▼ Perceived taste sensitivity is important because it significantly influences food preferences, and it may help predict dietary habits and other eating behaviors that influence body weight. Because supertasters are more sensitive to bitter taste, they may have a reduced preference for bitter, but beneficial, phytonutrients that are common in fruits and vegetables. The present study examined taster status, BMI, food preferences and eating behaviors for 63 Wittenberg University students. Results from this study have shown that taster status, indicated by PTC intensity scores and fungiform papillae densities, explains heightened taste sensitivity and therefore influences food preferences. This relationship between taste anatomy and food choice provides important evidence that individuals may be biologically prone to liking and therefore consuming specific foods. Advisors/Committee Members: Wilson, Josephine.

▼ The present study addresses the issue of substance use behaviors among college students, particularly those engaged in varsity and recreational athletics, and how possible associations may be moderated by the effects of sensation seeking. Past studies have analyzed college athletes by gender in relation to substance use behaviors such as alcohol and prescription medications. The present study aims to expand the scope of the literature by analyzing athletic involvement in relation to involvement in varsity athletics and involvement in recreational athletics such as intramural or club sports. The present study also analyzes substance use by including the measurement of use of a wide range of substances from legal to illicit drugs. The present data are based on information collected from 84 students taking spring courses at Wittenberg University for the spring of 2011. The participants filled out 2 separate survey instruments, a shortened version of the YRBS, which assesses risk behavior involvement in a number of different areas such as drugs and sex (only substance use was analyzed) as well as athletic involvement, and the Sensation Seeking Scale, which assesses levels of risk taking in terms of a desire to seek thrills. Scale totals assessing risk involvement and sensation seeking were created from the data. Dichotomous variables assessing varsity athletics and intramural/club sports participation were also created. Correlation analyses revealed that sensation seeking was positively associated with all substance risk variables. Analyses of variance revealed for males reported higher levels of substance use and that involvement in intramural or club sports, especially for females, was a protective factor against substance use. The results provide interesting insight into how gender differences and gender by athletics interactions indicate risks and protective factors for males and females, respectively. Advisors/Committee Members: Brown, Clifford.

▼ Cardiopulmonary health problems affect millions of Americans each year. There is evidence to believe that psychosocial variables influence health outcomes for these patients. It was hypothesized that cardiopulmonary patients with high levels of depression, anxiety, anger, emotional guardedness, and low levels of social support would be more likely to be deceased approximately two years following rehabilitation. Psychosocial variables were assessed in a sample of 51 patients participating in a cardiopulmonary rehabilitation program. Patients completed rehabilitation and were contacted approximately two years later to follow up on their cardiopulmonary health. Contrary to the hypothesis, statistical analyses revealed that the patients who were deceased had reported significantly lower levels of depression during rehabilitation than those patients who lived. Anxiety, anger, and social support were significantly related to reports of cardiovascular morbidity at follow-up. The results of this study suggest that further evaluation of psychosocial variables may help health care professionals better understand and treat patients with cardiopulmonary diseases. Advisors/Committee Members: Wilson, Josephine.

▼ Following research by Hesse-Biber, Marino, & Watts-Roy (1999) on individuals withundiagnosed eating problems, the bulimic tendencies of college (n = 57) and noncollege women (n = 56), ages 18 – 22, were compared in order to assess the effect that living on a college campus has upon disordered eating. Participants were given the Wonderlic Personnel Test and a researcher-designed 43-item questionnaire. Both group’s results from the Wonderlic Personnel Test and the questionnaire were compared. The constructs within the questionnaire (physical attractiveness, self-control, achievement seeking) were significantly correlated with the final bulimia index for both groups. However, no significant differences between the two groups were found. According to the results of the current study, living on a college campus has no significant effect upon bulimic tendencies. Advisors/Committee Members: Wilson, Josephine.

▼ Research suggests that living in a disordered neighborhood can negatively affect physical health and psychological well-being. There is also evidence that social and personal assets can moderate these effects. A sample of 77 participants was given a questionnaire that assessed their perceptions of disorder in their neighborhood, their individual assets, and their physical health and psychological well-being. Neighborhood disorder predicted physical health, fear, and mistrust. Formal social ties and church attendance buffered the effects of neighborhood disorder on health, fear, and mistrust. Advisors/Committee Members: Brookings, Jeffrey.

▼ The purpose of this study was to examine differences in rational and experiential thinkingstyles. Eight measures were used in conjunction with the Rational-Experiential Inventory to determine strengths and weaknesses of each style. The rational style correlated with academic measures, reasoning ability, self-control, and creativity. Also, the rational group scored significantly better than the experiential group on academic measures and reasoning skills and marginally significant on creativity. The experiential style was positively associated with social skills (emotional support and conflict management). All of the significant results confirmed the hypotheses, except for the prediction that the rational group would score worse on creativity than the experiential group. Finally, the variables that discriminated significantly between the rational and experiential groups were, in descending order, Cognitive Reflection, Grade Point Average, and ACT/SAT composite scores. Advisors/Committee Members: Brookings, Jeffrey.

▼ The present study aimed to contribute to the understanding of the effects of acculturation on immigrant youth mental health and positive social behaviors. Acculturation levels, along with family environment, amount of and feelings towards language brokering tasks, and parents' level of English proficiency, were investigated in order to describe the relationship between the individual and collective impact of each on mental health. Surveys were administered to 14 students of Mexican descent between the ages of 9-14. The majority of the participants were born in the United States (71%), while 21% were born in Mexico. Results from correlation analyses showed that fewer mental health problems for immigrant youth were associated with higher integration levels of acculturation while fewer prosocial behaviors endorsed by the youth were associated with a higher assimilation level of acculturation. The family environment was found to have both a positive and negative impact on youth mental health and prosocial behavior. More mental health difficulties for the youth were found to be associated with family cohesion and out of control anger, while youth prosocial behavior was found to be associated with more family harmony. Less family harmony and support along with more fighting in the family seemed to shape the child's feelings of language brokering negatively. A simple regression suggested that both mother's and father's English ability were good predictors of youth mental health and prosocial behavior respectively. Family harmony and fighting were also suggested as good predictors for youth prosocial behavior. Advisors/Committee Members: Little, Stephanie.