UNT Theses and Dissertations - 48 Matching Results

Search Results

Results: 1 - 24 next
open access

Cognitive Engagement in Later Life: Descriptive and Explanatory Findings

Description: Findings on the relationship between engagement in lifestyle and cognitive functioning are not consistent; some authors report that engagement in lifestyle predicts an individual's cognitive functioning; while other report that an individual's cognitive functioning predicts the type and level of engagement an individual participates in. The current study will use longitudinal data (N = 235) to investigate the bidirectional relationship between engagement (engaged lifestyle activities) and cogni… more
Date: December 2016
Creator: Abdullah, Bashir
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Determinants of Effort and Associated Cardiovascular Response to a Behavioral Restraint Challenge

Description: This study directly tested implications of motivation intensity theory on effort to restrain against a behavioral urge or impulse (i.e. restraint intensity). Two factors were manipulated—magnitude of an urge and the importance of successfully resisting it—with cardiovascular (CV) responses related to active coping measured. Male and female undergraduate students were presented with a mildly- or strongly evocative film clip with instructions to refrain from showing any facial response. Success w… more
Date: December 2015
Creator: Agtarap, Stephanie
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Relationships Among Self-esteem, Psychological and Cognitive Flexibility, and Psychological Symptomatology

Description: Previous findings on the relationship between self-esteem and psychological outcomes are inconsistent. Therefore it appears that self-esteem, while related to crucial variables, does not provide a clear, direct, and comprehensive prediction of psychological symptoms. Thus, it was hypothesized that the relationship between self-esteem and symptomatology would be moderated by broader measures of how one interacts with emotional and cognitive stimuli.The purpose of this study was to examine the in… more
Date: December 2012
Creator: Al-Jabari, Rawya M.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

The Relation of Perceived Motivational Climate, Mindset, and Achievement Goal Orientation to Grit in Male High School Soccer Players

Description: Grit is defined as "perseverance and passion for long-term goals." Although studied in relation to various outcomes, such as retention and academic performance, few studies have examined variables that may contribute to grit's development. Further, few studies have examined this construct in relation to sport performance or within athletic environments, despite its clear connection to sport-related constructs like mental toughness and resilience. Thus, based in achievement motivation theory, th… more
Date: December 2016
Creator: Albert, Erin D.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Coping Strategy as Mediator between Parental Attachment and the Parent-Child Relationship

Description: Previous research has shown that adult attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance are associated with both coping strategy use and the parent-child relationship. Additionally, research has shown that coping strategy is associated with aspects of the parent-child relationship. The current study aimed to further examine associations between parental romantic attachment, coping strategy use, and the parent-child relationship. It was hypothesized that coping strategy use would mediate the relat… more
Date: December 2016
Creator: Baxter, Lauren N.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Shame Due to Heterosexism, Self-esteem and Perceived Stress: Correlates of Psychological Quality of Life in a Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Sample

Description: Sexual minorities experience higher levels of stress than heterosexuals, which in turn affects coping and psychological quality of life (PQOL). Although many sexual minorities remain mentally healthy, a higher prevalence of mental disorders among members of the lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) communities exists; thus, LGB PQOL becomes an important area to examine. Several key factors are related to PQOL: shame due to heterosexism, self-esteem and perceived stress. Using minority stress model… more
Date: December 2015
Creator: Bonds, Stacy E.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Quantitative EEG Analysis of Patients with Chronic Pain: An Exploratory Study

Description: This study examined quantitative EEGs of six individuals with chronic pain and compared them to an age- and gender-matched normative database of healthy control subjects in an attempt to discern whether a particular pattern of resting state EEG activity is associated with chronic pain. In the chronic pain group, significantly reduced absolute power was seen in delta and theta bandwidths at frontal sites in the eyes-closed condition. In the eyes-open condition, significantly reduced absolute p… more
Date: December 2011
Creator: Burroughs, Ramona D.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Academic and Social Functioning of College Students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Description: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a complicated psychiatric disorder that is typically first diagnosed in childhood and associated with negative outcomes in adulthood such as poor academic performance and difficulties with social relationships. ADHD can be difficult to accurately diagnose in adulthood, given the absence of clear, agreed upon ADHD symptomology in adults. In the current study, two raters used psychometrically sound instruments and diagnostically valid assessment … more
Date: December 2017
Creator: Calmenson, Nina
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Social Support As a Moderating Factor Between Mental Health Disruption and College Adjustment in Student Veterans

