BS, Kent State University, 2022, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Psychological Sciences

The high prevalence rates of pediatric food allergy in the United States are concerning given the impact food allergy can have on a child's quality of life. There is a general lack of research examining the relationship between pediatric food allergies and anxiety disorder symptoms. The current study aimed to identify and examine the relationship between pediatric food allergy and overall anxiety symptoms as well as three anxiety symptom subscales: separation anxiety disorder (SAD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Participants consisted of the primary caretakers of children ages 7-13 (N = 215) split into a Control group (n = 133) and Food Allergy group (n = 82). Participants filled out the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale Parent Report (SCAS-P; Spence, 1998; Nauta et al., 2004), which was used to assess anxiety symptom severity. Results indicated significantly elevated total SCAS-P scores in the Food Allergy group in comparison to the Control group as well as three SCAS-P subscales: SAD, GAD, and OCD. The results supported the initial hypothesis and suggested higher anxiety symptom severity in food allergic children in comparison to their healthy counterparts. Further research is needed in order to understand the mechanisms of internalizing and inhibitory behavior in food allergic children.

Master of Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, 2021, Clinical Research

Background: Functional movement disorders (FMD) are a common disabling neurological condition associated with high healthcare cost and poor outcome. Interdisciplinary treatment programs can be scarce and costly. Mirror therapy is an affordable therapeutic modality in neuro-rehabilitation; however, its effect in FMD is unknown. Objective: To determine whether the use of mirror therapy can reduce involuntary movements in patients with FMD. Methods: Eligible subjects underwent five hand exercises with and without a mirror box. Objective ratings were scored by two movement disorder neurologists. A self-perception questionnaire on severity was performed after mirror vs no-mirror exercises. Results: Fourteen subjects were recruited for the study. Three (21.4%) perceived improvement, ten perceived no change, and one perceived worse symptoms following the mirror box intervention. No significant differences were found between mirror vs no-mirror state on objective ratings. Conclusion: Single brief mirror box intervention did not result in significant difference in abnormal movements in FMD.

Master of Social Work, The Ohio State University, 2024, Social Work

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a mental disorder characterized by an intense fear of abandonment, impulsivity, and pervasive patterns of instability across several aspects of an individual's life including their interpersonal relationships, self-esteem, and affect. Individuals with this disorder are prone to engaging in suicidal and self-injurious behaviors that can result in lethal consequences (American Psychiatric Association, 2022). Research has examined genetic vulnerabilities and childhood traumatic experiences that can lead to the development of this disorder and dysfunctional methods of attaching to others. Studies have repeatedly implicated that individuals with BPD possess insecure attachment styles. However, there have been inconsistent results regarding which insecure attachment style is most prevalent in this population. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there would be differences in insecure attachment styles among individuals diagnosed with BPD and whether there is a relationship between BPD symptom severity and specific insecure attachment styles. This study was exploratory with a correlational design and used self-report measures to determine the most common attachment styles among individuals in this population and their levels of BPD symptomatology. Descriptive statistics and measures of central tendency were used to describe and present the results from this sample. After collecting data from 64 participants (N = 64), their responses to the Zanarini Rating Scale for BPD (ZAN-BPD) and Relationship Structures (ECR-RS) instruments were evaluated to determine their severity of BPD symptoms and attachment styles towards two attachment figures, respectively. One-Way ANOVAs were conducted to determine whether there were differences in the mean number of BPD symptoms between attachment styles with respect to a primary caregiver and significant other (or close friend) to the participants. After completing One-Way ANOVAs, Post (open full item for complete abstract)

Psy. D., Antioch University, 2023, Antioch Seattle: Clinical Psychology

This study utilized Primary Care Provider (PCP) perspectives to unveil major barriers to prescribing buprenorphine to youth (ages 16-25) with opioid use disorder (OUD). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven PCPs recruited through convenience and snowball sampling. Interviews were conducted and recorded via Zoom video conferencing. Transcripts were generated and analyzed for themes using a Constructivist Grounded Theory (CGT) approach. The CGT of the present study describes four major barriers that limit PCP prescription of buprenorphine to youth: 1) PCPs Feel Overwhelmed, 2) PCPs Feel Ill Equipped to Treat Youth Patients with OUD, 3) PCPs Hold and Observe Stigma toward Patients with OUD—Especially Youth, and 4) Structural and Systemic Barriers. Each major barrier consists of related subcategories and sub-subcategories. Findings offer stakeholders suggestions for targeting individual, relational, clinical, and systemic level changes to increase primary care access to buprenorphine for youth ages 16-25.

