Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2009, Psychology

The present study explored the relationship between positive and negative reactivity, effortful control (EC), and symptoms of both general distress and depression in a sample of 1242 undergraduate students. Participant responses to self-report questionnaire measures of temperament and emotional symptoms were analyzed using multiple linear regression analyses. EC was divided into three facets of attentional control, inhibitory control, and activation control to examine the different relationships between the individual components of EC and emotional problems. Attentional control and inhibitory control were related to symptoms of general distress and depression that were associated with negative reactivity. There was also evidence that attentional control moderated the association between negative reactivity and symptoms of general distress and depression. Conversely, activation control was related to symptoms specific to depression, which are most strongly related to low positive reactivity. Activation control also moderated the association between positive reactivity and anhedonic symptoms such that low positive reactivity was more weakly related to depressive symptoms at higher levels of activation control. Sex differences were found indicating that men were more likely to report symptoms of depression not related to negative reactivity than women. The results also showed that low activation control was related to more depressive symptoms in men than women. There was evidence of an interactive relationship between Behavioral Inhibition (BIS) and Behavioral Activation (BAS) for general distress such that the at low levels of BIS, low BAS was associated with higher reports of general distress, and at high levels of BIS, reports of general distress were similar for both high and low levels of BAS. There was also an interaction between negative affectivity (NA) and positive affectivity (PA) for symptoms of depression such that the relationship between NA and depressive (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Michael Vasey Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Julian Thayer Ph.D. (Committee Member); Jennifer Cheavens Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology

Master of Arts, Miami University, 2003, Psychology

The purpose of this study was to examine the cognitive and social domains that contribute to the development of impulsivity and self-control in African American preschoolers. Following the work of Carlson and Moses (2001), preschoolers were assessed on a battery of inhibitory control and theory of mind tasks. Parental discipline and parental self-control were also examined through two maternal self-report measures. The hypothesis was that theory of mind and parental discipline and parental self-control each make independent contributions to preschoolers' development of inhibitory control. The results revealed that age was not significantly correlated with any of the inhibitory control or theory of mind variables. Also, these data suggest that the relationship between inhibitory control and theory of mind is not very strong. In regards to parental discipline, the results showed that African American parents in this sample were more likely to use verbal reprimand instead of physical punishment. In reference to inhibitory control and parental discipline, parent's disciplinary styles varied and their choice of discipline may be in response to the child's behavior.

Committee: Cecilia Shore (Advisor) Subjects:

Bachelor of Arts, Wittenberg University, 2024, Psychology

Concussions are a type of mild traumatic brain injury that can result in physical, functional, and behavioral consequences. Behavioral manifestations that arise include impulsivity. Impulsivity can be defined as acting without prior thinking or planning. Previous studies have found that impulsivity has been affected by sustaining a concussion. In the present study we related prior concussion history to impulsivity. Participants completed a background survey related to their concussion history, a modified version of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale as a self-report measure, and an online Go/No-Go task as a behavioral measure. The Go/No-Go task used two levels of perceptual degradation (blur) to slow perception so that responding may be slowed and inhibitory processes may be improved resulting in fewer commission errors. We found a positive correlation between the subcomponents of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale we presented (motor and self-control). Negative correlations were also found relating to age and self-reported impulsivity; and self-reported impulsivity and accuracy in blurred No-Go conditions (commission errors). Concussion participants reported significantly more impulsivity. Concussion status did not significantly affect No-Go accuracy. While participants with concussions self-reported to be more impulsive, there was no significant effect found between the participant's concussion history and their accuracy on the Go/No-Go task.

Committee: Michael Anes (Advisor); Gwynne Davis (Committee Member); John Thistlethwaite (Committee Member) Subjects: Behavioral Psychology; Cognitive Psychology; Psychology

Master of Arts, Case Western Reserve University, 2023, Psychology

While executive functions (EFs) in children have been shown to be highly related to socioeconomic status (SES), other factors may also influence this relationship, including parenting stress and social support. In this study, the utility of a mediated mediation model in explaining the relationship between SES, parenting stress, social support, and child EFs was examined. The model posited that SES exerts its effects on parenting stress partially through social support that the parents enjoy. At the same time, the model posited that SES exerts its effects on EFs in children partially through parenting stress. Seventy-two children and their parents were recruited through local daycares and preschools. While the hypothesized mediated mediation model was not supported, significant associations between SES, parenting stress, social support, and EFs in children were obtained. The findings from this study may provide an avenue for better understanding the complex relationship between SES and EFs in children.