Description: Research has indicated that OEF/OIF veterans are experiencing mental health concerns following deployment. While there are increasing numbers of veterans returning to higher education institutions after discharging from the military, there is a scarcity of empirical research investigating student veterans’ experiences as they transition into college. The purpose of the current study was to examine whether social support moderates the effects of psychological distress on college adjustment amo… more
Date: December 2013
Creator: Campbell, Robyn
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Exploring Predictors of Self-Forgiveness

Description: Self-forgiveness is a growing sub-field of the broader study of forgiveness, and initial research has linked self-forgiveness to positive mental and physical health outcomes. However, the extant literature on self-forgiveness is in its infancy, and there is a need for further research to understand the predictors of self-forgiveness and the clinical implications that might follow. The current study aimed to build on the extant literature by exploring two sets of predictors of self-forgiveness: … more
Date: December 2019
Creator: Coomes, Steven P.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Intuitive Eating Scale: An Examination Among Adolescents

Description: Intuitive eating assesses the degree to which individuals eat based on physiological cues rather than emotional or situational cues. The Intuitive Eating Scale was initially developed using college women. This study extends the work of Tylka and reports on the psychometric evaluation of the Intuitive Eating Scale (IES) in a sample of 515 middle school boys and girls. Exploratory factor analysis uncovered 4 factors: unconditional permission to eat, eating for physical rather than emotional r… more
Date: December 2011
Creator: Dockendorff, Sally A.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Facets of Positive Affect and Risk for Bipolar Disorder: Role of the Behavioral Activation System

Description: Bipolar disorder is characterized by disruptions in mood and affect that occur not only during mood episodes, but during euthymic periods as well. At the same time, sensitivity of the behavioral activation system (BAS) has been implicated in the disorder and is a risk marker for it. Less clear is the relationship between BAS sensitivity and positive affect, particularly lower level facets of positive affect. The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between positive affect… more
Date: December 2017
Creator: Dornbach-Bender, Allison
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Diabetes Status of Mexican Americans: Impact of Country of Birth

Description: In order to better tailor treatment to specific populations, factors which contribute to health disparities among different racial/ethnic groups must be examined. Among Mexican American individuals, the high rate of diabetes represents a significant contributor to overall health. The present study focuses on factors affecting diabetes status among Mexican Americans born in either Mexico or the United States using the 2007 – 2008 NHANES data set. Comparisons were made between diabetes status bas… more
Date: December 2014
Creator: Douglas, Megan E.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Depression in Diabetic and Non-Diabetic Individuals: Physical Activity, Nutrition, and Diet

Description: About 8.3% of individuals diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (DM) are diagnosed with comorbid depression, a higher rate than the general adult population. This project examined the differences of depression symptoms experienced between diabetic and matched non-diabetic individuals and the relationship of daily activity and nutrition behaviors with depression between these groups. The 2005-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) was utilized to assess: depression symptoms, d… more
Date: December 2010
Creator: Edwards, Kate G.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Benefits and Costs of Social Interactions Among Firefighters

Description: Despite high levels of exposure, firefighter posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) rates are unclear. Likewise, questions remain regarding how social interactions and beliefs about emotion might interact to influence PTSD in firefighters. In this study, U.S. urban firefighters (N = 225) completed measures of social support, negative social interactions, and fear of emotion which were then used via regression analyses to predict PTSD symptoms. Each independent variable predicted PTSD beyond varia… more
Date: December 2010
Creator: Farnsworth, Jacob
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Effects of Defensiveness on the Reporting of Personality Disorder Symptoms

Description: Personality disorders are not granted the same clinical attention accorded Axis I disorders despite their instrumental role in treatment and outcome. Even when standardized assessments are used, their clinical utility may be limited by an overly favorable self-presentation. The current study focused on defensiveness, the intentional denial of symptomatology, by examining individuals’ ability to minimize their presentation on personality disorder diagnostic measures. Using a within-subjects simu… more
Date: December 2011
Creator: Fiduccia, Chelsea E.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Heterosexist Harassment and Rejection, Emotional Social Support and Perceived Stress in a Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Sample