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2018, Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Background: Legalization of medical and recreational marijuana can lead to increases in marijuana use disorder (MUD). Many studies have found that substance use disorders and alcohol use disorders exacerbate negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD) and bipolar disorder (BPD). Few studies have examined the relationship between hospital related outcomes and comorbid MUD separate from alcohol and other substances in patients with SSD or BPD. Aim: The goal of this research was to examine the association between MUD and hospital related outcomes for patients with SSD and BPD. We examined hospital readmissions, suicide attempts, costs and length of stays. Furthermore, we sought to examine interactions between substance use disorders and other mental health comorbidities in patients with BPD. Methods: We used data from the Healthcare Utilization Project from California to identify patients with a primary diagnosis of SSD or BPD. Substance use disorders were identified using ICD-9-CM diagnostic codes at the time of SSD or BPD visit or 90 days prior. Patients were censored at the end of 2011 if they did not have a readmission or suicide attempt. We used Cox Proportional Hazards models to estimate readmission and suicide attempt risk and general linear models to model cost and length of stay. Results: Comorbid alcohol and other drug use disorders apart from marijuana increased risk for readmission in both patients with SSD and BPD. Suicide attempt risks were also elevated in BPD patients with comorbid non-marijuana substance use disorders. Patients with SSD and comorbid MUD had a lower readmission risk, however sensitivity analyses did not sustain this effect. Patients with BPD and anxiety disorder had a lower risk of readmission if they had comorbid MUD. This effect was sustained in sensitivity analyses. Length of stay and costs were lower for patients with any comorbid substance use disorder. Conclusions: Patients with SSD and BPD who hav (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2009, Psychology

The present study (Multi-family Psychoeducation Group) provides 18-month longitudinal follow-up of children diagnosed with depressive spectrum disorder (DSD; major depressive disorder and/or dysthymic disorder) who present with clearly demarcated transient manic symptoms (TMS) of insufficient number or duration to be diagnosed with a bipolar spectrum disorder (BPSD; Bipolar-I, Bipolar-II, Cyclothymia, Bipolar-Not Otherwise Specified). Assessments were conducted at four time points, baseline (Time 1), 6 months (Time 2), 12 months (Time 3) and 18 months (Time 4). At Time 1 there were 115 participants in the BPSD group, 37 in the DSD + TMS group, and 13 in the DSD group. Due to sample attrition in the DSD + TMS and DSD groups, at Time 2 these two groups had 38 participants, at Time 3, 35 participants, and at Time 4, 33 participants. Measures that assessed socio-demographic variables, IQ (Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test), mood and co-morbid diagnoses (Children's Interview for Psychiatric Syndromes – Child and Parent form [ChIPS/P-ChIPS]), clinical presentation (Mania Rating Scale, Children's Depression Rating Scale – Revised, Children's Global Assessment Scale, duration of prodromes), family environment (Coddington's Life Events Scale, Expressed Emotion Adjective Checklist) and family history (Family History Research Diagnostic Criteria, Parental Mood Severity Index [calculated using Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression and Mania Rating Scale]) were collected at Time 1. I hypothesized that: 1) at Time 1, children with DSD + TMS will have lower C-GAS scores than children with DSD but higher scores than children with BPSD; 2) children with DSD + TMS at Time 1 will convert to BPSD at follow-up at a higher rate than children with DSD at Time 1; 3) conversion rates differed will not differ for DSD + TMS participants regardless of treatment status; 4) children with DSD + TMS at Time 1 who convert to BPSD at follow–up (converted group) will have greater impairment in clinical (open full item for complete abstract)