Committee: Elizabeth Short (Committee Chair); Rita Obeid (Committee Member); Brooke Macnamara (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2022, Psychology

The relationship between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and creativity is an area of current interest, yet there are very few studies in the literature with adolescents. Those few studies have found mixed results as to whether there is an association between ADHD and creativity. Theoretically, lower levels of inhibitory control, characteristic of individuals with ADHD, may aid creativity by way of looser associations and access to remote ideas (Mendelsohn, 1976; Radel et al., 2015; Abraham et al., 2006). On the other hand, higher levels of inhibitory control may be a necessary component of creativity in order to filter and evaluate ideas and generate something novel (Cassotti et al., 2016). By accounting for the role of inhibitory control in the present study, we sought a clearer understanding of this relationship. The primary aims of the present study were to analyze differences in creative performance between typical adolescents and adolescents with ADHD and to analyze the role of inhibitory control. Forty-four participants completed the study in a remote format and 30 completed the study in person. Of the 44 remote participants, 27 were typically developing and 17 had ADHD. Looking at the remote group, hypotheses were not supported in that there were no differences on the divergent creativity measures or on convergent creativity measures between typical adolescents and adolescents with ADHD. Regarding inhibitory control, there were no meaningful associations between inhibitory control and creativity in the remote group or in the ADHD in-person group. This study was the first to include a measure of inhibitory control in investigating differences in creativity between typical adolescents and adolescents with ADHD. Results suggest that although adolescents with ADHD do not have a creative advantage compared to their typical peers, they do not have a deficit either. Results of the present study support those found in the literature on the relation (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Sandra Russ PhD (Committee Chair); Elizabeth Short PhD (Committee Member); Eva Kahana PhD (Committee Member); Anastasia Dimitropoulos PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology; Psychology

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2021, Psychology/Clinical

Binge eating is present in people with overweight/obesity and clinical eating disorders and is positively associated with negative psychological and physiological health outcomes. Research supports the separate contributions of emotion dysregulation and deficits in inhibitory control and working memory in relation to binge eating among adults with overweight/obesity. Supported by theory of cognitive control of emotion regulation, the present study examined emotion dysregulation and deficits in inhibitory control and working memory as correlates of binge eating among adults with overweight/obesity. Findings also addressed a gap in the literature around the precise nature of inhibitory control and working memory deficits in relation to binge eating, specifically if these deficits are bound to food or general information, or both. A cross-sectional study was employed using an online community sample of adults with overweight/obesity in the United States. Participants (N = 204) completed demographics, anthropometrics (i.e., BMI), and measures assessing emotion dysregulation (Difficulties in Emotional Regulation Scale), inhibitory control (go/no-go task, food and general stimuli), working memory (N-Back Task, food and general stimuli), and binge eating (Binge Eating Scale). Confirmatory moderation analyses were calculated to examine inhibitory control (food-specific and general deficits) and working memory (food-specific and general deficits) as moderators of the relation between emotion dysregulation and binge eating. Exploratory moderation analyses assessing the relation between emotion dysregulation and disordered eating (Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire) were calculated with inhibitory control and working memory as moderators, again across food-specific and general stimuli. Findings provide preliminary evidence for both food-specific and general inhibitory control and working memory deficits to strengthen the relations between emotion dysregulation and eatin (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Abby Braden, Ph.D. (Advisor); Joshua Grubbs, Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Dara Musher-Eizenman, Ph.D. (Committee Chair) Subjects: Psychology

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2021, Human Ecology: Human Development and Family Science

Early childhood education teachers contribute to the quality of children's experiences in preschool classrooms. However, these teachers endure inadequate workforce conditions, including low wages, poor workplace climates, and limited professional development opportunities. This study explores the associations between preschool teachers' working conditions, teacher–child relationships, classroom interaction quality, children's inhibitory control, and children's early literacy skills. Data from the National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education's Professional Development Study (PDS) were used to examine these relations in two cohorts of teachers (N=402) and children (N=1,407). Results from covariate-adjusted path models revealed that teachers with more favorable workplace climates had closer relationships with children in their classrooms. Children that had closer teacher–child relationships demonstrated higher inhibitory control and literacy skills. Finally, teachers who reported more positive workplace climates and closer teacher–child relationships had students who exhibited higher literacy skills. This research has the potential to inform policies on preschool teacher working conditions, improve teacher–child relationships, and optimize child developmental outcomes.

Committee: Kelly Purtell PhD (Advisor); Arya Ansari PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Early Childhood Education; Educational Leadership; Language; Literacy; Preschool Education; Teaching

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2020, Psychology

Emotion recognition, or the accurate identification of affect as expressed by another individual, is integral to healthy social functioning. Research into emotion recognition ability has largely ignored the potential moderating effects of inhibitory control. Further, dispositional mindfulness, or non-judgmental present moment awareness, has been shown to affect emotion recognition both directly as well as indirectly through its influence on inhibitory control. Unfortunately, research into the developmental relationship between emotion recognition ability, inhibitory control, and mindfulness, particularly in late adolescence, is lacking. The present study sought to address this gap in the literature through a novel investigation of emotion recognition ability, inhibitory control, and dispositional mindfulness in a sample of late adolescents ages 16 – 17 and emerging adults 18 – 19. Participants completed an emotional go/no-go task with happy, sad, and neutral emotional facial stimuli while event-related potential (ERP) brain responses were recorded via electroencephalography (EEG). This investigation focused on the N2 and error-related negativity (ERN) ERP components. Results from performance measures indicated stronger emotion recognition ability in the emerging adult group versus the late adolescent group across valences as measured by perceptual sensitivity (d'). ERP results indicated stronger frontal brain region N2 amplitudes towards emotions in the emerging adolescent group, with no difference between groups in ERN amplitude. Mindfulness was associated with longer reaction times on the emotional go/no-go task, but had no relationship with perceptual sensitivity or ERP amplitudes. Implications for the development of emotion recognition ability in late adolescence are discussed.

