Department of Psychological Sciences // UIndy ScholarWorks

Works (8)

1. (IL)Liberal Bias in Academia: Investigation of the Grievance Studies Affair

Title Tesim:: (IL)Liberal Bias in Academia: Investigation of the Grievance Studies Affair
Abstract Tesim:: In 2018, a team of academics succeeded in publishing studies with critically flawed methodologies, crass language, and unsupported conclusions in major Social Science academic journals such as Hypatia, Fat Studies, and Sex Roles. One paper was even awarded as “leading scholarship.” The hoaxers hypothesized that their success was due to political bias in peer review, specifically a prioritization of politically-correct conclusions in these fields over scientific rigor. An ideologically- and politically-motivated methodology called Critical Social Science does appear to be influencing academia as a whole, particularly in the Social Sciences, and likely affects peer review as well. Critical Social Science explicitly presupposes conclusions and actively rejects critique, thus rejecting the entire paradigm of academic research and the scientific method itself. We sought to evaluate what individual differences might influence an individual to subscribe to this ideology including Liberal Ideology (LI) and Paranoid Egalitarian Meliorism (PEM). We presented 169 MTurk participants with summaries of the hoax articles and measured their agreement with the arguments as well as their willingness to share the articles. Then, we presented them with scientific rebuttals of the hoax arguments and measured changes in attitudes towards the original article, as well as towards the rebuttal researchers. We found that: confirmation bias most likely predicted high-LI individuals’ desire to disseminate the hoax articles, that high PEM individuals were far more denigrating towards simulated rebuttal researchers, and that high PEM individuals were far less likely to agree with or share the rebuttals. These findings implicate a possible individual difference explanation for the success of the Hoax Project and appear to identify an individual trait (PEM) that indicates rejection of iv scientific principles. The implications of high rates of PEM individuals in academic fields are discussed.
Creator:: Graham Clayton Husick
Date:: 04/11/2023
Rights statement:: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Type:: Dissertation
Keyword:: psychology, liberal bias, academia, and investigation
Date Created:: 2023-04-11

2. The Appraisal of Thought vs. Action in A Non-Clinical Population Comparing Obsessive-Compulsive Tendencies

Title Tesim:: The Appraisal of Thought vs. Action in A Non-Clinical Population Comparing Obsessive-Compulsive Tendencies
Abstract Tesim:: Intrusive thoughts are a symptom of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) which are thoughts that become obsessions when they are catastrophized by the individual experiencing them and are distressing to the individual (Rachman, 1997). According to the cognitive model of OCD, intrusive thoughts occur on a continuum affecting both clinical and non-clinical populations (Rachman & De Silva, 1978). Within intrusive thoughts are commonly occurring content thoughts that can have sexual, blasphemous, or violent themes (Corcoran & Woody, 2008; Levine & Warman, 2016). At this time, no studies have been conducted analyzing the appraisal of an intrusive thought of another individual vs. acting out the behavior of the thought while comparing OC tendencies. This study recruited 271 participants through Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk). Participants OC levels were measured using the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R). Participants were randomly assigned to either be shown vignettes describing three taboo thoughts (sexual, violent, blasphemous thoughts group) or assigned vignettes describing the three taboo thoughts as actions (action group). Participants were asked to complete the Social Distance Scale (SDS) about the targets they read about after they read each vignette (Link, Cullen, Frank, & Wozniak, 1987). Regression analyses were conducted with thought vs. action as the predictor, OC tendencies as the moderator, and social distance as the outcome for each content type. Simple slopes analyses were conducted where moderation was found to be significant. Across all three content types, participants desired more social distance from targets who acted on thoughts compared to targets who exclusively had thoughts, but the difference was more pronounced for low and average OC participants compared to high OC participants. OC level was found to be moderator for thought vs. action and social distance across all three content types. Unexpectedly, OC level was not a significant predictor of social distance for the blasphemous content type.
Creator:: Dallen Myers
Date:: 2023-05
Rights statement:: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Type:: Dissertation
Keyword:: psychology, non-clinical, obsessive-compulsive, and obsessive-compulsive tendencies
Date Created:: 2023-05