Bachelor of Arts, Miami University, 2011, College of Arts and Sciences - Psychology

The first four sections of this manual will provide educators with in-depth knowledge regarding childhood bipolar disorder. The first section is a general introduction of the disorder and provides information on diagnosis and treatment plans for children who have the disorder. The second section describes the emotional states that children with bipolar disorder may experience during different mood episodes. These emotional states often manifest with many interrelated symptoms. The third section discusses the effects that childhood bipolar disorder has on the social competence of the child. The fourth section describes how academic success can be hindered by childhood bipolar disorder. The fifth and final section gives educators, ranging from teacher to counselor to coach, real-world application techniques to take what they have learned in the previous chapters and provide better environments for their students who have been diagnosed with childhood bipolar disorder.

Master of Arts in Psychology, Cleveland State University, 2009, College of Science

The present study was designed to assess the reliability and validity of the Dependent Personality Inventory-Revised (DPI-R; Poreh & Huber, 2007). One-hundred and one students at a Midwestern university were administered the scale in addition to the Dependent Personality Questionnaire (DPQ; Hyler, 1994) and Interpersonal Dependence Inventory (IDI; Hirschfeld, Klerman, Gouch, Barrett, Korchin, Chodoff, 1977). Following the screening, 11 students who scored the highest on the scale and 13 students who scored in the average range were identified and asked to participate in the second phase of the study. These students were then blindly interviewed by the co-investigator using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-Axis II Personality Disorders (SCID-II; First, Gibbon, Spitzer, Williams, Benjamin, 1997). Clinical judgment was used to identify which participants met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Revised 4th edition (DSM-IV-TR) diagnosis for Dependent Personality. The results support the internal consistency, construct validity, and predictive validity of the DPI-R as a screening measure for Dependent Personality Disorder in a sample of college students.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2013, Physics and Astronomy (Arts and Sciences)

It has been known for over a half century that when disorder is introduced into a crystalline system through impurities, vacancies, grain boundaries, or other mechanisms that break the translational invariance of the system, the electronic eigenstates will localize in space. This phenomenon is called Anderson localization after Phillip Anderson who first predicted it in 1958. Since then, Anderson localization has remained a vibrant topic of research due to new experimental methods of probing localized states, an increase in computational power, and its accurate phenomenological representation of many physical systems. To date, a large amount of effort has been dedicated to the study of uncorrelated, or short-range correlated, disorder distributions. However, more recent efforts on long-range correlated disorder distributions have yielded richer results, challenging the foundations of Anderson localization theory. In this document, we focus on characterizing the naturally occurring ~ 1/r correlation, and the phenomenologically rich ~ 1/k correlation in one-dimensional systems. We will discuss several important numerical and analytical methods for determining a localization-delocalization transition along with the localized phase itself. Finally, we will discuss on-going work related to novel two-dimensional disordered materials where random spin-orbit interactions are predicted to cause suppressed spin transport.

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2008, Graduate School

Psy. D., Antioch University, 2024, Antioch Seattle: Clinical Psychology

This qualitative study explored the lived experience of addiction counselors in their work with clients who have a primary diagnosis of methamphetamine (MA) use disorder. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used as the methodology for this study. A total of seven participants were recruited and met inclusion criteria. Participants engaged in individual, semi-structured interviews. The primary themes that emerged included “Flexibility,” “Understanding,” “Self-Reflection,” “Demanding,” “Encountering Resistance,” “Hope,” “Developing an Individualized Understanding of MAUD,” and “Essentials of Treatment Success.” The findings of the study demonstrate the usefulness of qualitative inquiry to examine the lived experience of addiction counselors in their work with an MA-dependent population and provide guidance on the clinical application of the findings.

