Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2011, Psychology

Advanced and recurrent breast cancer patients experience negative biobehavioral sequelae following diagnosis. Poor marital quality has also been shown to worsen biobehavioral trajectories in earlier-stage cancer patients (e.g., Yang & Schuler, 2009; Schuler et al., under review). However, the contribution of poor marital quality among advanced or recurrent cancer patients coping with a health crisis remains unclear. This study tested the longitudinal covariation between poor marital quality and psychological distress, individual differences, health behaviors, endocrine and immune functioning, and physical health in advanced and recurrent breast cancer patients (N=98). Mixed-effects modeling compared trajectories for women in distressed marriages (n=23) to those in non-distressed marriages (n=75) at diagnosis and across a 12-month follow-up. Compared with patients in a non-distressed marriage, those in a distressed marriage showed significantly greater baseline total mood disturbance (p<.001) and differential rate of mood disturbance change across follow-up (p=.018). Immune differences were also present, with the Distressed group showing significantly higher Con A at baseline relative to the Non-Distressed group (p=.052), which persisted across 12-month follow-up. Clinical relevance and recommendations are described.

Committee: Barbara Andersen PhD (Advisor); Daniel Strunk PhD (Committee Member); Robert Cudeck PhD (Committee Member); Steven Beck PhD (Committee Member); Helen Everts PhD (Other) Subjects: Behavioral Psychology; Behavioral Sciences; Behaviorial Sciences; Clinical Psychology; Families and Family Life; Psychobiology; Psychology; Psychotherapy; Social Research

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2015, Psychology/Clinical

Despite burgeoning interest among researchers in the psychology of emerging adults, very little research has explored the helpful or harmful psychosocial and R/S coping strategies emerging adults employ as a means to cope with non-marital romantic relationship dissolution. This study longitudinally examined the role of psychosocial coping methods, religious/spiritual appraisals, and religious/spiritual coping methods in the long-term adjustment of emerging adults to non-marital romantic breakup. One-hundred and thirteen undergraduate university students completed measures at Time 1 about their experience of the breakup of their most recent mutually exclusive non-marital romantic relationship, and they completed follow-up measures one year later at Time 2. Principal component analyses were conducted to ensure that psychosocial coping methods and religious/spiritual coping methods were appropriately grouped into helpful versus unhelpful categories for the post-breakup context with this particular sample. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that participants' psychosocial coping methods at T1 were longitudinally associated with some areas of post-breakup adjustment and growth at T2. In addition, regression analyses indicated that sacred loss/desecration appraisals of the breakup at T1 and religious/spiritual coping methods at T1 were longitudinally associated with some areas of post-breakup adjustment and growth at T2. Finally, mediation analyses highlighted that religious/spiritual coping resources mediated longitudinal links between T1 sacred loss/desecration appraisals of the breakup and T2 adjustment and personal growth. This study is the first of its kind to provide longitudinal evidence that religion and spirituality are relevant to emerging adults' adjustment to non-marital breakup.

Committee: Annette Mahoney (Advisor); Kenneth Pargament (Committee Member); Anne Gordon (Committee Member); Karen Benjamin Guzzo (Committee Member) Subjects: Behavioral Sciences; Clinical Psychology; Counseling Psychology; Developmental Psychology; Pastoral Counseling; Psychology; Religion; Religious Congregations; Social Psychology; Spirituality; Theology; Therapy; Womens Studies