caregiver completed measures assessing parental involvement in T1DM care, family conflict, youth diabetes-specific quality of life, and pediatric parenting stress. Results: Low shared treatment responsibility between parent and youth for T1DM treatment tasks and high levels of diabetes-specific family conflict interacted to predict poorer youth and parent psychosocial outcomes. Conclusions: Interventions targeting both family sharing of treatment responsibility and family conflict about diabetes-related issues may foster improvements in youth diabetes-specific QOL and pediatric parenting stress.
Advisors/Committee Members: Taylor, H. Gerry.
Subjects: Psychology
Keywords: Diabetes; T1DM; Quality of Life; Parenting Stress; Treatment Responsibility
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24.
Cuddy, Cara Lynne.
The relationship between early separation and abuse experiences and later functioning among children in residential and day treatment.
Degree: PhD, Psychology, 1993, Case Western Reserve University
► The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationships between…
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▼ The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationships between early experiences of loss and abuse and later functioning in 106 severely emotionally disturbed (SED) children (ages 6-14) in residential and day treatment. It was hypothesized that early loss under traumatic circumstances (i.e., removal for the child's safety, abandonment) would predict a range of later outcomes. More specifically, it was expected that children who experienced earlier losses and/or more severe abuse would differ from children who experienced their traumas later in three areas: (1) depression, distress, and self-restraint; (2) relatedness and attachment style; and (3) overall functioning and prognosis. Overall, the children in this sample were reliable reporters of their internal states and relationship characteristics. Results indicated that SED children who had experienced earlier traumatic loss reported themselves to be more depressed and less self-controlled. Early loss, but not abuse, experiences were found to predict both depression and restraint. Differential effects of loss and abuse were found, however, when exploring the relationship qualities and desire for closeness to others manifested by children in residential tre atment. Their experiences of positive qualities in relationships were negatively correlated with loss experiences, while negative relationship quality and proximity seeking were positively correlated with various aspects of abuse. Lastly, early loss and severity of abuse did not correlate with therapists ratings of prognoses or overall functioning. Among children in residential or day treatment, early traumas were found to predict a variety of outcomes, with loss and abuse contributing to different aspects of SED children's later functioning. These findings are conceptualized as relating to an arrest in children's ego development. Findings have a variety of implications for social policy and future research. Within this SED population, results indicate that children who experience earlier traumas should be considered to be most seriously at risk for later emotional and behavioral disturbance. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
Advisors/Committee Members: Weinberger, Daniel A.
Subjects: Psychology, Clinical
Keywords: relationship; early separation; abuse experiences; later functioning; children; residential day treatment
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25.
D'Angelo, Lori.
Child's play: The relationship between the use of play and adjustment styles.
Degree: PhD, Psychology, 1995, Case Western Reserve University
► The present study was an investigation of the relationship between play and…
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▼ The present study was an investigation of the relationship between play and adjustment styles for a normal sample of 95 inner city 6 to 10 year old children. Play was measured by the Affect in Play scale. Children were placed into three groups based on adjustment styles of overcontrolled, undercontrolled and ego resilient. Groups were composed by teacher nominations. The Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist-Teacher Report Form was used to define a subset of strict groups of internalizing and externalizing children. An induction of an anxious mood was conducted between two 5 minute play sessions. Ego resilient children were found to have play characterized by a greater integration of affect and fantasy as compared to both other groups. Overcontrolled children demonstrated constricted play significantly lower in cognitive and affective dimensions as compared to ego resilient children. Overcontrolled children also demonstrated significantly less positive affect in their play than children in the other groups. The only difference found between the play of undercontrolled children and the play of ego resilient children was significantly lower cognitive scores for the undercontrolled group. The play of all three groups improved after the induction of anxious affect and the expression of negative affect increased. The results of this study suggest play analysis may be useful in identifying distressed internalizing children who are less disruptive in groups. Studying children's play may illustrate the resourcefulness of externalizing children who are considered less well adjusted as their behavior is disruptive in groups, but appears relatively competent in individualized play sessions. The results of the study contribute to the validity of the Affect in Play Scale
Advisors/Committee Members: Russ, Sandra W.