Master of Arts in Psychology, Cleveland State University, 2023, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

Clinicians who perform psychoeducational assessments for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are typically unaware of the utility of Symptom Validity Tests (SVTs) and often rely on clinical interviews and self-report checklists for diagnosis (Suhr et al., 2008, Young & Gross, 2011). This type of methodology, however, has been found to have serious limitations as it assumes that the respondents are truthful and introspective. This is particularly evident because most self-report checklists rely on direct questioning, increasing social desirability bias. Consequently, these checklists often overestimate pathology in adults with various psychiatric conditions, producing clinically significant levels of ADHD symptoms (Harrison, 2004). The 40-item Keshev Dimensional Scale - Adult (KDS-A) was developed to address the limitations of existing measures. The development utilized facet theory (Guttman 1959; Shye 1978; Tversky & Hutchinson 1986) using the DSM-V (American Psychiatric Association, 2013) criteria. Results showed that the KDS-A had comparable internal consistency with an existing self-report measure of ADHD commonly used today, and that the KDS-A was also highly correlated with the existing measure supporting the concurrent validity. The KDS-A was also shown to have slightly higher sensitivity and specificity than the existing measure used in this study. Future research needs to be conducted on the effect of embedding the KDS-A within an existing multi-scale personality measure, along with the development of norms for the measure as well.

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD), Wright State University, 2024, School of Professional Psychology

Chronic pain and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are highly prevalent but lack interventions that address their comorbidity. Written exposure therapy (WET) is an evidenced-based brief intervention designed to focus on PTSD. The intervention that has been developed in this dissertation has been named CronP (chronic pain and PTSD) and delivers a modified digital version of WET in tandem with a clinician. The digital intervention will consist of five modules containing writing prompts to be completed each week prior, during, or after seeing a clinician. The goal in providing the intervention in digital form is to enhance therapeutic efficiency and provide a format of treatment in which the individual can participate in what they may perceive as their safe space (home, etc.). This could include having the individual engage in the writing portions without the clinician present while at the provider's office and reduce the time needed in the clinician's office unlike traditional WET. The two aims of this dissertation are 1) to provide a review of literature investigating the possible usefulness of a digital intervention addressing the comorbidity of chronic pain and PTSD and 2) to present a proposal for a digital intervention that delivers a modified version of WET to reduce both perceived chronic pain intensity and PTSD symptoms. For purposes of this study a digital intervention is operationally defined as follows: A format that can be accessed by any number of electronic devices (e.g., cell phone, tablet, desktop, etc.) through a website portal.

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2023, Psychology - Clinical

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorders frequently co-occur. There is also evidence that emotion dysregulation underlies the development and maintenance of co-occurring PTSD and substance use disorders, including opioid use disorder (OUD). Thus, interventions designed to specifically target emotion dysregulation may have utility in addressing this co-occurrence. The aim of this study was to adapt an existing treatment that targets emotion dysregulation (emotion regulation group therapy) to a brief individualized protocol and assess its preliminary efficacy for reducing PTSD symptoms, emotion regulation difficulties, negative affect, and substance-use related outcomes. Using a multiple baseline experimental design, the intervention was evaluated in a patient sample of adults in medication-assisted treatment for OUD (N = 4) with probable PTSD. Participants completed daily assessments during a 2- or 4-week baseline phase, a 4-week treatment phase, and 4-week post-intervention phase. Results demonstrate that by the end of the treatment phase, two participants demonstrated reliable decreases in emotion regulation difficulties, two participants demonstrated reliable decreases in negative affect, two participants demonstrated reliable decreases in craving, and one participant demonstrated a reliable increase in medication adherence self-efficacy. By the end of the follow-up period, three participants demonstrated reliable decreases in PTSD symptoms, one participant demonstrated a further reliable decrease in emotion regulation difficulties, one participant demonstrated a reliable improvement in medication adherence, one participant demonstrated a reliable improvement in medication adherence self-efficacy, two participants demonstrated further reliable decreases in negative affect, one participant demonstrated a further reliable decrease in craving, and one participant demonstrated a reliable decrease in substance use. Results provide preliminary e (open full item for complete abstract)

MA, Kent State University, 2023, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Psychological Sciences

