Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2013, Experimental Psychology (Arts and Sciences)

To expand our prior research and address the limitation of full reliance on self-report measures within the blood donation literature, the present study examined the ability of three novel blood donation implicit measures to predict reported intention to donate blood, immediate decision to sign-up to donate blood, and confirmation of actual behavior among a sample of nondonors. A total of 225 undergraduate Psychology students with no history of blood donation agreed to participate in a 60-minute testing session, in which they sat at a computer to complete three implicit measures (image and word versions of implicit attitudes and implicit social-identity) followed by a series of explicit measures (donation attitudes, donation anxiety, self-efficacy, anticipated regret, subjective norm, descriptive norm, personal moral norm, and donation intention). After completing the computerized portion of the experiment, participants were given an opportunity to sign-up for a local blood drive that took place one to three weeks after the testing session. Finally, participants were contacted 30 days post session to confirm whether or not they donated blood. Results revealed that the image and word implicit measures demonstrated stronger internal consistency and construct validity than the social-identity implicit measure. Further, only the image implicit measure significantly predicted donation intention, explaining 1.7% of the variability. None of the implicit measures was shown to contribute variance over and above their explicit counterparts. Likewise, level of decisiveness and consideration did not moderate the relationship between implicit measures and donation intention, sign-up behavior, or 30-day behavior. These findings suggest that, while the implicit attitude measures may be valid in this context, they appear to be weak predictors of nondonor intentions and behavior, especially when tested alongside their explicit counterparts.

Committee: Christopher France Ph.D. (Advisor); Peggy Zoccola Ph.D. (Committee Member); Weeks Justin Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Rodger Griffeth Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Douglas Mann Ph.D. (Committee Chair) Subjects: Behavioral Sciences; Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2015, Clinical Psychology (Arts and Sciences)

Background: Individuals who donate blood are presented with unique challenges to continuing their donation career such as managing existing fears, perceived lifestyle barriers (such as work or family commitments), and even moving past prior negative donation experiences. Donors must persist through several donations and gain experience throughout the process to internalize the role and expectations of being a blood donor. As such, donors may benefit from interventions which not only increase their ability to overcome perceived barriers to repeat donation but which also enhance their identity as a blood donor. The current research project examined the effect of a post-donation motivational interviewing intervention with implementation intentions on blood donor identity, and donation related intention, as well as actual repeat donation behavior. Study Design and Methods: 142 females and 53 males who ranged in age from 18 to 72 years (Mean = 37.2; SD = 13.5) were recruited from Hoxworth Blood Center in the Cincinnati, Ohio region between October 2013 and January 2015. Following completion of baseline questionnaires, participants were randomly assigned to a postdonation motivational interview with implementation intentions (MI+II) or a nointerview control group and received a telephone call. Participants in the MI+II group completed a brief telephone (<18 minute) interview designed to promote and clarify intrinsic motivations for donating, explore how donating blood fits in with their goals and values, address barriers that may prevent future donation and develop individualized implementation action plans to promote repeat donation. They were then asked to complete follow-up questionnaires regarding blood donor identity, donation intention, attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, anxiety, and personal moral norms. Participants in the no-interview control group were simply asked to complete the same series of follow-up questionnaires one month later (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Christopher France (Advisor); Christine Gidycz (Committee Member); Joseph Bianco (Committee Member); Stephen Patterson (Committee Member); Peggy Zoccola (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology; Psychology

Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2015, Clinical Psychology (Arts and Sciences)