Subjects: Psychology, Developmental
Keywords: Child's play; Adjustment styles
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26.
DeDonno, Michael Anthony.
Time Pressure and Decision Making.
Degree: PhD, Psychology, 2009, Case Western Reserve University
► The purpose of the present study was to determine if either time…
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▼ The purpose of the present study was to determine if either time pressure or the perception of the sufficiency of time affects performance on the Iowa Gambling Task. One hundred and fifty four participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The first group completed the gambling task without significant time pressure while the second group completed the task under significant time pressure. Each group was further divided into two sub-groups. One sub-group was told that the time allotted was sufficient to complete the task while the second sub-group was informed the time allotted was insufficient to complete the task. Task performance, defined as explicit knowledge of the better decks and risk taking behavior, was explored under these time and sufficiency constraints. The major findings can be summarized as follows: (1) Participants who were advised that time was sufficient to complete the task outperformed those who were advised that time was insufficient to complete the task. (2) Participants who were given ample time to complete the task did not outperform those who were given less time to complete the task. (3) Sufficiency and time had an impact on explicit knowledge of which decks were good or bad. (4) Sufficiency and time did not have an effect on the selection of cards from risky or safe decks. Developers of time management products would be well advised to include exercises that would build the individuals confidence in completing tasks under stressed time limits. The goal is not to maximize our time but to optimize our abilities to make quality decisions within each moment of time.
Advisors/Committee Members: Demaree, Heath.
Subjects: Psychology
Keywords: Time Pressure, Decision Making, Iowa Gambling Task
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27.
Dillon, Jessica A.
Play, Creativity, Emotion Regulation and Executive Functioning.
Degree: MA, Psychology, 2010, Case Western Reserve University
► The aim of this study was to examine relationships among play, creativity,…
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▼ The aim of this study was to examine relationships among play, creativity, emotion regulation and executive functioning. Play ability was assessed using the Affect in Play Scale, Brief Rating (APS-BR), a measure used to score children’s cognitive and affective processes during play. It was hypothesized that results would show relationships among play ability, creativity, emotion regulation and executive functioning. Sixty-one female participants, in kindergarten through 4th grade, were assessed using the APS-BR, the Alternate Uses Test, a storytelling task, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task, 64-Card Version (WCST-64), and parent report on the Emotion Regulation Checklist (ERC). Main findings were that play ability significantly related to creativity and emotion regulation, and creativity related to emotion regulation. No significant relationships were found with executive functioning. The results of this study contribute to the construct validity of the APS-BR and support the theory that play, creativity and emotion regulation are linked.
Advisors/Committee Members: Russ, Sandra.
Subjects: Psychology
Keywords: pretend play, creativty, emotion regulation, divergent thinking
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28.
Duax, Jeanne M.
Internalizing Symptoms, Self-Perceptions, and Domain-Specific Competencies in Girls Attending a Single-Sex Middle School.
Degree: PhD, Psychology, 2010, Case Western Reserve University
► Depression and anxiety are common mental health concerns that occur at increased…
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▼ Depression and anxiety are common mental health concerns that occur at increased rates in girls, particularly during adolescence. Although prior research has established a variety of risk factors and correlates of internalizing disorders in girls, little research has been conducted in a single-sex educational setting where girls’ risk for these problems may vary due to contextual factors. Moreover, the roles that domain-specific competencies, both perceived by girls and observed by teachers, play in self-reported internalizing symptoms has been minimally explored in the clinical psychology literature. Accordingly, the present study assessed internalizing symptoms and domain-specific competencies in a sample of 91 girls (ages 9-14) attending a single-sex, private middle school. Self-perceived and teacher-rated competencies were assessed in the following domains: scholastic competence, social acceptance, athletic competence, physical appearance, and behavioral conduct. Consistent with hypotheses, significant negative associations among internalizing symptoms and self-perceived competencies were found across all domains except athletics. Moreover, self-perceptions of appearance and social acceptance explained an additional 17% of the variance in internalizing symptoms after controlling for competence ratings in other domains. With regard to social/peer variables, ratings of close, supportive friendship and social competence were negatively associated with internalizing symptoms. Unexpectedly, friendship network size and popularity were not significantly associated with internalizing symptoms. The only teacher-rated domains negatively associated with internalizing symptoms were behavioral conduct for depressive symptoms and athletic competence for anxiety symptoms. Exploratory analyses regarding the subset of girls with at least subclinical levels of internalizing symptoms showed lower self-perceptions of appearance and behavioral conduct compared to girls with nonclinical levels of internalizing symptoms. Furthermore, differences among the depression (n = 7), anxiety (n = 12), and anxiety + depression (n = 8) subgroups showed significant differences in girls’ self-perceptions of their appearance and behavioral conduct: girls in the anxiety subgroup rated their appearance and behavioral conduct higher than girls in the depression and comorbid subgroups. Moreover, teachers rated girls in the anxiety subgroup as significantly more competent in their scholastic and behavioral conduct than girls in the other two subgroups. Based on these findings, implications for girl-focused interventions and future research are discussed.