Time spent gaming and depressive symptoms are both variables that the extant literature has identified to have associations with gaming disorder. However, most research that examined time spent gaming as a variable of interest have relied on participant self-report. This study incorporates objective measures of time spent gaming via logged behavioral data, specifically examining longitudinal relationships between time spent gaming, depressive symptoms, and gaming disorder. Additionally, behavioral activation level was examined as a potential mediator of these variables. 98 North American League of Legends and Teamfight Tactics players (82.7% male), with an average age of 22.34 years (SD = 3.67), were recruited to complete three waves of measures assessing negative emotion and game play characteristics over the course of two weeks. The participants also provided consent to link their accounts' behavioral data to their responses. Meaningful differences between objective logged data and subjective self-report estimates of time spent gaming (absolute difference = 5.20 h per week, SD = 7.66) were observed. Self-reported time spent gaming was associated with decreased levels of behavioral activation which in turn were associated with elevated gaming disorder symptoms. Similarly, depressive symptoms were associated with increased gaming disorder symptoms via lower behavioral activation levels. These effects were no longer significant when baseline values of subsequent variables in the mediation path were controlled for. Logged data on time spent gaming did not demonstrate the same pattern of results as self-report. Substantial differences between objective logged data and subjective self-report estimates of time spent gaming align with previously reported discrepancies observed in other studies examining technology use. Significant longitudinal relationships were observed for subjective self-report estimates of time spent gaming and depressive symptoms on gaming disorder (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Nursing Practice, Mount St. Joseph University , 2023, Department of Nursing

Historically, a visit to the medical director was not consistently provided to each new patient at the TriHealth Outpatient Alcohol Drug Treatment Program (TOADTP). This resulted in patients being dispossessed of access to care such as evaluation and comprehensive treatment of co-occurring mental health diagnoses, the initiation of pharmacotherapy, and initiation of medication-assisted treatment for persons living with substance use disorders. This project centered on development and implementation of a standardized intake process for TOADTP patients with the goal of increasing referrals to the medical director to expand access to these lifesaving interventions. Over an eight-week period, pre-intervention data were collected. During this pre-intervention period, only one of the 12 new patients was referred to the medical director. Development, education, and mobilization of the new standardized intake process included: analyzing the old intake process for variances, educating the direct care team about the benefits of practicing from an evidence-based platform, developing a new intake process that included a hard stop in the electronic health record, and educating the TOADTP team about it. The process then was mobilized. Post-intervention outcome measures were collected over an 8-week period. These measures revealed that 17 out the 24 new patients were referred to the medical director. In sum, the implementation of a standardized referral process to the medical director increased referrals from 8.4% to 70.8%, thus expanding access to life-saving evidence-based care for people living with substance use disorders.

Master of Music (MM), Bowling Green State University, 2023, Music Composition

The Inconsistent Continuities is a single movement chamber piece with fixed media. The Inconsistent Continuities was composed for Hypercube Ensemble, whose performing forces include saxophone, electric guitar, percussion, and piano. An additional fixed media component is being controlled over time by one of the performers. The piece's theme is inspired by my personalized perception of living and coping with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). The Inconsistent Continuities aims to sonically portray my personalized experiences living and coping with ADHD. Each ensemble member, plus the fixed media, personifies one or multiples of the three main ADHD traits: fixation; distraction; and inattentiveness. The single-movement piece comprises three sections. The first section establishes the four ensemble members as a theoretical “brain” attempting to formulate a musical melodic gesture or “idea.” This idea loops, signifying the characteristics of fixation. An external distraction from the fixed media then attempts to distract the ensemble from their original melodic thought. The musical content introduced by the fixed media is distant and obtrusive compared to the fixated thought from earlier. The remaining role (inattentiveness) is introduced during this section and attempts to bypass the first thought and the distraction. This section represents the mind being overly stimulated and the traits of ADHD that are more prevalent and controlling. The second section begins as a collective dialogue between all three characteristics that eventually reaches critical mass, followed by an abrupt breath inhale by the ensemble. This represents the mind being overwhelmed during social situations and everyday life while desperately seeking a moment of clarity. The final section unites each member, but the melodic idea of the piece changes, representing the mind solving the task or completing its thought through the tangential ADHD thought process.

