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According to the NCAA Demographics database, among the Division I, Division II, and Division III teams' women's basketball rosters for the 2020-2021 season, Black women only held 12% of head coaching positions, while White women held 45% of head coaching positions. The statistics should raise concern as Black and other female athletes of color make up 50% of NCAA's basketball rosters across all three divisions but they do not transition into coaching or leadership positions. The current study explored the lived experiences of Black female coaches in NCAA women's basketball, including their career advancement, experiences as coaches, and their perception of how their relatively low level of representation influences BFSAs. A total of 10 BFCs completed a 45–60-minute video interview regarding their coaching experiences in women’s college basketball. The data analysis followed the thematic analysis (TA) approach. The participants reported experiencing both gender and racial discrimination, limited opportunities for advancement, and high workloads in part due to providing unofficial mentoring support to BFCs, but feeling overlooked due to a White patriarchal culture. This study can help researchers understand BFCs’ experiences and the unique barriers and discrimination they encounter. These results can be expanded upon to offer recommendations for strategies to raise awareness of hiring disparities and expand the pool of potential candidates for BFC positions in women's collegiate basketball. Universities, sports departments, and the NCAA can gain insight on how to support BFCs professionally and emotionally by hearing about these experiences.

This quasi-experimental study investigated the effect of a table-top roleplaying game (ttrpg), specifically Dungeons and Dragons™ (D&D), on increasing feelings of social connection, decreasing perceived stress, increasing self-esteem and improving adjustment to college among first semester, first year students. participants signed up to either the D&D group or the comparison group. D&D participants (n = 18) attended five one-hour weekly D&D sessions, meanwhile the comparison group (n = 10) went through their first semester of college with no intervention, but completed the study measures at the same points in time as the D&D participants. All participants completed measures of social connection, adjustment to college, college stress, and self-esteem within the first two months of their first semester of college and again approximately six weeks later (after the D&D group met for five weeks). Participants in the D&D group demonstrated a significantly greater change in college stress than the comparison group, specifically a reduction in stress. Furthermore, the D&D group also demonstrated significantly greater personal-emotional adjustment to college (subscale of the student adaptation to college questionnaire). Given the substantial amount of anecdotal evidence on the benefits of D&D, it is integral to continue to examine evidential support for a game with increasing recreational popularity and potential therapeutic/interventional benefits.

A significant body of literature examines team processes as they relate to the team as a collective unit (Eys et al., 2019). However, smaller units present within a team, such as cliques or subgroups, warrant further scientific exploration and dissemination (Wagstaff & Martin, 2018). Existent literature on cliques in an athletic setting established that intra-team groups are inevitable, while also highlighting their emergence and formation, and their relative consequences at the team level (Martin, 2020; Wagstaff & Martin, 2018). Despite the scientific advancement at the group level, research concerning cliques is scarce. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore retired collegiate athletes' experiences with cliques. Themes constructed via thematic analysis showcase individual athletes’ cognitions, emotions, behaviors, status and roles, individual performance, and personal growth throughout their clique experience. In regard to cognitions, emotions, and behaviors, athletes shared both positive and negative implications (e.g. pride in their clique, support for fellow clique members, unmotivated to participate, and self-esteem). The findings of this study expand the understanding of athletes’ experiences with cliques by highlighting the facilitative and debilitative effects, which present an inevitable challenge to be balanced by athletic stakeholders within their teams.

Electronic cigarettes (ECIGs) are devices designed to aerosolize nicotine and are increasing in popularity among both former cigarette smokers and naïve tobacco users. Extant research has shown the dependence potential of ECIGs, though there is not a consensus on the severity of nicotine dependence caused by ECIG use. As a result of becoming dependent on nicotine, individuals may experience withdrawal symptoms (i.e., irritable, craving, depressed mood) when abstaining from nicotine. The majority of previous research on ECIG use has included samples of ECIG users who are former or current smokers. The present study evaluated ECIG withdrawal suppression among a population of ECIG users who were never smokers (N=14). Using a within-subjects design, participants completed 3 randomized conditions differing by product used: own brand ECIG, 4mg nicotine gum, or placebo gum. In each experimental session, participants experienced two product use bouts completing subjective and behavioral economics tasks after each bout. Cognitive tasks were administered at the start and conclusion of each session. Results suggest that ECIG use decreases intention to vape and anticipated relief from withdrawal symptoms better than active and placebo gums. ECIGs had the highest levels of satisfaction and relief from withdrawal symptoms as well as the highest crossover point (i.e., point at which money is chosen over product) for the multiple-choice task. Few significant findings were revealed for the cognitive tasks, potentially due to the small sample size. Overall, the results from the present study suggest that ECIGs are better able to relieve withdrawal symptoms and are more satisfying to the user compared to nicotine and placebo gums.

Mixed methods research collects, analyzes, and integrates rigorous qualitative and quantitative methods to gain a deeper understanding of a phenomenon than would be gained by using either method alone. Integration is one of the key features of mixed methods research and consists of mixing qualitative and quantitative research in a systematic way to generate new inferences or follow-up studies. However, the process of integration can be challenging to draw on expertise in both qualitative and quantitative methods, decide when and how to integrate qualitative and quantitative research, and combine multiple data sources in a coherent way to generate new inferences. The purpose of the current study is to explore the value added by using joint displays to represent integration in mixed methods research. The current study contributes to the field of mixed methods research by providing insight into the ways joint displays add value to mixed methods research, including comprehension, design, and clear labels. The qualitative findings shed additional light on how integration in mixed methods research is achieved in a logical progression, with a specific rationale and design to generate inferences. There are implications for accurately representing and interpreting integration procedures. Developing further insight into the ability to draw clear interpretations and conclusions provides support for mixed methods research as a rigorous scientific approach. Advisor: Wayne A. Babchuk

Monitoring athlete training progressions serve to maximize positive training outcomes while minimizing the consequences of overtraining. Currently, autoregulative training methods aim to enhance training related outcomes through the assessment of individual athlete readiness to train. However, empirical research supporting the notion that physical and mental resources (i.e., readiness) influence experiential training outcomes is limited. PURPOSE: To explore relationships between physiological and psychological indices of readiness (Aim 1) and assess relationships between training-related well-being and readiness indices (Aim 2). METHODS: NCAA Division I swimmers (n=9) were recruited to collect data two days per week over the course of three weeks. During each day of data collection, the participants each completed four surveys; three assessing pre-practice readiness to train and one capturing post-practice training-related well-being. Readiness was measured physiologically (heart rate variability (HRV) estimated by the WHOOP 4.0 and waking salivary cortisol) and psychologically (Acute Readiness Monitoring Scale (ARMS)) while training-related well-being was measured subjectively (Feeling Scale, Athletes Subjective Performance Satisfaction, and Category Ratio-10). RESULTS: Physiological measures of readiness (HRV and cortisol) had a significant negative correlation within the population evaluated (r= -0.32, p=0.05). Moderate correlations between psychological and physiological readiness were limited, but a significant positive correlation was observed between the ARMS subscale of threat-challenge readiness and HRV (r=0.31, p=0.05). Several indices of readiness had significant correlations with training-related well-being (recalled affective valence and recalled performance satisfaction). Recalled affective valence was significantly correlated with HRV (r=0.45, p=0.01), Physical Readiness (r=0.36, p0.001), and Threat-Challenge Readiness (r=0.41, pCONCLUSION: Within NCAA Division I swimmers, correlations between psychological and physiological measures of training-related readiness were limited. However, both HRV measured by the WHOOP 4.0 and subjective readiness evaluated by the ARMS had significant moderate correlations with multiple indictors of training-related well-being. Physiological and psychological readiness may not be interchangeable methods of monitoring athlete training, but each measure could be predictive of different training related outcomes, supporting incorporation of both domains to indicate holistic athlete training readiness.