Background: Repeat blood donors are crucial to the adequacy and safety of national blood supply. The goals of the present study were to 1) examine the effect of a Motivational Interview on donation intention, attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and blood donor identity and 2) test a model of blood donation intention. Study Design and Methods: Participants (n = 154) were randomly assigned to one of three groups: 1) a Motivational Interview, 2) a video about blood donation, or 3) a control interview about general blood donation knowledge. Measures of donation intention, perceived behavioral control, attitudes, and donor identity were administered before and after the intervention. Blood donation behavior was assessed by self-report four weeks after the intervention. Results: ANOVAs revealed significant effects of study group on intent, F(2, 153) = 5.84, p < 0.01, and attitudes, F(2, 153) = 3.38, p = 0.04 but not perceived behavioral control, F(2, 153) = 0.77, p = 0.47. Further, there was a significant effect of group on donor identity, F(2, 153) = 12.34, p < 0.01. Structural equation modeling revealed that increases in perceived behavioral control and attitudes predicted increase in blood donation intention. Conclusions: Blood donation intention, attitudes, and blood donor identity may be modified by brief psychosocial intervention. Perceived behavioral control and attitudes are important antecedents of blood donation intention.

Committee: Christopher France Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Julie Suhr Ph.D. (Committee Member); Stephen Patterson Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2023, Journalism (Communication)

The study examined the effects of emotional appeals, message sources, and social endorsement on message elaboration, social media engagement, and other persuasive outcomes. The study employed a 2 (emotion appeals: guilt and hope) x 2 (message sources: influencers and organizations) x 2 (social endorsement: high and low likes) between-subjects design. From the perspective of a dual-processing theory (i.e., heuristic-systematic model), the study tested how systematic cues (i.e., emotional appeals) and heuristic cues (i.e., message sources, and social endorsement) influenced the persuasive effects of a campaign message. 350 participants were recruited for an online experiment through a panel service company. Each participant was exposed to a nonprofit organization's Facebook message encouraging blood donations. The results showed that hope appeals produced higher message elaboration than guilt appeals, but guilt appeals had higher comment intentions and greater donation intentions than hope appeals. Also, influencers produced greater like and comment intentions, higher self-efficacy, and better attitudes than organizations. Moreover, high likes had higher message elaboration than low likes. Furthermore, influencers produced greater social media engagement than organizations in hope appeals with high likes. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed.

Committee: Jatin Srivastava (Committee Chair) Subjects: Communication; Mass Communications; Public Health

Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2022, Experimental Psychology (Arts and Sciences)

In the United States, only 5.7% of the population donated blood in 2016. Further, although first-time donors comprise a significant portion of the donor pool each year, only 2% go on to become regular donors. Low rates of donation combined with poor donor retention have far-reaching consequences, including shortages of life-saving whole blood and blood products for the treatment of accident victims and various medical conditions. Although males and females in the United States have similar rates of donation (6.3% and 5.1%, respectively), important differences in motivators and barriers to blood donation may exist between these genders. Accordingly, the current study attempted to identify gender differences in motivators and barriers among young, urban, majority first-time (74.7%) donors. Multiple gender differences emerged in regard to motivators and one gender difference was detected in barriers to donation. These findings suggest that changes in blood collection agency policies and advertising efforts may help to bolster donor turnout and retention. More research is needed to assess the generalizability of these results to older donors. Additionally, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, gender differences in donor motivations and barriers may have changed and should be further explored.

Committee: Christopher France PhD (Advisor); Julie Suhr PhD (Committee Member); Peggy Zoccola PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 0, Clinical Psychology (Arts and Sciences)

Background: Young, first-time blood donors are crucial to the sufficiency of the national blood supply. Ambivalence about donating blood has received little empirical attention, but it may represent a significant impediment to the retention of this donor group. The primary goals of the present study were to: 1) assess the effect of a motivational interview on ambivalence, the Theory of Planned Behavior constructs (i.e., donation intention, attitude, self-efficacy, and subjective norms), and autonomous motivation to donate blood, 2) determine if individual differences in ambivalence moderate interview outcomes and the relationship between attitude and donation intention, and 3) test a model of donation intention informed by the Trans-Contextual Model. Methods: Donors aged 16 to 24 years (N = 259) were randomly assigned to a motivational interview or a treatment-as-usual control group. Measures of ambivalence, donation intention, attitude, self-efficacy, subjective norms, and autonomous motivation were administered at baseline and follow-up. Results: An ANOVA revealed a significant effect of study group on donation attitude, reflecting greater baseline to follow-up change among donors in the motivational interview group compared to donors in the control group (p = 0.01). There was no significant effect of group on donation intention, self-efficacy, subjective norms, ambivalence, or autonomous motivation. Linear regression analyses indicated that ambivalence moderated the relationship between change in attitude and change in donation intention such that higher levels of ambivalence were associated with stronger attitude – intention relations (p < 0.01). Path analyses revealed that increases in autonomous motivation were associated with increases in attitude and subjective norms, and that increases in self-efficacy and attitude were associated with increases in donation intention. Conclusions: A brief motivational interview enhances positive don (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Christopher France Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Tania Basta Ph.D. (Committee Member); Christine Gidycz Ph.D. (Committee Member); Ryan Shorey Ph.D. (Committee Member); Julie Suhr Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2018, Clinical Psychology (Arts and Sciences)