Master of Education (MEd), Bowling Green State University, 2023, Human Movement, Sport and Leisure Studies /Kinesiology

Excessive and compulsive exercise (CE) are often contributing factors in the etiologies of eating disorders (ED). Despite this, current studies indicate that exercise can play a positive role in ED treatment (Berends et al., 2016; Calogero & Pedrotty, 2004). Specifically, studies indicate positive treatment outcomes including improvements in body composition, muscular strength, depression, and anxiety with exercise inclusion in ED treatment (Calogero & Pedrotty, 2004; Chantler et al., 2006; Fossati et al., 2004; Pendleton et al., 2002). However, the use of exercise as an intervention in ED treatment is overlooked, as no guidelines for exercise implementation exist (Cook et al., 2016). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to review current procedures utilized by ED treatment facilities regarding exercise as part of treatment. Professionals who work with ED treatment facilities in the United States were contacted with a request to complete the survey. The survey consisted of questions focusing on whether exercise is currently being implemented as part of the treatment plan in their respective ED treatment facilities. Of particular interest was identification of the mode(s) of exercise included, who prescribes exercise, and the use of individualized exercise programs. Nine participants began the survey, and of those nine participants, four participants completed the survey. Descriptive statistics were provided for all survey metrics. Out of total participants, exercise was most frequently indicated as included within treatment. Comparatively, out of total participants, individualized exercise was most frequently indicated as not included within treatment. Additionally, the inclusion of aerobic, resistance, and flexibility exercise were indicated most frequently for total participants. Future research should seek to investigate exercise procedures in ED treatment facilities on an expansive level. Additionally, future research is also needed to investigate the effect (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2022, Psychology/Clinical

This qualitative study examines the lived experience of adult women diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) with a specific focus on gender roles and social support. Previous research has identified a potential conflict between symptoms of ADHD and societal expectations of women, in addition to a negative correlation between levels of social support and ADHD symptoms. In the present study, in-depth semi-structured interviews that focused on societal expectations of women and social support were conducted with nine women from ages 25 to 45 diagnosed with ADD or ADHD. Results of content analysis of interview transcripts indicate that most participants perceived themselves as possessing different personal qualities than those societally expected of women. Participants described reacting to these perceived differences by attempting to modify themselves to meet societal expectations, pretending to meet expectations, or intentionally flouting societal expectations. Most participants reported that increased ADHD symptoms led to a decrease in social connectedness, whereas nearly one half of participants reported that increased social connectedness led to a decrease in ADHD symptoms. All participants reported that increased ADHD symptoms led to an increase in comorbid symptomatology. Some participants identified an optimal level of social connectedness and described an increase in ADHD and comorbid symptoms when deviating either above or below the optimal level. Future research should examine adaptive responding to conflicts between socially dictated gender norms and qualities of women with ADHD and examine the concept of an optimal middle level of social connection

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2022, Philosophy, Applied

This dissertation asserts we have prima facie reason to believe that at least sometimes, two or more moral persons can share a single brain and body. Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder, is a disintegration of memory, consciousness, and experience. This gives the impression of multiple personalities who alternate control of the body, only to eventually change to another personality who often has no memory of the events that transpired, or even any other personalities supposedly sharing the body. While many philosophers agree that a body can house only one person with moral rights and duties, DID cases challenge this assumption. Derek Parfit believes that to be a person is to be a continuity of causally connected mental states, including memories, intentions, experiences, and personality traits. If an alternate personality qualifies as a person, then, there exist cases in which two or more persons can share a single brain and body. Some real-life cases, then, should also be considered as examples of multiple personhood. Given that we have prima facie reason to believe some alternate personalities (“alters”) are persons, some alters may then have a right to life. Treating DID with reintegration therapy involves something like killing an alter. As such, reintegration therapy is only sometimes morally permissible, due to the asymmetric claims to the body between the original personality and an alter.