Advisors/Committee Members: Feeny, Norah.
Subjects: Psychology
Keywords: Internalizing symptoms; girls; self-perceptions
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29.
Elliott, Christine Long.
Cognitive impairment and implicit memory functioning: The role of depression.
Degree: PhD, Psychology, 1990, Case Western Reserve University
► This project investigated aspects of implicit memory processes in clinically depressed patients,…
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▼ This project investigated aspects of implicit memory processes in clinically depressed patients, college students, and community control subjects. Implicit memory tasks refer to those situations in which a subject's behavior may be altered by recent experiences without the subject necessarily being aware of those experiences. Explicit memory processes are utilized in tests of recall and recognition memory, which require conscious effort to remember previously learned information. Two experiments were completed. Subjects for the first experiment included 67 college students. They were given a word-stem completion (implicit) task and a cued recall (explicit) task, as well as two self-report depression inventories. Subjects for the second experiment included 10 clinically depressed psychiatric patients from University Hospitals of Cleveland, and an equal number of matched community control subjects. They were given a word-stem completion task, a cued recall task, a homophone spelling (implicit) task and a free recall (explicit) task. Results of Experiment 1 indicated that subjective reports of depressive symptoms had almost no relationship to performance on either implicit or explicit memory tasks. In Experiment 2, significant differences were found between the clinically depressed and normal control groups in performance on both the implicit and explicit memory tasks. In addition, performance on all the tasks was found to be intercorrelated. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for major models of implicit memory task performance, as well as their significance for the understanding of memory processes in depression.
Advisors/Committee Members: Greene, Robert.
Subjects: Psychology, General
Keywords: cognitive impairment memory functioning depression
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30.
Engelhardt, Nina.
Selective visual attention to novelty in elderly with senile dementia of the Alzheimer's type.
Degree: PhD, Psychology, 1994, Case Western Reserve University
► Selective visual attention to novel stimuli was evaluated in 23 nondemented elderly…
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▼ Selective visual attention to novel stimuli was evaluated in 23 nondemented elderly and 42 elderly with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD). Relationships among selective visual attention, cognitive function, and stage of dementia were assessed. All older adults, regardless of presence or stage of dementia, exhibited visual preference for novel stimuli. The test of selective visual attention to novelty discriminated nondemented from demented individuals, but did not discriminate among mild, moderate, and severe stages of dementia. The relationship between selective visual attention to novelty and cognitive function as measured by the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) and Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised was nonsignificant. A significant relationship between selective visual attention to novelty and MMSE scores was obtained by combining data from the present and preliminary studies. Decline in preference for novel visual stimuli followed a decline in MMSE scores corresponding to mild, moderate, and severe levels of cognitive impairment. Initial investigations of selective attention to novelty demonstrate that visual novelty preference appears to be a process that is continuous from birth to senescence and appears to be relatively spared in individuals with brain damage who otherwise exhibit gross cognitive impairment. The test of selective visual attention may serve as an alternate means of assessing cognitive function in impaired individuals for whom conventional measures are inappropriate. Examination of selective visual attention to novelty may allow the study of certain aspects of human memory across the lifespan using a common paradigm across age.
Advisors/Committee Members: Fagan, Joseph F.
Keywords: visual attention; novelty; elderly; senile dementia; Alzheimer's
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