Background: Repeat donors are essential to the maintenance of a stable and safe blood supply. Interventions intended to motivate these donors to return can be costly and time consuming. The current study aimed to examine the effect of Mi Donation, a web-based intervention informed by motivational interviewing and Self Determination Theory, on donor intention, motivation, and donation behavior. Study Design and Methods: Participants were assigned to either the Mi Donation or Knowledge Interview control group. They completed measures of extended Theory of Planned Behavior constructs, self-determined motivation, and psychological need support at pre-intervention, two days after the intervention, and again 7 weeks after enrolling in the study. Donor return data was collected 6 months post study enrollment. Results: Significant main effects of group were observed for pre-intervention to first follow-up change in intention and self-efficacy, reflecting greater increases in donation intention and self-efficacy in the Mi Donation versus Knowledge Interview groups. In addition, women, in the Mi Donation group reported greater autonomy, competence, and relatedness as compared to the Knowledge Interview group at both first and second follow-up. A marginally greater proportion of men in the Mi Donation group attempted to donate at 6-month follow-up, compared to the Knowledge Interview group. Among women, no direct effect of Mi Donation was observed on donor return. However, a path analysis revealed a mediating effect between group and internal motivation of autonomy and relatedness, which predicted intention and return behavior among women. Conclusions: Web-based interviewing may be a promising method of enhancing donor intention, motivation, and behavior for some donors.

Committee: Christopher France PhD (Advisor); Julie Suhr PhD (Committee Member); Jeffrey Vancouver PhD (Committee Member); Ryan Shorey PhD (Committee Member); Elizabeth Beverly PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Health; Psychology

Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2016, Clinical Psychology (Arts and Sciences)

Blood donation is an important and necessary voluntary activity. Individuals who have never donated blood often have fear and anxiety about negative adverse reactions, lack knowledge about the importance of donation and may have conflicting thoughts about donating. Most existing interventions to enhance blood donation are primarily aimed at donor retention and may not be appropriate to increase motivation among non-donors. A potential strategy to increase non-donor intent to give blood is motivational interviewing, a clinical approach that addresses ambivalence in an effort to promote an individual's autonomy in making a behavioral decision. By increasing intrinsic motivation, motivational interviewing may also contribute to the development of donor identity. The present study investigated whether a brief in-person interview based on principles of motivational interviewing (MI-based interview) could change intent to donate blood among current non-donors (n = 174). The study also examined whether an MI-based interview could increase autonomous motivation among non-donors. Participants were randomized into one of three interventions: a motivational interview (n = 60), a knowledge interview (n = 59), or an informational video about blood donation (n = 55). The primary analyses indicated that, contrary to hypothesized findings, participants who viewed the video had a greater increase in donation intention as compared to those who took part in either the MI-based interview or the knowledge interview (p < .001). Those who took part in either the MI-based interview or watched the video had a greater positive change in autonomous motivation than those in the knowledge interview (p < .001). By prompting non-donors to reconsider their thoughts and feelings about donation, the MI-based interview and video may have been able to increase intrinsic motivation, and thereby shifted non-donors toward more autonomous motivation. The relative success of the video intervention may be e (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Christopher France R (Committee Chair); Peggy Zoccola (Committee Member); Christine Gidycz (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2014, Clinical Psychology (Arts and Sciences)