Emotional abuse is defined as “a pattern of deliberate non-contact behaviors by a person with a critical relationship that has the potential to be harmful” (Stirling & Kerr, 2008, p. 178). Specifically, in the context of sport, emotional abuse is one of the more frequently occurring forms of abuse (Kavanagh, Brown & Jones, 2017; Kirby, Greaves & Hankvisky, 2000; Wilson & Kerr, 2021). Years after the termination of those emotionally abusive experiences, athletes are left to try and cope with and manage the short and long-term impacts that tend to develop as a result of repeated exposure to harmful behaviors (Gervis & Dunn, 2004; Gervis, Rhind, & Luzar, 2016; Kerr, Wilson & Stirling, 2020; Stirling & Kerr, 2008b; Stirling & Kerr, 2013; Wilinsky & McCabe, 2021). The purpose of the current study was to explore MPCs’ past experiences of sport emotional abuse and how those past experiences have impacted them and informed their work as practicing consultants. Utilizing narrative and arts-based research, three women (Killian, Piper, and GA) participated and shared their experiences of sport emotional abuse. Each participant engaged in a series of in-depth conversations with me, someone who is also a survivor of sport emotional abuse. Killian’s story is one of resilience and the recognition that emotions are a powerful tool when we allow ourselves to acknowledge them and use them. Piper’s story is one of empowerment and what it truly means to be able to express yourself in a way that is freeing. GA’s story is one of perspective and the acknowledgement that an experience can be both hard and beautiful at the same time.

Some pastors are clearly in crisis. Research has indicated that clergy struggle to cope with the stressors of their profession. While pastoral work is overtly spiritual in nature, day-to-day tasks include interactions with God, themselves, congregants, and the world at large. Without multi-dimensional tools to consider their wellbeing, specifically assessments that reflect their worldview and role, pastors may remain unaware of dangerously low levels of wellbeing until they reach a place of crisis. Therefore, in this mixed methods study, the Holistic Pastoral Wellbeing Assessment (HPWA) was developed and tested to offer a validated, useful tool for pastors and those who support them. The instrument utilized the World Health Organization's 2004 holistic framework, asserting that spiritual, psychological, physical, social, and economic dimensions are all integral to a person’s holistic wellbeing. Items for the HPWA were developed using data from pilot studies and the wellbeing literature. The instrument’s reliability and validity were considered in two phases. Phase one consisted of a statistical analysis of the quantitative data. Phase two incorporated qualitative interviews with participants to allow them to member check the reliability of their assessment results. Statistical analysis suggested that the HPWA attained a high level of internal and construct validity. Participants reported that their HPWA scores were accurate. However, it was more important to them that the assessment was also useful for personal reflection, starting conversations, and seeking change. Regression analysis showed that the age and theological affiliations of pastors were significantly correlated to pastors’ HPWA scores. Qualitative interview data from participants suggested that negative early ministry experiences, key relationships as leaders, and agency in their roles were explanatory to the demographic correlations. This study actualizes holistic wellbeing theory into a validated and practical assessment tool. The HPWA may be useful to pastors and those who support them, helping to identify potential trouble spots in their own holistic wellbeing and to support their desired vocational trajectory. The results of this study suggest that research in the pastoral wellbeing field may benefit from moving from theory generation to the creation of practical tools, such as the HPWA, to support leaders’ holistic wellbeing.

Fantastical narratives such as fairy tales and magical realist literature utilizes fantastic and intangible spaces to unpack that which is often beyond the limitations imposed on our understanding by reality: the stunting experience of individual and generational traumas. This study aims to contribute to the current literary discourse’s understandings of fantastic literature and its subgenres as a tool for healing from trauma through the application of ontological notions of Selfhood and Otherness supplied by 20th century philosopher, Paul Ricoeur, and the notion of Orientalism by postcolonial scholar, Edward Said. The dialogue generated by these schools of thought provide a space in which I unpack the narrative structures unique to fantastical genres through psychoanalytic, feminist, and postcolonial literary theories.

From climate change to racial tension and income inequality, many difficulties face the United States and those who live within its borders. The extreme and increasing political polarization in the United States as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have only made these challenges more difficult to address. In this complex web of adversity, the concept of resilience is important to study. Resilience may be broadly defined as the ability to “bounce back” or return to adaptive functioning after experiencing significant adversity or challenges (Smith et al., 2008). Better understanding how resilience functions and the general state of resilience within the U.S. population may allow psychologists to provide better interventions and guidance to people and communities during these difficult times. A recent trend in resilience research is the use of social-ecological resilience models, which conceptualize resilience as including individual factors, external factors in an individual context, and their interaction (Ungar, 2011). However, research exploring how these external factors and their interaction with individuals relate to resilience remains limited. Given the challenges facing the United States today, social capital, anomie, and the impact of COVID-19 are examples of such external factors that appear likely to impact social-ecological resilience. This study used online survey methods to collect data from a national sample (n = 758) of the U.S. population seeking to explore the relationship between social-ecological resilience and these variables as well as SES and race. Several variables positively predicted social-ecological resilience including social capital, impact of COVID-19, and income. Anomie was found to negatively predicted social ecological resilience. Black participants also reported greater social-ecological resilience when compared to other participants and other racial differences in these variables were also identified. While this study faced some limitations, the findings underscored the importance of external factors when conceptualizing resilience. Further research is needed to further explore the relationships identified in this study and study with more diverse sample populations is needed to explore the potential impact of demographic variables upon social-ecological resilience.

Electronic cigarettes (ECIGs) are among the most popular nicotine products in the United States, particularly among youth and young adults. Many individuals who use ECIGs report an interest in quitting or unsuccessful quit attempts. In addition to nicotine dependence, one factor that may contribute to continued ECIG use is an individual’s response to ECIG-related environmental stimuli, or cues. Existing research demonstrates that exposure to ECIG cues increases craving for ECIGs among cigarette smokers, including those without previous ECIG experience. The purpose of this study was to examine effects of ECIG cue exposure in experienced ECIG users with minimal smoking history, thus eliminating the potential confound of pre-existing nicotine dependence and cue reactivity from cigarettes. Experienced ECIG users (N = 34) who were never established cigarette smokers (≤ 100 cigarettes lifetime) completed two within-subject cue exposure conditions that differed only by pictorial cue type: ECIG or neutral. Participants experienced two bouts of cue exposure per session, completing subjective measures of ECIG craving and mood before and after each bout. After both cue exposures, participants completed hypothetical delay-discounting and behavioral economic tasks. Two different versions of these tasks were completed, with ECIG use quantified in either puffs or minutes of use. Mixed-effects models and paired-samples t-tests assessed effects of cue type on these outcomes. Ratings of desire to vape (Questionnaire on Vaping Urges-Brief Factor 1, ECIG Schuh-Stitzer) increased significantly from pre- to post-cue exposure for ECIG cues relative to neutral cues, p’s < .05. A similar pattern was observed for negative mood (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule), p = .005. ECIG cue exposure did not significantly affect ECIG delay discounting or increase demand for ECIGs, p’s > .05. Results are largely consistent with those reported for cigarette smokers. Findings may inform the regulation of ECIG product advertising, as exposure to ECIG-related cues may promote continued ECIG use.