Committee: Arin Connell Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Sandra Russ Ph.D. (Committee Member); Julie Exline Ph.D. (Committee Member); Melissa Armstrong-Brine Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology

MA, Kent State University, 2020, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Psychological Sciences

Adolescents from low-income backgrounds are a high-risk population for obesity and poor inhibitory control. Dietary restraint, the intent to restrict food intake, has also been associated with higher weight status in youth. Inhibitory control, the cognitive process that allows the inhibition of a response, such as restriction of high energy-dense (HED) foods, may vary by weight status and moderate the effect of dietary restriction on zBMI among adolescents. The overall goal of the study was to examine the interplay between inhibitory control, dietary restraint, and zBMI among 51 adolescents (ages 12-17; 54.4% female) from low-income backgrounds. Adolescents completed dietary restraint, inhibitory control, and depressive symptom measures, while a parent/primary caregiver completed demographic information. The study first aimed to explore whether inhibitory control abilities differed by weight status in adolescents from low-income backgrounds. The second aim was to examine if dietary restraint was associated with zBMI within a low-income sample of adolescents. Lastly, the study aimed to explore if inhibitory control buffered the association between dietary restraint and zBMI in adolescents from low-income backgrounds. ANCOVA, regression, and moderation analyses controlled for the covariate depressive symptoms. Inhibitory control trended towards significantly differing by weight status, F(2, 47)= 3.06, p=.056. Dietary restraint was positively associated with zBMI F(1, 48)= 12.02, p<.001, but inhibitory control did not moderate this association. Dietary restriction may have more significant implications on weight status among low-income adolescents in higher HED food environments. Further multi-method research is needed to explore eating and neurocognitive correlates of pediatric obesity in low-income adolescents, while also examining the environmental context.

Committee: Amy Sato (Advisor) Subjects: Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2016, Psychology/Developmental

The present study examined the relations between Theory of Mind and moral development as they impact specific aggressive behaviors and prosociality in preschoolers. Social-Cognitive and Social-Cognitive Domain Theory suggest that behavior should be considered a function of personal factors and environment, whereby each of these three facets impact and interact with one another, especially during the development of moral understanding. The current conceptualized hypothesized that moral judgment would predict socio-moral cognition, and – separately – that inhibitory control would predict Theory of Mind; additionally, a moderation of socio-moral cognition was posed on the expected relation from Theory of Mind to social outcomes. One hundred seventy-six preschoolers (Ma=53.3 months) completed measures of inhibitory control, moral understanding, morally imbedded Theory of Mind, verbal skills, and a traditional Theory of Mind battery consisting of five tasks. In addition, teacher- and child self-report data were collected for four specific aspects of aggressive behavior, and prosociality. The proposed model was a good fit to the data using teacher-report data. Results indicate that for children high in mental state understanding, applied moral cognitive development influences teacher-rated prosociality, such that those who were better able to understand another's motive tended to be less prosocial—for those without motive understanding, there was no relation from ToM on prosocial behavior. Implications are discussed in regards to theoretical development and previous empirical findings.

Committee: Marie Tisak (Advisor); John Tisak (Committee Member); Carolyn Tompsett (Committee Member); Susannah Cleveland (Other) Subjects: Cognitive Psychology; Developmental Psychology; Early Childhood Education; Psychology; Social Psychology

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2004, Arts and Sciences : Psychology

The ability to inhibit a prepotent motor response has been shown to be impaired in a number of disorders that are characterized in part by impulsive behavior. While impulsivity is a ubiquitous feature of bipolar disorder (BPD), little research has explored motor inhibition in this population. Further, because a successfully inhibited response is a non-observable event, the assessment of motor inhibition ability requires specialized tools. The Stop signal task, a computer administered task requiring the participant to inhibit a prepotent motor response, allows for the parsing of response behavior into measures of discrimination reaction time and inhibition ability (stop latency). In the current study, we administered the Stop signal task to 26 asyndromal individuals with BPD and 24 demographically matched healthy volunteers. It was hypothesized that individuals with BPD would demonstrate slower stop latencies as compared to healthy volunteers. Further, because other studies have reported a link between cognitive impairment and psychiatric symptomatology, it was hypothesized that subsyndromal symptoms would adversely impact inhibition performance. The results from the current study failed to support either of the hypotheses. However, individuals with BPD demonstrated slower reaction times than the healthy volunteers, and, the BPD group became increasingly more variable in their reaction times and also made increasingly more errors of omission as the experiment progressed. Taken together, the results of this study suggest that simple motor inhibition is intact in asyndromal individuals with BPD. In contrast, the slow response times, increased variability, and increased omission errors are suggestive of impaired vigilance as well as impaired information processing abilities.

Committee: Dr. Paula Shear (Advisor) Subjects: Psychology, Clinical