3. Brief Psychodynamic Therapy with A Traditional College Student Diagnosed with Adjustment Disorder: A Case Study

Title Tesim:: Brief Psychodynamic Therapy with A Traditional College Student Diagnosed with Adjustment Disorder: A Case Study
Abstract Tesim:: There is minimal research that examines effective treatment for individuals diagnosed with Adjustment Disorder (AD) (O’Conner & Cartwright, 2012; Carta et al., 2009; Zelveine & Kazlauskas, 2018). The current case study aimed to examine the effectiveness of brief psychodynamic therapy as a treatment with a traditional aged college student diagnosed with AD. Specifically, the current case study examined an individual diagnosed with AD receiving weekly therapy in a college counseling center for a total of 6 sessions. The client was administered the CCAPS-62 on three separate occasions (e.g., before his intake session, after his third therapy session, and before his sixth and final therapy session). The RCI was calculated using pre, mid, and post mean ratings for each CCAPS-62 subscale. Cutoff scores were also calculated using means and standard deviations from normal and clinical populations, which were provided by the Center for Collegiate Mental Health (CCMH) annual report (2010). The client’s scores on some subscales (e.g., Social Anxiety, Eating Concerns, Hostility, and Substance Use) post treatment fell below cutoff points, suggesting the client ended treatment closer to the normal population than to the clinical population for those subscales. Results from the RCI suggest the client demonstrated reliable change on the Depression, Academic Distress, Family Distress, and Substance Use subscales from pre to mid treatment and on the Depression, Generalized Anxiety, Social Anxiety, Academic Distress, Family Distress, and Substance Use subscales from pre to post treatment.
Creator:: Megan Pethtel
Date:: 2023-05
Rights statement:: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Type:: Dissertation
Keyword:: psychology, adjustment disorder, case study, academic distress, and depression
Date Created:: 2023-05

4. The Daughter Defense: Fathers of Daughters and the Denial of Sexual Misconduct

Title Tesim:: The Daughter Defense: Fathers of Daughters and the Denial of Sexual Misconduct
Abstract Tesim:: The Daughter Defense, the act of a man invoking one’s daughter(s) when defending themselves of gender/sexual misconduct allegations (Demopoulous, 2021; Bennett, 2020; Hesse, 2018, Schultz, 2021), is frequently used by powerful men (i.e. Brett Kavanaugh, Andrew Cuomo) accused of sexual misconduct. However, little is known about whether the Daughter Defense is an effective strategy against these accusations I investigated whether the Daughter Defense affected perceptions of men accused of sexual harassment in one study (N = 295). Participants varying in conservatism read two vignettes about two men (either Republican or Democrat politicians) accused of sexually harassing a female employee. One vignette had the accused perpetrator use the Daughter Defense and the other did not. Participants reported their perceptions of the alleged perpetrator and their perceptions of the defense used. As hypothesized, as conservatism increased, perceptions of the alleged perpetrator became more positive, regardless of the alleged perpetrator’s political affiliation or response type. However, contrary to hypotheses, but consistent with prior research (Lizzio-Wilson et al., 2022), the Daughter Defense improved perceptions of the alleged perpetrator and the alleged perpetrator’s response relative to the control defense. Discussion surrounds implications for understanding a common, and effective, rhetorical strategy used by alleged perpetrators to cast doubt on alleged victim’s allegations.
Creator:: Alexandria N. Hamilton
Date:: 2023-04
Rights statement:: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Type:: Masters Thesis
Keyword:: psychology, the daughter defense, sexual misconduct, and defense strategy
Date Created:: 2023-04

5. Effectiveness of CCRT Approach with Clients with Anxiety and Depression: Two Case Studies

Title Tesim:: Effectiveness of CCRT Approach with Clients with Anxiety and Depression: Two Case Studies
Abstract Tesim:: Evidenced-based practices are extremely valuable in the field of psychology. Randomized clinical trials have been considered the gold standard of evaluating the effectiveness of treatments. However, the importance of single-subject design and its focus on individual differences to understanding what therapeutic interventions works for whom offers complementary evidence. This study examined the efficacy of brief psychodynamic therapy using Luborsky’s (1999) core conflictual relationship theme (CCRT) approach with two clinical case studies in the treatment of major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. The participants were selected based on convenience sampling. A single-subject method with time series data was utilized. Statistical methods of Percentage of Non-Overlapping Data (PND) and Reliable Change Index (RCI) were used for analysis. Outcome measures used to assess change across treatment included the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) and Participant Health Questionnaire-depression and anxiety disorders (PHQ-SADS). The results of the present study indicate that CCRT approach provided clinically significant improvement for depression and anxiety concerns for both clients. All areas of functioning assessed using BSI and PHQ-SADS demonstrated significant and positive changes.
Creator:: Mrnalini Rao
Date:: 2023-05
Rights statement:: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Type:: Dissertation
Keyword:: psychology, core conflictual relationship theme, RCI, clinical case study, CCRT, short-term psychodynamic treatment, depression, anxiety, brief therapy, single-subject design, and PND
Date Created:: 2023-05

6. Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety and Depression in an Adolescent Refugee: A Case Study

Title Tesim:: Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety and Depression in an Adolescent Refugee: A Case Study
Abstract Tesim:: Refugee mental health has been very under-researched in terms of the impact and implications their experiences have for treatment (Kim & Keovisai, 2016; Trieu & Vang, 2015). Burmese refugees, specifically, are even less present in refugee mental health research despite being one of the largest groups to relocate in the past 20 years, and the largest to relocate to the United States in the past 10 years (Kim, 2018; Kumar, 2020; Ngo-Metzer et al., 2010). Adolescent mental health has also been relatively under-researched despite this being a common age of onset, the chronicity of disorders, and psychosocial impact of mental health disorders when left untreated (Baker et al., 2021; Kendall et al., 1989; Kendall & Peterman, 2015; Strauss et al., 1987). The overall lack of research of refugee and adolescent mental health is reflected in treatment outcome studies. To date, there is no treatment outcome study for adolescent Burmese refugees in a Western country. The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral treatment for generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder in an adolescent refugee was examined. The patient, an adolescent Burmese refugee, was selected from an integrated primary care clinic in a Midwestern city. The patient received cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for a diagnosis of generalized anxiety and major depressive disorder. Effectiveness of treatment was measured by comparing pre- and post-treatment scores on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7. The data was analyzed for statistical and clinical significance using the reliable change index (RCI). The calculated RCI did not suggest a significant change in the patient’s pre- and post-treatment scores. Treatment suggestions based on Chomden’s treatment outcome and future research directions are presented.
Creator:: Rachel Walters
Date:: 2022-05
Rights statement:: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Type:: Dissertation
Keyword:: psychology, cognitive-behavioral therapy, anxiety, depression, adolescent, refugees, and case study
Date Created:: 2022-05

7. The Effects of Internalized Weight Stigma on the Perceptions of Others

Title Tesim:: The Effects of Internalized Weight Stigma on the Perceptions of Others
Abstract Tesim:: Women are held to high societal standards regarding weight, and when they deviate from the ideal, others may negatively stereotype and discriminate against them. This stigma may become internalized as individuals endorse and attribute negative weight-based stereotypes and attitudes to themselves. Internalized weight stigma negatively affects one’s body image and psychological well-being, but little research examines how it influences the perception of others. An online-based Qualtrics study using a convenience sample of female undergraduate students was conducted (n = 156). Participants were randomly assigned to complete 3 writing prompts meant to illicit feelings of internalized weight stigma or a neutral writing prompt. Participants were shown one of four vignettes, accompanied by an avatar describing a woman with normal weight, overweight, obesity, and severe obesity. Following the presentation of the vignettes, all participants were asked to complete a variety of measures assessing their stereotypes, desire for social distance, social comparisons, and demographic information. A series of 2x4 factorial ANOVAs were conducted. Overall, the findings from this study partially support the initial hypothesis that participants would endorse greater anti-fat attitudes toward the target with higher BMIs; however, they desired less social distance from the target with normal weight than the target with obesity or severe obesity. Also, individuals who wrote about internalized weight stigma made fewer downward social comparisons toward the target in comparison to those who wrote about their daily routine. Results from this study may suggest that the participants experienced higher levels of empathy due to their own internalized weight stigma, which impacted their beliefs and behaviors toward others. Future research should continue to explore how internalized weight stigma may impact the perception of others.
Creator:: Victoria Silvati
Rights statement:: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Type:: Dissertation
Keyword:: stigma, perception, weight, discrimination, attitudes, overweight, obesity , and psychology
Date Created:: 2022-11

8. “You Are So Articulate”: The Psychological Impact of Codeswitching Among Black or African American Graduate Students at Predominately White Institutions

Title Tesim:: “You Are So Articulate”: The Psychological Impact of Codeswitching Among Black or African American Graduate Students at Predominately White Institutions
Abstract Tesim:: This study explored the psychological well-being of Black or African American graduate students at Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) and the impact of codeswitching from Ebonics to Standard English. Previous literature has shown that Black or African American students, may face challenges at a PWI such as frequent racial tensions and discrimination. The use of codeswitching has also been shown to have negative consequences for Black speakers. Thus, the current study focused primarily on the impact that the use of codeswitching has on individuals who identify as Black or African American graduate students. Through the Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) method data was collected and analyzed in order to gain insight into this phenomenon. As a part of this study, 12 Black or African Americans who previously obtained an undergraduate degree from a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) and graduated or who were currently attending a PWI at the time of the study were recruited. The results indicated that participants codeswitched at their PWI to avoid challenges such as being misunderstood, not being taken seriously, and being stereotyped. The results supported the notion that codeswitching is a vital tool for Black graduate students to navigate in Predominantly White environments. In terms of psychological implications, the results indicated that psychological stressors such as anxiety, changes to participants' personality (none that align with any specific DSM-5 diagnoses), exhaustion, and masking were present as a result of codeswitching or the use of Ebonics at their PWI. But, in terms of specific mental health comparisons from HBCU to PWI related to codeswitching, there were no significant results. Lastly, the results also suggested that PWIs should create more diversity-related resources, emphasis on graduate student resources through increased funding, and more awareness of codeswitching through discussions, trainings, etc.
Creator:: Sidney Marie Allen
Rights statement:: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Type:: Dissertation
Keyword:: psychology, codeswitching, african american, predominantly white institutions, ebonics, AAVE, and standard english
Date Created:: 2023-12-01

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