Polina Krom Cue reactivity is an important predictor of addiction course and relapse. However, cue reactivity is only observed after an addiction develops. As such, it is unclear to what degree cue reactivity represents a state stemming from the addiction process versus a trait-like propensity towards developing cue-reward associations. Work in animal models has pointed to important individual differences in trait-like inclination to attribute incentive salience to reward-predictive cues that is associated with addiction-relevant behavioral and neurobiological features. These individual differences manifest as sign-tracking (ST) and goal-tracking (GT) behaviors during Pavlovian conditioning. Little research has attempted to translate ST and GT phenotypes to humans or relate them to cue reactivity in addictive disorders. The current study examined electronic cigarette (ECIG) cue reactivity in human participants as a function of a tendency to sign-track. Regular ECIG users were characterized in terms of their sign-/ goal-tracking propensity based on a Pavlovian conditioning paradigm accompanied by eye-tracking and were exposed to two different cue types: ECIG cues (e.g., devices, vape clouds) and neutral cues (water) in separate testing sessions. Our analysis focused on tendencies for sign-tracking / goal-tracking in relation to ECIG cue reactivity, measured as cue-induced cravings and neural responses captured through electroencephalography (EEG). The study found that participants with a higher gaze index, indicating a stronger tendency for sign-tracking, reported increased cravings (assessed by the Schuh-Stitzer questionnaire) in response to ECIG cues compared to neutral cues, consistent with our hypothesis. This finding was only significant in the analyses removing influential observations. Some trend-level effects also pointed to a possibility that contrary to our hypothesis participants with a greater sign-tracking propensity tended to have higher EEG amplitudes in response to neutral cues and lower amplitudes in response to ECIG cues in P300 and LPP components. It is important to note that the data collection is incomplete, and these results may change. Future research could explore alternative measures for sign- and goal-tracking tendencies and tailor ECIG cue stimuli to participants' specific devices.

The lack of physical activity and exercise participation has been an ongoingproblem for young adults aged 18-24. Universities and colleges worldwide offer a variety of required and elective physical activity courses for college credit to increase active participation in lifelong healthy lifestyles. This scoping review collected studies on college students’ motivation to participate in physical activity. The courses were taught using methods based on motivational theories. The authors of the studies collected information from the students before and after the classes to gather data on the theoretical framework’s effect on the students, if any. This review compiles this information, identifies any gaps in the literature, and makes recommendations for classroom applications or research for future studies.

Cohesion is a central element in group dynamics that contributes to a team’s functioning and performance. Most of the cohesion research to date has focused on the dynamic within interacting sport teams (i.e., football, basketball, soccer) but has looked past coacting teams (i.e., golf, tennis, cross-country running). While interacting sports command worldwide popularity, a significant portion of student athletes compete in coacting sports and represent the bulk of NCAA affiliated participants on the world stage at the Olympics. Thus, with such status on the world stage of competition, the investigation of coacting sports is justified. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify and explain athlete experiences and perceptions of cohesion in a coacting sport such as golf. A case study design was used along with semi-structured open-ended interview format to investigate the topic with six Division I women’s collegiate golfers. Results revealed two higher-order categories which were called team development, and athlete experiences and perceptions. Despite participants unique differences in sporting experience, there were several common themes that emerged, including players acknowledgement that cohesion was a necessary element of team performance, that the strength of interpersonal relationships and positive team dynamic made participants feel an improvement in performance potential, and that intrateam competition and a poorly regulated environment would deteriorate individual and team performance and wellbeing. Moreso, participants discussed their perception of the role team members and coaches fill in contributing to a positive or negative team atmosphere, and how this inevitably influences the prevailing dynamic of intrateam competition and its impact on performance outcomes. Findings from this study provide a greater understanding of the athlete interpretation of cohesion and expand the body of literature on coacting sports generally.

This 4-H case study takes place in a psychiatric residential treatment facility (PRTF) in Kentucky. The PRTF provides clinical services to youth that are not able to be safely maintained in their homes due to having demonstrated unsafe or harmful behaviors. Youth admitted to the PRTF stay for an average of three to six months while they receive intensive therapeutic and psychiatric care as well as medical treatment and public schooling. The current case study incorporates programming from 4-H, which is the youth development program of the Cooperative Extension System (CES) and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), into the treatment plans of four PRTF youth. The four-week 4-H program was facilitated by 4-H personnel who adhered to the principles of positive youth development and the Circle of Courage model (Brendtro, Brokenleg, & Van Bockern, 2014). The primary aims of this study were to assess the impact of 4-H youth development programming within a PRTF setting and to demonstrate how the Circle of Courage can be applied to PRTF programming to promote positive youth development. Qualitative findings suggest significant shifts in participants’ understandings of the Circle of Courage constructs following their 4-H participation.

Sport and performance psychology (SPP) professionals working in performance-enhancement training, counseling/clinical psychology, academia, and the military, face various work demands that can lead to chronic stress and impaired well-being (McCormack, 2019). Perfectionism is a multi-dimensional personality trait in which an individual sets excessively high personal standards of performance (Burns, 1980; Frost et al., 1990; Hamachek, 1978; Hewitt & Flett, 1990). While striving for high standards is not necessarily a negative trait, perfectionism is not considered a healthy pursuit of excellence, rather a “compulsive drive to achieve flawlessness” (Burns, 1980, p. 38). Given that SPP professionals’ responsibilities are to help athletes and other performers maintain optimal mental health and performance, providers may be expected to meet unrealistic expectations in these arenas. For the perfectionistic SPP professional, coping with failing to meet such expectations, as well as organizational demands and stressors, may be particularly challenging. However, there has been no research to explore perfectionism in SPP professionals or how perfectionism influences well-being in this population. The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of SPP professionals’ perfectionism on their psychological well-being (PWB). The study sample consisted of 81 SPP professionals. Results indicated that discrepancy, defined as the perception of failing to meet one’s high standards or expectations, had strong, significant, negative correlations to overall PWB [r(81) = .731, p < 0.01] and four components of PWB (i.e., autonomy, environmental mastery, positive relations with others, and self-acceptance). Furthermore, discrepancy accounted for almost half of the variance in environmental mastery and more than half of the variance in self-acceptance and overall PWB. Therefore, this study provides support that perfectionism is not only negatively correlated to PWB but can also predict specific components of one’s PWB. Given the implications of perfectionism, it is critical to gain a better understanding of the potential impact of perfectionism in SPP professionals as it may guide future interventions to prevent mental health concerns and optimize well-being in this population.

During the Fall of 2021, 45% of male and 72% of female student-athletes reported overwhelming anxiety at least once a month (NCAA, 2021). In addition to affecting an individual’s well-being, anxiety may negatively impact athletic performance (Edwards & Hardy, 1996). To better understand the impact of anxiety on athletic performance and develop effective interventions, both the intensity and direction of symptoms experienced must be considered. Incremental beliefs have been shown to be related to desirable performance outcomes and increased well-being in various populations (Danthony et al., 2020; Dweck, 2008), and may provide an effective intervention to interpret anxiety as more facilitative. This study set the foundation by analyzing the relationship between athletes’ implicit beliefs and their competitive trait anxiety. The intensity and direction of competitive trait anxiety symptoms were quantitatively assessed using a modified version of the Sport Anxiety Scale-2 (SAS-2; Smith et al., 2006), and implicit beliefs were measured using the Theories of Anxiety Scale (TOA; Schroder et al., 2015). The sample (n = 114) consisted of collegiate student-athletes from both co-active and interactive sports. Results suggest that implicit beliefs are related to the intensity of competitive anxiety symptoms (r (112) = -.485, p < .001), meaning higher incremental beliefs are related to lower levels of competitive anxiety. Therefore, this study provides initial support that implicit beliefs may have a considerable impact on managing student-athletes’ anxiety levels. However, results demonstrated that how student-athletes interpreted their anxiety symptoms was not affected by their implicit beliefs about anxiety. Further research is required to gain a better understanding of the predictors of a facilitative interpretation of competitive anxiety. The implications of these findings include recognizing the need to gain deeper insights into underlying implicit beliefs that impact student-athletes’ experiences and how to assess and utilize those beliefs in applied practice.

The primary purpose of the current study was to examine the differences in attitudes and stigma toward mental health services between Black college student-athletes and college nonathletes. The secondary purpose of the study was to examine any gender difference in attitudes and stigma toward mental health services between Black college student-athletes and college nonathletes. A Mann-Whitney U statistical analysis was used to compare participant results from the three stigma toward mental health services survey measurements (Komiya et al., 2000; Vogel et al., 2006; Vogel et al., 2009). The current study hoped to further advance the literature examining the attitudes and stigma toward mental health services held by racially diverse college student-athlete populations.

Thriving, or the concurrent experience of healthy well-being and high-level performance, may serve as a valuable construct when studying the optimal student-athlete experience and mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have been shown to positively impact well-being and performance. The purpose of the present study began to examine the impact of an MBI for improving student-athlete experiences of thriving via a quasi-experimental longitudinal design. NCAA Division II student-athletes (n = 55) from three sports were randomly assigned to either a control or a 7-session MBI. While comprehensive measures of thriving did not yield significant change for those in the MBI relative to the control, multiple thriving characteristics and outcomes were improved. MBI participants reported quantitative significant improvement for subjective performance satisfaction, mindful awareness, and the use of mindfulness to regulate emotions. Exploratory analysis revealed those in the MBI, relative to the control, experienced improvements of optimism and a sense of meaning and purpose. Within the program evaluation, student-athletes qualitatively reported sport and life benefits related to thriving (e.g., self-regulation, focus, awareness, vitality, intentional actions) while also suggesting improving MBIs with systematic reminders to meditate, more meditation opportunities within the sport environment, and autonomy-supportive instruction. These preliminary data support the use of MBIs to facilitate characteristics and outcomes of thriving, while also offering suggestions for practical improvements when implementing MBIs with student-athletes.

Mindfulness- and Acceptance-based interventions (MABIs) are being used with increasing frequency with sport participants. Research suggests that such interventions may promote sport performance and impact performance-relevant factors, although the current quality and quantity of research is low. Specifically, questions about intervention engagement (i.e., dosage), potentially impacted by stage of change and attitudes toward sport psychology, need clarification. The present study utilized a multi-method, quasi-experimental longitudinal design with female- and male- identified NCAA collegiate athletes to investigate the effects of an MABI. Specifically, one NCAA Division II team (n = 16) and three NCAA Division III teams (n = 43) from two universities in the Appalachian region engaged in 6-week Mindful Sport Performance Enhancement (MSPE) interventions during their offseason or pre-season training period. Two teams served as the primary treatment group while two others served as the non-randomized waitlist control group; they were all assessed on measures of flow, psychological distress, mindfulness, emotion regulation difficulties, satisfaction with life, readiness to engage in mindfulness practice, attitudes toward sport psychology, and subjective ratings of performance and enjoyment. Mindfulness dosage was also measured throughout and following the intervention. Compared to controls, initial MSPE participants reported reductions in depressive symptoms and emotion regulation difficulties, and improvements in self-rated sport performance; at 6-week follow-up, initial MSPE participants reported significant increases in mindfulness and sport enjoyment, in addition to sustained reductions in emotion regulation difficulties. Though pre-intervention readiness did not predict changes across the intervention, higher post-intervention readiness classification was associated with improvements in mindfulness, life satisfaction, and sport enjoyment. Higher post-intervention readiness was also associated with significantly more engagement (i.e., dosage), though neither dosage nor attitudes toward sport psychology demonstrated evidence of moderation on the relationship between readiness and outcomes. These data suggest that readiness may impact engagement in MABIs, though it is still unclear whether there are indirect effects of dosage and attitudes toward sport psychology on outcomes in MABIs with athletes.

In a gender-segregated digital space known as the Manosphere, a group of men calling themselves “Incels,” or involuntary celibates, express feelings of hostility and hatred towards women. Incels hold a low position on a masculine hierarchy where the men who hold the most power in society are those who have access to women’s emotional and sexual services. Incels are characterized by feelings of entitlement to women’s services and aggrievement by their inability to access them. As a result, they often appear to fantasize about or engage in acts of violence to compensate for their lack of masculine privilege. However, there are men who try to escape these harmful ideologies and leave the Incel community altogether. In this study, I analyze 130 Reddit threads from a community of men attempting to leave the Incel community. This case study permits the examination of the ways low-status men challenge and/or reinforce the masculine hierarchy. Findings demonstrate the pervasive power of the masculine hierarchy. Aside from a few exceptions, men who were presumably attempting to leave the Incel community embraced their low status on the masculine hierarchy and accepted the inevitability of that hierarchy. Their reluctance to challenge the masculine hierarchy suggests they recognize that this hierarchy both justifies their subjugation under more privileged men and their power over women. In other words, for these men, the masculine hierarchy is simultaneously a prison and a bastion of masculine privilege.

This dissertation examines how stories shape both the perpetration of sexual harassment and the experiences of victims during and after sexual harassment. During and after the experience of sexual harassment, a narrative contest transpires between the harasser, victim, and others who contribute to the contest by engaging in the formal and informal conversations that follow known experiences of harassment in the workplace. I analyze 22 public statements, interviews, and investigative reports, including statements from men accused of sexual harassment, women who were sexually harassed, and bystanders. A narrative framework, including concepts of narrative believability and story credibility, is used to theorize the entrenchment of sexual harassment and its race and gender patterns. I discern how narrative contests between harassers and victims of sexual harassment influence action and inaction, and thereby support harm but may inform resistance.

Socio-technical systems have been revolutionary in reshaping how people maintain relationships, learn about new opportunities, engage in meaningful discourse, and even express grief and frustrations. At the same time, these systems have been central in the proliferation of harmful behaviors online as internet users are confronted with serious and pervasive threats at alarming rates. Although researchers and companies have attempted to develop tools to mitigate threats, the perception of dominant (often Western) frameworks as the standard for the implementation of safety mechanisms fails to account for imbalances, inequalities, and injustices in non-Western civilizations like the Caribbean. Therefore, in this dissertation I adopt a holistic approach to online safety that acknowledges the complexities of harms for understudied populations specifically focusing on the Caribbean. In this dissertation, I conduct three studies that take steps towards (1) filling in the gap of missing empirical understanding around users’ perceptions of safety threats and how that is associated with their intentions to engage with supportive countermeasures, (2) understanding the gaps in current approaches to justice, and (3) developing an understanding towards the development of equitable and inclusive countermeasures. In the first study, I conduct a region-wide survey which reveals Caribbean citizens experience high rates of exposure to online threats. Moreover, I show that by conceptually defining protective behaviors based on the threats that they address, it exposes how the perceptions of threats influences the adoption of online safety countermeasures while uncovering distinctions in perceptions depending on the type of harm. The second study utilizes a multi-disciplinary approach to understand the state of legislative protections. Through a reflective legislative and media analysis, the study uncovered major discrepancies in the region’s approach towards justice in online spaces. Lastly, the final study incorporates the findings of these works by conducting an online experiment to test the design of justice-oriented safety countermeasures. The results provide support for the development of countermeasures that people perceive to be fair, equitable, and just.

To fully understand leadership in today’s world, we need a radical reconceptualization of the developmental process required to lead. Changing paradigms demands new perspectives on leadership; these new paradigms suggest leaders must turn inward and develop knowledge of their inner selves to realize their full potential as leaders. Astrology is an ancient way of knowing and making sense of the world and one’s place in it that provides benefits to many people in our modern world, despite fervent academic, religious, and scientific criticism. Astrology is more than a divination tool. It is an entire epistemology of self in relation to the cosmos that addresses the transcendent nature of human beings. In our increasingly uncertain world, millions of people are turning to astrology in search of greater self-knowledge and meaning for their lives. This exploratory study investigated (a) the use of astrological knowledge as a tool for promoting self-discovery, self-awareness, and self-development and (b) the extent to which this tool influences changes in an individual’s self. To date, no empirical studies have been conducted to explore astrology as a developmental tool, despite its prevalence in popular culture. The data in this study documents that astrology is a useful tool for self-discovery, understanding interpersonal relationships, understanding the subconscious, healing, meaning making, making sense of change, personal guidance, and personal development. The study leaves open questions about astrology’s predictive powers and concentrates, instead, on its developmental impact on practitioners. In short, it does not directly address the academic community’s criticism of astrology and the ultimately unanswerable question of whether astrological readings are factual or merely highly functional fictions for the research participants. While the demands of knowing one’s self are significant for exercising leadership effectively in contemporary contexts, the study of self and the ways in which individuals promote self-awareness have been minimally addressed in the leadership literature to date. This situation was the impetus for this study. The study utilized a constructivist grounded theory perspective and an interview-based methodology with both astrologers and their clients to explore the phenomenon of astrological practice as a tool for leader development.

This poster aimed to describe part of a doctoral dissertation research study that comprehensively investigated school psychologists’ record review practices. Record reviews are a crucial part of the psychoeducational evaluation process (i.e., RIOT method), and there is relatively little previous research literature on this topic. This poster describes the following results: when record reviews are conducted, the amount of time is spent on each part of the RIOT method for initial and reevaluations, and record review approaches. The survey was distributed to school psychologists across the United States via school psychology state associations and Facebook. Results were analyzed via measures of central tendency and dispersion, and revealed new insight into current record review processes of school psychologists in the United States. Specifically, results revealed testing is the most time-consuming piece of psychoeducational evaluations, followed by record reviews. Additionally, school psychologists in this sample reported that the record review is an ongoing process that involves sifting through records rather than utilizing a systematic tool. These results have implications for future research on record reviews, trainers of school psychologists, and practicing school psychologists.

This investigation employed meta-analysis techniques to examine the relationship between mental toughness and athletic performance. A total of 76 studies were systematically analyzed with 470 correlation coefficients (rxy) calculated to determine the mean effect. Fifty-five subject and study variables (age, gender, sport, psychometric instrument, and theoretical definition, etc.) were coded for each correlation to assess changes in the magnitude according to these key characteristics noted within the literature. Overall, the total average correlation produced a small effect size of rxy =.218. However, the effect size varied significantly depending on the definition, measurement, quality of the investigation, methodology, and intervention. Significant age, gender, and sport differences were also uncovered. Overwhelming evidence suggests mental toughness results in significantly greater self-referenced improvement than performance against a competitor. Training and the belief in training, or training-efficacy, is theorized to be the major mechanism underlying self-improvement producing greater mental toughness and cumulative athletic success.

Perhaps the most widely recognized personality assessment in the world, the MBTI has been implemented as a valuable predictive and diagnostic tool by innumerable businesses, coaches, psychologists, and interested individuals. However, recent research has shown that the MBTI is host to a variety of significant validity issues, and the test altogether fails to address any aspects of deviant personality. A review will draw attention to the consequential validity issues of the MBTI, its overlooking of deviant personality characteristics, and the repercussions of using such an unsound and exclusive personality test. The suitability of HEXACO as a viable alternative for the MBTI will demonstrate the capability of HEXACO in assessing deviant personality.

Police officers dedicate their careers to serving and protecting the communities they work in. Research is finding that the intensity of demands put on their mental health has turned suicide rates amongst police officers is at critical levels and has been declared by experts to be a ‘pandemic’ in the population (Wylie, 2020). There are very few researchers who broach police officers’ mental health. Social workers’ education and values make them uniquely qualified to engage in this study. The literature in policing supports that there are no assessments designed specifically for police and there are no known measures that provide a holistic measure of a police department’s mental status. Successful development of the police department wellness survey can bridge some of the gaps in officer mental wellness and provide much needed and valuable information for department administrators, researchers, and clinicians. The objective of this study is to develop and validate the foundational constructs of the police department wellness survey. The primary stages of survey development accomplished are to support the need with the literature review, integrate focus groups and cognitive interviews into the scales draft, initiate the pilot study and complete statistical analysis, utilize the result to plan the future steps, and scale refinement beyond this dissertation. Data is collected from a convenience sample of officers (N=327), and statistically analyzed and interpreted. Five domains are blueprinted and supported by literature and factorial analysis, (emotional impact, physical impact, spiritual impact, barriers to treatment, and currently utilized coping skills). This scale is made of 33 items and 45 variables. Two demographic items are asked. One multi-response question and six atheoretical questions required varied statistical review and are not included in the factor analysis. Total number of variables analyzed with factor analysis grouping is 23. Results of the analysis supply statistical support that this scale is reliable and valid. Additional analysis and refinement need to be completed in post-doctorate work before a complete survey can be dispersed for common use.

Male athletes are less likely than female athletes to seek out support services (Barnard, 2016) despite experiencing a myriad of clinical and subclinical concerns including depression (Davoren & Hwang, 2014; Wolanin et al., 2016), anxiety (Davoren & Hwang, 2014), eating disorders (Joy et al., 2016; Sundgot-Borgen & Torstveit, 2004), and substance use (NCAA, 2018). To combat the increasing rates of mental health concerns, support services are becoming more readily available for collegiate athletes (Moore, 2016). However, despite the recent effort in increasing athlete mental health support, many male athletes in particular remain reluctant to seek out such services (Barnard, 2016). Prior research has focused extensively on prevalence rates of mental health-related concerns and help-seeking barriers that prevent collegiate athletes from seeking out help (Gulliver et al., 2012; Yousaf et al., 2015), yet research remains nonexistent in exploring these areas in male collegiate athletes from a practitioner’s perspective. Thus, the present study expanded on previous research by examining the experiences of 10 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I practitioners working with male athletes and what strategies are most effective in making support services more accessible for them. A generic qualitative approach was employed and three major themes were identified: (a) presenting concerns, (b) influences to help-seeking, and (c) strategies to increase accessibility. The results of the study indicate that male collegiate athletes present with a number of mental health- and sport-related concerns, but are more likely to seek out support for sport-related concerns. Furthermore, several help-seeking influences, including barriers and facilitators, affect a male athletes’ willingness to seek out such services including stigma, coach and sport environment, cultural factors, lack of time and flexibility, and the source of referral. Strategies to address the aforementioned influences include destigmatization, coach training, practitioner diversity, service awareness and education, relationship building, and additional practitioners. Practical implications and recommendations for future research are also discussed.

Research has revealed that attire has an influence on one’s self-perceptions, self and socially prescribed adjective traits and behavior (Adam & Galinsky, 2012; Lubker et. al, 2008; Peluchette & Karl, 2007). The present study aims to explore the influence of attire on perceptions, attitudes, and experiences of SEPP (Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology) practitioners during their applied work. Specifically, these factors were investigated through various demographic lenses such as gender, experience level, and age in order to describe the population. SEPP graduate students (n = 49) and early career professionals (n = 82) were asked to participate in a questionnaire, based on previous research, that was created by the author for this specific study to assess the above variables. The study is exploratory and descriptive in nature. Results revealed that participants' view of their attire was important in influencing their self and social perceptions. Specifically, attire influenced how professional, confident, and approachable participants felt. Participants agreed that the way they look is important to them and that dressing like their clients and colleagues helps them fit in. Open-ended question responses revealed the implications of attire on the experiences of SEPP practitioners during their applied work.