Description: The minority stress theory suggests LGBs experience greater stress levels due to their sexual minority identities; thus, they are more prone to psychological distress. Poor mental health is linked to internalized homophobia and heterosexism. However, affirmative social support may mitigate the stress response via the buffering hypothesis. My model posits that LGBs are more likely to report perceived stress; however, affirmative social support can mitigate stress. I investigated the relationship… more
Date: December 2012
Creator: Fritz, Sarah-Mee Hesse
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Methodological Issues in Malingering Research: The Use of Simulation Designs

Description: The accurate determination of malingering relies on the use of validated and clinically relevant assessment measures. Simulation design is the most often-used research design to accomplish this. However, its external validity is sometimes questioned. The goal of the thesis was to systematically evaluate these major elements: situation, incentives, and coaching. The situation in simulation studies can vary from relevant (academic failure in a college population) to irrelevant (capital murder) fo… more
Date: December 2010
Creator: Gillard, Nathan D.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Perceived Parent-child Relationship Quality’s Moderation Effect on the Acculturation-wellbeing Relationship Among Young Adults From Immigrant Families

Description: The current study examined relationships among acculturation, parent-child relationship quality, and selected wellbeing indicators (health-related quality of life, life satisfaction, anxiety, depression, and stress) among a group of young adults from immigrant families of Asian and Hispanic descent. The first goal of the current study was to replicate previous research demonstrating a mixed relationship between acculturation and the wellbeing indicators. The second was to explain this relatio… more
Date: December 2013
Creator: Griffin, Allison M.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Sibling Relationship Quality: Associations with Marital and Coparenting Subsystems

Description: Marital relationships play an important role in family functioning and in the development of sibling relationships. From a family systems perspective, other subsystems within the family, such as coparenting interactions, could explain the effects of the marital relationship on sibling bonds. Specifically, the quality of the coparenting relationship may mediate the association between marital functioning and sibling relationship quality. The current study examined relationships between these … more
Date: December 2012
Creator: Guinn, Megan D.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Body Dissatisfaction, Disordered Eating Behaviors and Body Image Quality of Life in African American Women with Hiv

Description: The purpose of the current study was to further our understanding of the subjective experience of middle-age African American women who are HIV+ and on highly active antiretroviral therapy, particularly how self-reported lipodystrophy (LD), levels of body dissatisfaction, body image quality of life, and engagement in disordered eating behaviors are related. Multiple regression, MANOVA, MANCOVA, ANOVA, and chi-square were utilized to test hypotheses. Results revealed that HIV+ and HIV- women did… more
Date: December 2012
Creator: Hammon, Sarah A.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Demographic and Psychosocial Contributions to the Expression of Schizotypal Personality Traits.

Description: Previous research suggests there are a number of variables that are associated with the expression of schizotypal personality disorder (SPD) symptoms. Such variables include childhood trauma, depression and anxiety, substance use, normal-range personality traits, ethnicity, and gender. However, research to date has not examined all of these variables in a single study to determine how they may be interrelated or differentially related to SPD symptom domains. Of particular interest is the associ… more
Date: December 2010
Creator: Hernandez, Nikki
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Political Humility: Engaging Others with Different Political Perspectives

Description: The purpose of this study was to explore theorized predictors, intrapersonal effects, and interpersonal effects of political humility. Participants (N = 469) were adults recruited from Amazon's Mechanical Turk and undergraduate students who completed a series of measures online. First, I found that political humility is (a) positively associated with openness to experience, (b) negatively associated with political commitment, and (c) not significantly related to political diversity in one's soc… more
Date: December 2019
Creator: Hodge, Adam S.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

The Effects of Priming, Culture, and Context on Perception of Facial Emotion, Self-representation and Thought: Brazil and the United States

Description: Individualist and collectivist cultural approaches describe the relationship between an individual and his or her social surroundings. the current study had a two-fold purpose. the first was to investigate whether Brazilians, like other collective peoples, displayed more group self-representations, categorized items more relationally and paid more attention to context than Americans. the second purpose of this study was to investigate if counter-cultural primes played a role in activating ei… more
Date: December 2011
Creator: Hoersting, Raquel Carvalho
Item Type: Refine your search to only Thesis or Dissertation
Partner: UNT Libraries
Back to Top of Screen