To date, the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and expanded constructs such as self-efficacy and anticipated regret are most commonly applied to understanding blood donation behavior. However, the TPB model appears more useful for focusing on single, isolated acts rather than a developmental decision making process. Researchers have begun to apply the transtheoretical model of behavior change (TTM) to conceptualize blood donation behavior and the associated decision-making process. The present study chose to use expanded TPB constructs and the TTM to evaluate the effectiveness of a multi-module blood donation recruitment video (initially utilized by France and colleagues in 2011) as a function of participant stage of change. Given evidence that participants in Action/Maintenance may be motivated differently in their decisions to donate blood, individuals in these stages were excluded. Participants in the Precontemplation, Contemplation, and Preparation stages were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: a study condition involving two of the intervention video modules, a study condition involving all four of the video modules (testimonials, donor concerns, coping strategies for donation, and vignette of donation process), or a control stress management video. Responses to pre- and post-video questionnaires by participants were assessed to determine changes in donation-related attitude, anxiety, self-efficacy, subjective norm, decisional balance, use of processes of change, and donation intention. In addition, donation sign-ups post-intervention and blood drive attendance 30-days after intervention was assessed as a function of stage of change and study condition. Results demonstrated that participants who viewed the four module video, regardless of stage of change, reported the highest increase in blood donation self-efficacy, attitude, intention, and decisional balance-pros whereas emphasis on the cons of donating demonstrated the greatest reduction a (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Christopher France Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Bruce Carlson Ph.D. (Committee Member); Peggy Zoccola Ph.D. (Committee Member); Justin Weeks Ph.D. (Committee Member); Tania Basta Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Health Education; Psychology

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2010, Veterinary Clinical Sciences

Sonography is useful for evaluating feline splenic pathology. Normal feline sonographic splenic measurements are not well characterized. Unlike the dog and Cheetah, sonographic response of the feline spleen to drugs and hemorrhage has not been established. The study aims included; evaluating normal splenic sonographic size, assessing the effect of sevoflurane and non-splenic hemorrhage on the sonographic appearance and size of the feline spleen, and correlating splenic findings with packed cell volume (PCV), total protein (TP), and regenerative response, as indicated by a complete blood count (CBC). Sixty healthy blood donor cats were enrolled in the study. Sevoflurane was used for anesthetic induction and maintenance. Transverse images of the splenic mid body (13 MHz) were made and splenic sonographic measurements (height, width and cross sectional area [CSA]), echogenicity relative to the left renal cortex and echotexture were recorded at four time periods. Sonographic evaluation was performed at baseline prior to anesthesia and blood donation, following anesthesia induction, following completion of blood donation while under anesthesia, and 7-10 days after blood donation. PCV, TP, and CBCs were obtained prior to blood donation and 7-10 days following blood donation, with PCV and TP evaluated in eight cats immediately following blood donation. Height, width, CSA, PCV and TP were compared across time periods using linear mixed effects models. The models included period as the primary factor, with additional covariates such as age, gender, and total blood donated. Differences in CBC values between days were assessed using the Wilcoxon Rank Sum test. Holm's method was applied to adjust for multiplicity and control the overall Type 1 error rate at α=0.05. In these clinically normal cats, the means ± standard deviation for transverse splenic size at baseline were: height 8.2 ± 1.4 mm, width 26.7 ± 4.4 mm, and CSA 1.6 ± 0.5 cm2. The spleen was diffusely homogenous and (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Lisa Zekas DVM (Advisor); Guillermo Couto DVM (Committee Member); Phillip Lerche DVM (Committee Member) Subjects: Veterinary Services

Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2011, Clinical Psychology (Arts and Sciences)