The present study was designed to examine the relationship among religion, mental health, stressful life events, and people’s sense of meaning and purpose in life using data from the 2017 Baylor Religion Survey (BRS), a publicly available dataset. This survey obtained data from a nationwide study of 1,501 United States adults, 1,402 of whom are included in the current analyses. The first three hypotheses of this study were that (1) religion is positively associated with meaning to an individual’s life, that (2) meaning is positively associated with mental health, and that (3) stress is negatively associated with mental health. Finally, the central hypothesis of this study was that (4) meaning moderates the relationship between stress and mental health. The results of the study found modest support for the first three hypotheses, but do not confirm the primary hypothesis of this study. However, interestingly, analysis of the data showed that stress is positively associated with mental health, consistent with a view distinguishing distress from eustress.

Background: Concussion disclosure is a heavily researched topic, and while previous literature has explored predictors of concussion disclosure in numerous populations, research within the active duty Soldier population is limited. This study further explored predictors of concussion disclosure to a medical professional or leadership in the active duty Solider population through the lens of the Theory of Planned Behavior. Methods: A cross-sectional electronic survey was distributed to 181 active duty Soldiers. Descriptive statistics were used to report frequency of high intention to disclose concussive symptoms among demographics, and a multivariate regression model was used to assess significant predictors of intention to disclose concussive symptoms. Results: High intention to disclose concussions to a medical professional was reported by 76% of Soldiers, and 71% reported a high intention to disclose concussions to their leadership. Significant predictors of intention to disclose to a medical professional were history of concussion (p = .040), attitudes (p = .003), perceived norms (p =

Combat sports, such as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, require intense physical, mental, and emotional tasking within its training. With the degree of difficulty ingrained within the sport, as well as the performance-focused climate that this sport may be practiced within, many participants that once were intrigued by the sport may lose this interest and enjoyment if their goals are not met. This leads to much interest into what factors drive the motivation of those that continue to participate within Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The purpose of this study is to develop a motivational profile of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu players. 216 participants from 25 varying in level of participation and years of experience within Brazilian Jiu Jitsu completed a survey to assess the factors that most influenced their Brazilian Jiu Jitsu participation. Data analyses found that participants valued the motivators of interest/enjoyment, competence, and fitness relatively higher than the motivators of social and appearance. Data analyses also found that that there is a significant effect of competence on years of experience and level of participation. Findings from this study could aid coaches, sport clinicians, and sport psychologists in working with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu players by focusing their training on the motivators that are most appealing to the player.

ABSTRACT Climate change, overconsumption, air, and water pollution continue to be pressing issues for society. Given the significant impact of overconsumption, the search for strategies to promote more sustainable behavior has become a topic for investigation. Universities are uniquely positioned to help students work toward sustainable solutions. This research explored the role of mindfulness in university students' sustainable consumption awareness and practice as there are gaps in the literature concerning definitions, constructs, and research regarding mindfulness and sustainable consumption. To address these disparities, this research used stepwise regression analysis to investigate the extent to which mindfulness and select demographic measures explained variation in sustainable awareness and consumption practices among 809 university students at a university located in the southeastern United States. The 15-item Mindful Attention and Awareness Scale was used together with measures of sustainable consumption awareness and practice. In addition, this study examined the extent to which meditation operated as either a moderating or mediating variable in the relationship between mindfulness and sustainable consumption awareness and practice. Taken together, results revealed that demographic variables and mindfulness explained more variation in sustainable consumption awareness than in sustainable consumption practices. Although mindfulness was a positive predictor of both, the findings surrounding religion and religiosity were surprising. The most significant positive predictors of sustainable consumption awareness were associated with individuals identifying as atheists or agnostic. Contrary to expected findings, these results cast a new light on the role of religion or lack thereof in sustainable consumption. In addition, undergraduates who did not meditate were less aware of the need for sustainable consumption. Finally, the Sobel test revealed that meditation operated neither as a moderating or mediating factor for sustainable consumption awareness; however, meditation did have a moderating impact between mindfulness and sustainable consumption practice. The findings offer insight into the attitude-behavior gaps prevalent in sustainable consumption practice, resulting in inaction, further compounding environmental issues. The study prompts a rethinking of the role of institutions of higher education regarding sustainability and the role that organized religion may play in developing the attitudes of undergraduates.

The assessment of model fit in latent trait modelling, better known as item response theory (IRT), is an integral part of model testing if one is to make valid inferences about the estimated parameters and their properties based on the selected IRT model. Though important, the assessment of model fit has been less utilized in IRT research than it should. For example, there have been less research investigating fit for polytomous dominance models such the Graded Response Model (GRM), and to a lesser extent ideal point models such as the Generalized Graded Unfolding Models (GGUM), both in its dichotomous and polytomous forms. For such reasons, examining fit for the GGUM is paramount and should be investigated thoroughly. The current study tests for different fit indices when calibrating the GGUM model to generated data from different IRT models. The tested outcomes consist of type I error and power rates across 100 replications for selected number of items and sample sizes with respect to different model fit indices utilized in previous IRT literature. Results from the simulation study show that relative fit indices performed well in identifying the correct dichotomous data model (i.e., GGUM) when the delta ranges are extended beyond the specified distribution ranges for the dominance models. Also, polytomous GGUM data were identified as the best fitting model in almost all the cases, irrespective of the number of items and sample size. On the other hand, the majority of absolute fit indices did not perform well in identifying fit/misfit. Advisor: Ralph De Ayala

The aim of this study was to help men convicted of child sexual offenses learn to recognize and engage their character strengths over 12 months. Participants were six men convicted of contact and noncontact (internet) child sexual offenses. All participants were members of a community-based reintegration group for registered citizens. In the first weeks of the study, participants received the Values in Action Inventory of Strengths survey. The survey, containing 240 questions—10 items for each of the 24 character strengths outlined—helped participants identify their top character strengths. The study explored (a) how the men could use their character strengths to address their unique needs and barriers to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and (b) how the daily use of their top five strengths informed their attitudes toward themselves and their sexual offending behavior. To accomplish this, several methods of data collection were used, including in-depth, semistructured interviews, art (mask-making), journal writing, observations, and audio recordings. The data underwent thematic analysis to determine participants’ perceptions and experiences. Factors leading to unhealthy lifestyles, barriers to healthy living, ways to overcome barriers, and effects of the strengths approach are discussed. Although further research is needed, results indicate that by identifying and using their character strengths, participants demonstrated improvement in self-awareness and accountability. An emerging model, the Hope-based strengths approach, illustrates how this character strengths approach can help men convicted of child sexual offenses address the needs and barriers related to their offense behavior and facilitate personal accountability for themselves and their crimes.

The purpose of this thesis is to assess and address the prevalence of mental health issues among incarcerated individuals in America. There are multiple internal and external contributing factors to the disproportionately high numbers of mentally ill inmates. Comparing the United States prison system with other countries such as Norway allows for possible paths to improving the mental health crisis that we are currently experiencing. This thesis looks at the principles and practices used in Norway's prisons as well as how they affect inmate's mental health. By comparing Norway's prison policies and design, this thesis will suggest changes in staff training, prison architecture and design, treatment of inmates, and financial spending in America's system. These changes will benefit overall inmate mental health and long-term spending.

The relationship between language and cognition is an area of inquiry among many psychologists (Pellicano, 2010; Russel, 1996). The connection between thoughts, verbal language, and nonverbal communication turned researchers towards the relationship between language and executive functioning. Executive functioning (EF) is described as tasks involving working memory, inhibition, and set shifting (Miyake and Friedman (2012)). Despite studies demonstrating the correlation between language deficits and lower executive functioning there is not consensus on the directionality of the relationship (Kuhn, et al 2014; Boting et al., 2017). Data from the Leiter International Performance Scale, Third Edition (Leiter-3) (Roid, et al., 2013) were used to compare participants with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and participants who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing, with the normative sample using hierarchical regression. Scores on four subtests (Figure Ground, Form Completion, Attention Divided, and the Stroop Test) focus on inhibition, set shifting, or both working memory and set shifting. ADHD and Hard of Hearing/Deaf groups have additional barriers on cognitive tasks due to lowered executive functioning or language ability, when compared to peers in the normative group. The nonverbal nature of the Leiter-3 removes the language barrier and highlights differences in EF abilities between groups independent of hearing and spoken language. Participants in the ADHD group should score lower on EF tasks than participants in the normative groups and lower than the deaf/hard of hearing group due to benefits from the mitigation of language requirements on the tasks required for these scales. Language is linked with working memory (Baddeley & Hitch, 1994) and therefore set shifting and language are also linked via executive functioning (Hooper et al., 2002). Preliminary analysis of variance between groups indicated significant differences between means for Figure Ground and Form Completion but not for Attention Divided or the Stroop Test. Hierarchical regression clarified several demographic factors which influenced the variance between groups. Age had significant impact, whereas primary diagnosis contributed no more than 5.1% to the overall variance. The small differences among diagnoses speaks to the validity of the Leiter-3; it provides results largely altered by impairment in hearing or executive functioning.

With a vastly growing diverse population, the current focus on diversity-informed assessment has led to research on whether established instruments are reliable to utilize with specific populations. The American Indian/Alaska Native population (AI/AN) is often a group that is underrepresented in various assessments. The BASC-3 is an important assessment in psychoeducational evaluations thus, the goal of the study is to determine whether the BASC-3 is a culturally reliable assessment to use with AI/AN in educational setting. Utilizing the computer program Cocron we compared Cronbach alpha levels across three groups (Native Americans, White, manualized clinical sample) and conducted t-test to compare raw score mean differences between AI/AN and the White comparative group, as well as between AI/AN and the manualized normative sample. Significant differences in reliability occurred in single scales between the White comparative sample and the manualized normative sample, and between the AI/AN group and the comparative group. Most significantly there were raw score mean differences across multiple scales between the AI/AN group and the normative sample. Overall, results suggested the BASC-3 may not be able to accurately assess the AI/AN population. Future research would benefit from a larger sample size of AI/AN participants in order to determine appropriate norms for this population.

Anterior cruciate ligament injuries are among the most common and traumatic sport-related injuries, and often negatively impact one’s quality of life during and post-rehabilitation. For many NCAA Division I and professional female athletes, rehabilitation is streamlined with a multidisciplinary team, including sport psychology. For others (e.g., NAIA, NCAA Division II, III athletes) this may not always be the case, as many of these athletic programs may not have the resources to meet the various needs of injured and rehabilitating female student-athletes. In these instances, rehabilitation motivation, adherence, and success may be more dependent on the athletes’ individual resources and personalities, as compared to their Division I and professional counterparts. With so many more women athletes competing at this level across the U.S., a better understanding of ACL injury rehabilitation and return to sport with limited resources is warranted. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine what factors related to motivation and self-efficacy contribute to a successful rehabilitation for NAIA and NCAA Division II and III female athletes following ACL reconstruction. Qualitative interviews were used to investigate personal factors, as well as cultural and social elements that impact adherence to rehabilitation protocols and ultimately, recovery.

Rates of mental illness among incarcerated individuals in the United States are high and have been well documented. Correctional officers are on the front line of identifying symptoms and alerting mental health professionals to problems as they arise. Correctional officers often lack an understating of mental illness, feel ill-equipped to manage mental health crises, and experience high levels of job-related stress. The objective of this study was to better understand the relationship between correctional officers’ emotional intelligence and opinions about mental illness, and to identify if burnout moderated the relationship between the variables. Additionally, the study sought to understand the relationship between mental health training and emotional intelligence, and to identify if mental health training moderated the relationship between emotional intelligence and opinions about mental illness. One hundred and five correctional officers completed a survey containing the Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test, Opinions About Mental Illness Scale, Copenhagen Burnout Inventory, and a demographic questionnaire. Results of the study found that OMI does not significantly predict SSEIT. When accounting for OMI, CBI independently predicts SSEIT, indicating that as burnout increases, levels of emotional intelligence also increase. Burnout was not found to moderate the relationship between OMI and SSEIT. Further analyses indicated that mental health training does not significantly predict SSEIT, and that mental health training does not moderate the relationship between OMI and SSEIT. The results of this study have implications for understanding correctional officer experiences and providing them with resources to effectively work with inmates who suffer from mental illness.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore differences in presentation of posttraumatic distress (PTD) that may represent different phenotypes, such as a possible cognitively-driven variant, in addition to those rooted in the prevailing conditioned-fear model. In conjunction, links to substance misuse and a purposeful selection bias for specific drugs-of-choice (DoC) based on phenotype variation were examined. Method: A convenience sample of inpatients in residential treatment for substance misuse who also endorsed posttraumatic distress following at least one previous traumatic experience (N = 177) completed self-report assessments and an in-person direct inquiry. Results: Hierarchical cluster analysis and ANOVA results partially supported our hypotheses and provided some evidence of a cognitive-focused phenotype, as well as a possible image/adrenergic-based phenotype. Subsequently, multinomial logistic regression determined that the hypothesized phenotypes were significantly linked to DoC selection, specifically (a) cognitive-focused phenotype predicted primary alcohol/benzodiazepine use (b) image/adrenergic-based phenotype predicted cannabinoid/opiate use, and (c) a traditional “mixed” PTD presentation predicted polysubstance use. Conclusions: Findings from this exploratory study offer additional validation to calls for continued examination of varying phenotypes, as well as a cognitively-driven model, of PTD additional to those based in conditioned-fear. Additionally, evidence was shown for a purpose-driven theory of substance misuse, hallmarked by an underlying maladaptive drive to select a DoC with the capacity to alleviate specific symptomatology (e.g., heavy alcohol use to alleviate excessive rumination and sleep disturbance).

Loneliness is on the rise within the United States, particularly within younger adults ages 18-37 (Bruce et al 2019). Although much is known about the negative dimensions of loneliness, and some about protective factors to help ease loneliness, the potential impact of religious and spiritual beliefs and behaviors on loneliness remains largely unexplored. This study focused on the relationship between a committed religious faith and perceived feelings of loneliness among university students. Participants include 1,182 undergraduate students from George Fox University who participated in the National College Health Assessment (NCHA). Religious commitment was evaluated using a supplemental 6-item self-report measure added to the NCHA questionnaire. Loneliness was assessed using the single item from NCHA. Data were analyzed using stepwise linear multiple regression analysis to determine which predictor variables are associated with loneliness. Regression analysis indicated that those who endorsed “they strive to change their behaviors, thoughts, attitudes, and desires when I become aware they are contrary to biblical principles,” proved to be a statistically significant predictor of less loneliness. Also, females indicated feeling less lonely compared to their male counterparts and white students identified as feeling less lonely than non-white students. These data are consistent with prior research and provide support for the view that attachment to God may ameliorate loneliness.

School psychologists and school counselors are increasingly playing an essential role in the provision of school-based mental health services (SBMHS). This is especially true in California. Unfortunately, there are a few studies that have examined how California school psychologists and school counselors perceive their training to provide SBMHS, how they perceive their role in providing these services, and what they regard as their needs for professional development. The purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which California school psychologists and school counselors believe that their formal pre-service education and later in-service professional experiences have prepared them to provide SBMHS. This study also examines the extent that California school psychologists and school counselors feel prepared to deliver various SBMHS. An online survey was created to answer the study’s research questions, which is in the form of a descriptive survey design. A questionnaire was created and altered appropriately for the two groups of professionals. An overall sample size of 156 was obtained. Overall, the findings suggest that the California school psychologists and school counselors in this study agree that their formal pre-service education, except for their undergraduate program, prepared them to provide SBMHS. Also, participants strongly agree that both workshops/trainings and in-service professional experiences prepared them to provide SBMHS. There were no significant differences between the two groups’ responses regarding pre-service education or later in-service professional experiences. However, there were significant differences between the two groups’ responses to questions regarding developing and implementing behavior intervention plans (BIPs), providing behavior interventions, and conducting social-emotional/behavioral assessments and interpreting results. In each of these cases, school psychologists expressed feeling more prepared than school counselors to provide these services. Most participants expressed a need to receive more training in the form of workshops or other professional development to support them in their positions for the provision of SBMHS. As we continue to see a rise in schools becoming the primary location for mental health services for children and adolescents, school psychologists and school counselors should continue to receive ongoing training to support them in their roles as SBMHS providers.

The aim of this study was to explore the lived experiences of spirituality for National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I (DI) student-athletes who also identified as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). Using an existential phenomenological approach (Thomas & Pollio, 2002), nine interviews were conducted with four self-identified female and five self-identified male members of the LDS Church who were current NCAA DI athletes at the time of the study; they participated in four different DI sports (cross-country/track and field, football, soccer, and volleyball) and attended five different DI institutions. Their mean age was 22 years. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and lasted an average of 43 minutes. Thematic analysis (Lincoln & Guba, 1985; Sohn, Thomas, Greenberg, & Pollio, 2017) constructed from the nine interviews consisted of four major themes—and subthemes—related to participants’ experiences of spirituality as LDS NCAA DI student-athletes. All themes represent the student-athletes’ embodied LDS NCAA DI identity and included: LDS Identity; Balance Between LDS Identity and Athletic Identity; LDS Identity During Times of Crises; and LDS Identity in Relationships. The most significant aspects of these LDS NCAA DI student-athletes’ lived experiences of spirituality were: (a) the use of LDS embodied spirituality when times get tough, (b) LDS embodied spirituality was greatly influenced by relationships, (c) LDS embodied spirituality was not always enough in terms of support throughout student-athletes’ collegiate careers, (d) a holistic care team could be useful in terms of support for LDS student-athletes’ mental training and mental health, and (e) LDS NCAA DI student-athletes who are also returned missionaries of the LDS Church utilized their 18-month to 2-year mission experience within their collegiate experience as student-athletes. Practical recommendations have also been constructed related to the role that support staff (e.g., sport psychology consultants, LDS bishops/leaders, psychologists, coaches, parents, etc.) can play in helping LDS student-athletes include spiritual elements throughout their collegiate careers. Keywords: sport psychology, LDS, religion, spirituality

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is an original song cycle for soprano and baritone voices with Pierrot ensemble (flute/piccolo, B-flat clarinet/bass clarinet, violin, cello, piano, and percussion), utilizing poetry taken from Autumn Slaughter’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders-Poetry. Of Slaughter’s poetic interpretation of 35 of the diagnoses within the psychiatric manual (the DSM-5), eleven poems/diagnoses are used for this musical work. This document is an analysis of the theoretical constructs of each movement and the musical representation of the poem and diagnosis. Advisor: Tyler G. White

Purpose: To identify barriers and facilitators to opioid use treatment and recovery services among pregnant and nonpregnant women who misuse opioids. Background: Over 130 Americans die daily after overdosing on opioids. Women have not been immune from opioid use disorders (OUDs), with a 4-fold increase from 1999-2010. The prevalence of opioid use among pregnant women increased from 1.5 per 1,000 hospital deliveries to 6.5. Although the annual National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) has provided information on risk factors for OUD related to socioeconomic and demographic factors, no studies using this data have identified barriers to opioid use treatment among pregnant and nonpregnant women. Specific aims: (1) describe demographic characteristics (age, race/ethnicity, education, marital status, health insurance, employment, income, geographic location, and treatment setting), clinical characteristics (health status, mental health status, and substance use), and opioid use treatment and recovery services among pregnant and nonpregnant women who misuse opioids, (2) examine the relationships among demographic characteristics, clinical characteristics, perceived need for treatment, and facilitators/barriers to opioid use treatment and recovery services among pregnant and nonpregnant women who misuse opioids, (3) identify factors associated with increased odds of opioid use treatment among pregnant women who misuse opioids. Method: A cross-sectional correlational study using 2016 to 2018 NSDUH data. Sample included 122 pregnant and 3305 nonpregnant women who misused opioids. Descriptive statistics and bivariate analysis examined the variables between the groups of women. Results:The sample (n=3427) women who misused opioids, 67.3% were 18-25 years old and 64.8% were non-Hispanic white. Both groups worked full time (36%), earned between $20,000 and $49,000 per year (34%), and never married (66.5%). Significant associations were noted among; age (χ2=25.406, p= Implications: Study findings indicate 3.3% of pregnant women and 1.8% of nonpregnant women who misuse opioids perceive they have a need to obtain treatment. Further research is necessary to explore the construct of perceived need in this population, as well as, strategies to increase engagement.

A phenomenological overview showed the current understanding and conceptualization held by biracial and bi-ethnic individuals of their racial identity development. While the literature on biracial identity development recently expanded, there is little research done on the various coping mechanisms and mindsets used to create a solidified sense of racial identity in biracial and bi-ethnic individuals. Additionally, there is no research investigating Christianity’s influence on biracial identity development. Such research could bring greater understanding to the various ways double racial consciousness has impacted the lives of multicultural individuals. Furthermore, investigations have brought greater understanding of the different identity resolutions individuals have made amid racial ambiguity, the factors that helped encapsulate their identity formation, and how the Christian faith impacted this process. For the further investigation of this topic, bi-ethnic and biracial individuals between the ages of 18-28 were interviewed. The qualitative data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed for potential patterns to contribute to existing literature. Research yielded ten influential factors that included phenotypical appearance, societal designation of identity, racial profiling and discrimination, peer influence, familial integration, language, media, dating, international schooling, and Christianity.

Smartphones are a ubiquitous part of daily life for most Americans. They offer an abundance of information, connectivity, and entertainment. Previous research suggests that smartphones are also responsible for cognitive costs in educational, public, private and professional settings when in use or audibly creating stimuli in the environment. Smartphones are also linked to an automatic attenuation of cognitive resources even when not in use and merely salient (Ward, Duke, Gneezy and Bos; Journal of the Association for Consumer Research; 2, 141, 154, 2017). The purpose of the present study was to experimentally test the effect of cell phone salience (present or absent) on cognitive performance and a physiological measure of stress. Participants were randomly assigned to a group that had their phone present (in front of them) or absent (in another room) Participants completed two separate tasks aimed to measure the cognitive resources (working memory capacity and fluid intelligence) while having their heart rate monitored. Results indicated that that cell phone presence inhibited performance and increased heart rate relative to phone absence. Results support interpretations that cell phone salience reduces cognitive performance and increases physiological measures associated with stress.

Based on the three-factor hierarchical model of competitive anxiety (Jones, Mullen, & Hardy, 2019), the present study explored the relationship between competitive anxiety and performance among a sample of adolescent figure skaters. Participants included 47 figure skating athletes between the ages of 13 – 17 who were participating in a United States Figure Skating Association (USFSA) sanctioned test session. Analyses revealed that the three higher order factors of the Three Factor Anxiety Inventory (TFAI; Jones et al., 2019) along with years of testing experience, test attempt number and months training for a test were not related and therefore were unable to predict figure skaters’ objective performance scores. Recommendations are provided for the future use of the TFAI with adolescent and child populations.