Background: Rhythmic tensing of the muscles of the core and lower extremities (applied muscle tension, or AMT) has been associated with decreased rates and severity of whole blood donor reactions. A possible mechanism by which this occurs is via increased availability of oxygen in the brain. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of applied muscle tensing on changes in cerebral oxygenation during blood donation. Methods: Seventy-two female blood donors were recruited at mobile blood drives in the American Red Cross Blood Services - Central Ohio Region. Participants were randomly assigned to engage in either AMT during donation, or a distraction-control condition in which donors engaged in a repeated, gentle foot flexion movement. Cerebral oxygenation was monitored throughout the donation process using near infrared spectroscopy. Results: Participants who engaged in applied muscle tensing were shown to have attenuated decreases in cerebral oxygenation across the three intervals of the blood draw relative to the distraction manipulation, F(1, 70) = 8.144, p = 0.006. Whereas cerebral oxygenation decreased 1.42% (SD = 2.09) for those in the distraction-control group, oxygenation levels increased 0.13% (SD = 2.56) in the applied muscle tension group. Conclusion: Applied muscle tension is associated with an attenuated decrease in cerebral oxygenation compared to a distraction-control group. This suggests that the salutary effect of AMT may be in part due to an increase in oxygen available to the brain.

Committee: Christopher France PhD (Committee Chair); Julie Suhr PhD (Committee Member); Justin Weeks PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology

Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2009, Psychology (Arts and Sciences)

Background: Recent blood donors may hold conflicting thoughts about future donation.While they may perceive the direct benefit to themselves and others (e.g., enhanced self-esteem,life-saving transfusions), at the same time they often report compelling reasons not to give again (e.g., inconvenience, negative reactions to initial donation, pain). As a result, the standard reminders and encouragements to return may not be sufficient to motivate some donors. The current research project examined the effects of a post-donation adapted motivational interview on blood donor's intentions, attitudes, self-efficacy, and anxiety regarding blood donation, as well as actual repeat donation behavior.Study Design and Methods: 127 females and 88 males who ranged in age from 18 to 67 years (Mean = 31.1; SD = 13.5) were recruited from local blood drives and randomly assigned to an adapted motivational interview (AMI) or to a no-interview control group. Both novice and experienced donors in each group received telephone calls approximately one month after their index donation. Donors in the AMI group completed a brief (<10 min) interview designed to promote and clarify individual specific motivations and values concerning blood donation, highlight the relationship between expressed values and future behavior, address any existing ambivalence or 4 barriers to donation enhance perceived confidence in the context of blood donation, and developed a future donation plan. They were then asked to complete questionnaires regarding donation attitudes, anxiety, self-efficacy and intention to donate. Donors in the control group were simply asked to complete the same series of questionnaires. Results: A series of ANOVA analyses revealed that donors in the AMI group reported greater intention to provide a future donation, F (1, 211) = 8.13, p = .01, more positive attitudes towards donation, F (1, 211) = 4.59, p = .03 and greater self-efficacy, F (1, 211) = 10.26, p = .00. Marginally lower anxie (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Christopher France PhD (Advisor); Bernadette Heckman PhD (Committee Member); Kenneth Holroyd PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology

Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2004, Psychology (Arts and Sciences)

Novice blood donors are at an increased risk for such symptoms as dizziness and lightheadedness. Adverse reactions occur in response to decreases in blood pressure and the resultant inadequate cerebral perfusion. Laboratory studies have demonstrated that water ingestion can produce an acute increase in resting blood pressure. To test this, 83 first-time blood donors (48% female) were randomly assigned to either a pre-donation water or no water condition. Donors in the water condition consumed 500 ml of bottled water approximately 30 minutes before donating. Following donation, all participants completed the Blood Donation Reactions Inventory (BDRI), which is a measure of subjective physiological reactions such as faintness and dizziness. Results of a 2 Group (water, no water) x 2 Sex (male, female) ANOVA of BDRI scores revealed a main effect of Group, F (1, 79) = 11.81, p = .001, reflecting significantly lower BDRI scores in those who consumed water prior to donation.

Committee: Chris France (Advisor) Subjects: