On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) a public health emergency of international concern. In March 2020, the United States government imposed impactful safety and confinement measures issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) all over the country to prevent community transmission of COVID-19. Institutions of higher education rapidly transitioned to online learning and eliminated in-person engagements in the spring of 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) followed a similar trajectory by shutting down all athletic activities due to the global pandemic. While college students in general notably experienced increased pandemic related distress and mental health concerns (e.g., depression, anxiety) during the early stages of the global pandemic, the disruption of collegiate sport competitions and seasons uniquely and significantly impacted collegiate student athletes and their overall well-being. In this qualitative study, I sought to document and understand the narrative of Black student athletes' experiences of stress and coping during the first two months of the COVID-19 global pandemic and cancellation of collegiate sports. Through reflexive thematic analysis, I found that psychosocial resources such as avoidance, acceptance, mindful self-compassion, health …

Emotion dysregulation and rumination are involved in the development, maintenance, and treatment of both posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and sleep disturbances. We examined if and how these factors influenced the nature of the relationship between PTSD symptom severity and subjective sleep disturbances among trauma-exposed individuals. Using data gathered from a community sample of 199 trauma-exposed individuals (Mean age = 35.48; 59.80% female), we examined whether there were stronger significant associations between greater PTSD symptom severity and poorer sleep quality/lower sleep quantity at higher (vs. lower) levels of (1) negative emotion dysregulation and positive emotion dysregulation (both included in the same model) and (2) rumination. Participants recruited via Amazon's Mechanical Turk completed the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, Brief Version of the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale – Positive, Ruminative Thought Style Questionnaire, and sleep quality/quantity items from the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Results of simple and additive multiple moderation analyses showed that neither negative/positive emotion dysregulation nor rumination moderated the relationships between PTSD symptom severity and sleep quality/quantity. Exploratory analyses showed that negative emotion dysregulation (when examined independently) moderated the relationship between PTSD symptom severity and sleep quality. There were also significant associations between poorer sleep …

Guided by the framework of bicultural identity integration (BII), a conceptual model depicting the direct and indirect effects of BII, cognitive flexibility, affect regulation, and coping on psychological wellbeing indicators (i.e., life satisfaction, depression) of adult children of immigrants (ACI) in the U.S. was developed. It was hypothesized that greater BII would contribute to greater cognitive flexibility and affect regulation, which would be associated with more utilization of adaptive coping strategies and greater psychological wellbeing. A total of 240 young ACI from across the U.S. completed the online research questionnaire that measured all variables of interest. Results from structural equation modeling analyses showed adequate model fit with the data. Findings provided support to the indirect effects of BII factors on wellbeing through affect regulation, however, the indirect effect paths are more complicated than what were hypothesized originally. Specifically, higher levels of identity harmony and identity blendedness contributed to more difficulties in emotion regulation, and subsequently, poorer wellbeing. Additionally, both cultural identity harmony and identity blendedness contributed to greater levels of cultural and relational maintenance strategies (i.e., avoidance, forbearance) in the context of intergenerational conflict through affect regulation, but not through cognitive flexibility. Notably, the latent variable of cultural coping strategies …

Having a secure attachment to God may act as a buffer against stress. Secure attachment to God has been positively associated with adaptive outcomes following stress, such as higher levels of stress-related growth and fewer maladaptive symptoms including depression, prolonged grief, and traumatic distress. However, relatively few studies have empirically tested the relationship between attachment to God and resilience and posttraumatic growth. Thus, the current study explored the potential associations and pathways through which attachment to God is associated with resilience and posttraumatic growth in a sample of 303 suddenly and/or traumatically bereaved individuals. The current study found that (a) God attachment avoidance is a unique negative predictor of resilience and posttraumatic growth even when controlling for adult attachment, (b) self-compassion and meaning-making mediate the association between God attachment anxiety and resilience/posttraumatic growth, (c) secure attachment to God is associated with higher levels of resilience than insecure attachment styles, but not with posttraumatic growth, and (d) an increased number of secondary losses is associated with lower levels of resilience. I conclude by discussing my findings in light of the extant literature on attachment to God, resilience, and posttraumatic growth. By better understanding attachment to God and how it may relate …

The minority stress model provides context to understand the mechanisms by which prejudicial experiences contribute to the disproportionate prevalence of adverse physical and mental health outcomes among LGBT people. The transactional model of stress and coping explains the appraisal processes through which people identify stigma-related stimuli as threatening and how they assess available coping resources to counteract these threats. The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) were used in this study to measure resilience and stress in a sample of 99 lesbian and gay older adults. Women reported statistically significantly higher levels of resilience and lower levels of perceived stress compared to older gay men. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) revealed statistically significant main effects for gender (Cohen's d = .51; ηp2 = .056; F(1,98) = 5.488, p = .021) while controlling for perceived stress (Cohen's d = 1.62; ηp2 = .375; F(1,98) = 55.840, p < .001). An interaction effect between gender and perceived stress was also statistically significant (Cohen's d = .72; ηp2 = .115; F(1,98) = 12.40, p < .001) indicating that the negative relationship between stress and resilience is stronger for older gay men. Clinical implications and relevance to future research are …

Female collegiate athletes have been identified as a group at risk of developing eating disorders (EDs) and unhealthy weight control behaviors. Interventions grounded in cognitive dissonance theory and those that incorporate mindfulness-based interventions have shown improved body image and reductions in internalization and ED symptomatology over time in female non-athletes. However, few studies have examined the efficacy of intervention programs among female athletes, and, despite early promising results, previous research has been limited in several ways (e.g., methodology, small sample size). The purpose of this study was to conduct a long-term (i.e., three years) qualitative follow-up evaluation of Bodies in Motion (BIM), an ED prevention program developed specifically to acknowledge the unique experience and needs of female athletes with respect to their bodies as women and athletes. Results indicate that, similar to their initial experiences, now-retired athletes reported increased awareness of sport and societal messages and their impact on body image, shifted perspectives in their view of themselves and their bodies, and ongoing use of skills to manage body image in their lives. Further, with the passage of time, athletes continued to report a positive experience in the program and the utility of Bodies in Motion as they navigated challenging …

Two important developments are addressed by this dissertation. First, the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles-Simplified Version (PICTS-SV) was examined in relation to the original PICTS. Second, the vulnerability of the PICTS-SV to intentional risk minimization (RM) was tested. Two separate studies recruited a total of 150 offenders from a court-mandated residential substance use treatment facility. As expected, Study I established the PICTS-SV's good concurrent validity with the PICTS, especially at the broad composite scale level. For Study II, criminal thinking failed to show the anticipated convergence with HCR-20 risk classifications or forensic correlates. Potential explanations, including a restricted range of risk levels in this sample, are discussed. As a particular strength, the findings highlight that the PICTS-SV, in contrast to many risk measures, displays robust resistance to RM distortion, although revisions to its Df-r validity scale are warranted. These results overall demonstrate strong evidence of the PICTS-SV's utility for assessing a dynamic criminogenic need to inform effective interventions and accurate risk determinations.

Alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes are a major preventable cause of death in the United States. One potential factor that may modulate the influence of alcohol intoxication on driving-related decision-making is posttraumatic stress. The current study evaluated the influence of induction of acute trauma-related stress (via script-driven imagery) during alcohol intoxication (.06% BrAC) on driving-related risky decision-making – willingness to drive, driving-related decision-making (i.e., attempted red light runs), and driving-related reaction time (i.e., braking latency) – among 56 trauma-exposed (currently symptomatic) adult drinkers from the community (M = 25.32; 46.4% female). Results indicated that trauma-related stress may exacerbate willingness to drive during a state of acute alcohol intoxication, but, alternatively, may have only a minimal-to-moderate effect on performance-based, driving-related decision-making (i.e., red light runs), and a potentially mitigating impact on driving-related reaction time (i.e., braking latency) under the influence of alcohol. Generally, results suggest that trauma-related stress may differentially impact varying aspects of driving-related risky decision-making, above and beyond the influence of alcohol. Implications for theoretical modeling for driving-related decision-making during acute intoxication and for the advancement of education and intervention efforts, as well as suggestions for future directions, including methodological and procedural improvements, are discussed.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of low attributional complexity, intolerance, optimism, and experiential avoidance (EA) on psychological distress (stress, anxiety, and depression); specifically, the mediating role of EA in these relationships was examined. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was utilized to test the hypothesized model. The overall model accounted for 62% of the variance in psychological distress. The direct negative effect of intolerance on psychological distress and the mediator effect of EA on the relationship between optimism and psychological distress were found. These results and their implications, along with study limitations and future directions are discussed.

Research suggests that non-medical prescription drug (NMPD) use is becoming increasingly prevalent, particularly among adolescents. A critical step towards developing effective intervention efforts requires identifying adolescents who are at risk for NMPD use. An extensive literature suggests that both adolescents and adults with elevated anxiety sensitivity (AS) are at greater risk for problematic substance use, and a small body of work has identified similar links with NMPD use specifically among adults. However, most of this literature combines all prescription drugs into a single category, and no work has evaluated the relation between AS and NMPD use among adolescents. The current study endeavors to further this area of research by examining the relation between AS (overall and subscales) and NMPD use among adolescents. The project evaluated 276 adolescents (age 9-19 years) enrolled in a residential treatment program on level of AS, including sub-dimensions (i.e., cognitive, physical, and social), and NMPD use across three categories of drugs: analgesic (e.g., Vicodin®), anxiolytic (e.g., Xanax®), and stimulant (e.g., Adderall®). A series of logistic regression models indicated that overall AS predicted nonmedical analgesic use, but not anxiolytic/sedative or stimulant use. A closer investigation of the AS subscales demonstrated that only the AS social subscale significantly …

The purpose of the study was to examine whether athletic participation as a child and/or adolescent acts as a protective factor for youth who endure childhood maltreatment. After screening for childhood maltreatment, our 269 participants were separated into either an athlete group or a non-athlete group and compared using two one-way multivariate analyses of covariance (MANCOVA). Emotional neglect served as the covariate due to non-athletes' significantly higher emotional neglect scores than athletes. The first MANCOVA compared athletes and non-athletes on positive outcomes, which included measures of post-traumatic growth, three adaptive coping strategies, and self-compassion. In the second MANCOVA, we assessed for differences between athletes and non-athletes on negative outcomes, which included measures of traumatic, depressive, and anxious symptomology and a maladaptive coping strategy. Neither MANCOVA reached significance, rejecting our hypothesis that athletes would be more resilient than non-athletes to the negative impact of childhood maltreatment. Discussion considers possible reasons for the lack of significance, such as the recency of athletic participation or the specific type of maltreatment experienced, as well as limitations and directions for future research.

South Asians are the third fastest growing racial/ethnic minority group in the United States with distinct cultural characteristics. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disproportionately impacted racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S, including South Asians, across several life domains: work, home life/education, social activities, economic, emotional and physical health, infection, quarantine, and positive changes. The COVID-19 pandemic may have critically impacted South Asians with traumatic event experiences and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity across several life domains. Limited work suggests high rates of interpersonal traumas and substantial PTSD symptom severity in the South Asian community. Uniquely, the current study examined which life domains impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic associated with a greater count of traumatic event types, interpersonal vs. non-interpersonal traumas, and PTSD symptom severity. Results revealed that negative experiences in social activities, as well as distress in economic, emotional, and physical health domains, were significantly associated with the count of traumatic event types. Negative social activity experiences, and distress in the economic and emotional health domains, were also significantly associated with PTSD symptom severity. Quarantine and physical health domains significantly associated with the count of interpersonal traumas, while COVID-19-related experiences (in social, quarantine, and infection domains) …

Research suggests that adult attachment is associated with various social roles, such as parenting, with insecure attachment patterns corresponding to lower levels of parenting competence. An increasing amount of research suggests that attachment patterns and social roles are interwoven with gender role beliefs. With family systems theory as an overarching framework, the current study extends the literature by examining dyadic associations between these variables in a sample of 61 cohabitating couples with at least one child under of the age of 18 in the home. Participants included opposite-sex and same-sex romantic partners who were recruited using online snowball sampling processes. The actor-partner interdependence model was used to assess the mutual influences between romantic partners in the parental dyads, specifically focusing on attachment patterns, parenting competence, and the moderating effect of individual gender role-beliefs and incongruence between the two partners' gender role beliefs in the co-parenting relationship. Results indicated both actor and partner attachment anxiety and avoidance were negatively correlated with parenting competence; gender roles beliefs moderated that association with egalitarian gender role beliefs buffering the negative effects of partners' high attachment avoidance or anxiety. Additionally, results indicated that gender role belief incongruence between partners also moderated the relationship between attachment …

The current study employed both a variable- and person-centered approach to analyze data taken from a large sample of U.S. adults (N = 602, 59% males). For the former, structural equation modeling was utilized to empirically articulate the links between the four facets of psychopathy (interpersonal, affective, lifestyle, antisocial) and the six facets of ethnocentrism. For the person-centered approach, descriptive discriminant analysis was used to assess for differences in psychopathic trait profiles between those elevated or low in ethnocentric attitudes. Consistent with expectations, the affective dimension positively predicted denigration of out-group members whereas the lifestyle domain negatively predicted all facets of ethnocentrism. Unexpectedly, the antisocial facet positively predicted group cohesion and devotion towards one's ethnic in-group. Additionally, those elevated in ethnocentrism had higher interpersonal and affective scores and lower lifestyle scores relative to those low in ethnocentric attitudes. Results are discussed in the context of risk assessment for hate-based violence and the overlap in the nomological network of psychopathy and prejudicial attitudes.

The current project used data from the Health & Retirement Study (HRS) 2016 wave and assesses the relationship between everyday racial/ethnic discrimination and risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The role of acculturation and social support on this relationship was also considered. The sample size consisted of 3,994 non-Hispanic White, 1,140 non-Hispanic Black, and 842 Hispanic older adults. The results suggest that non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic individuals endorse higher perceived everyday racial/ethnic discrimination (p < .001) in comparison to non-Hispanic White individuals. Additionally, non-Hispanic Black adults have higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings (p < .001) than non-Hispanic White and Hispanic adults. Support for the direct and moderating role of certain aspects of social support and acculturation on health outcomes/behaviors related to cardiovascular disease risk among non-Hispanic Black (R2 = .07, F(15, 415) = 2.06, p= .011) and Hispanic (R2 = .30, F(5, 34) = 2.97, p = .025) older adults, respectively, were found. The limitations and clinical implications of the study are further discussed.

Racial trauma is linked to issues such as psychological distress, lower well-being, anxiety, and depression. The present research investigated some of the potential effects of viewing overt instances of racially violent media on trauma and, in general, on the psychological well-being of individuals. Specifically, the present study utilized physiological and psychological measures to explore how different racial groups on college campuses are impacted by exposure to vicariously traumatizing stimuli when the victim is either an in-group or an out-group member. The present study posited that higher ethnic-racial identity can serve as a buffer to the deleterious effects of racial trauma. In addition, this study explored the role that ethnic-racial identity of the perceiver plays in this relationship. Findings indicate that Black students exhibited the greatest level of emotional arousal in response to both the neutral and negative video depicting a police officer. Black students were also more likely to watch or be exposed to vicarious, racially traumatizing content. Additionally, greater ethnic-racial salience was associated with increased physiological response to both neutral and negative, video content depicting police officers.

Time perception is a fundamental aspect of consciousness related to mental health. One cognitive state related to time perception is mind wandering (MW), defined as having thoughts unrelated to the current task. Little research has directly assessed the relationship between these two constructs, despite the overlap in clinical significance and the shared importance of attention for healthy functioning. In the present study, I addressed this by having a sample of 40 adults in the United States complete an online sustained attention to response task remotely while answering thought probes related to thought type and time perception. Multilevel modeling results indicated that cognitive factors were related to the judgements of passage of time (JOPOTs; the feeling that time is passing quickly or slowly) while they had little relation to the estimated duration or the accuracy of those estimations. Specifically, JOPOTs were related to attention to task and emotional valence, and the addition of MW, intentionality, and fixed/dynamic thoughts to the models explained additional variance. Duration estimations and JOPOTs were unrelated to each other, suggesting JOPOTs and duration estimations have different relationships to cognitive factors and should be studied as separate constructs. Additionally, results suggested that the heavy use of dichotomization in …

The purpose of this study was to investigate college student athletes' psychological health and well-being in the months immediately following graduation/retirement, which has been indicated as a critical time period. Participants consisted of collegiate athletes (N = 166; women = 138, men = 28; Mage = 21.84 years, SD = 0.86) who were surveyed at the end of their competitive seasons when they were graduating and retiring from their sports (Time 1) and 3 to 4 months later (Time 2). Athletes completed measures of readiness to graduate/retire, depression, body satisfaction, and satisfaction with life at Time 1; they completed the measures of psychological well-being at Time 2. Bivariate correlations revealed six dimensions of retirement readiness related to outcomes at Time 2: seeing self as more than an athlete, maintaining social support, neglecting other areas of life, achieving sport goals, utilizing sport career services and developing a new focus after retirement. Through a series of hierarchical regression analyses, one of reach psychological well-being outcome, I entered the Time 1 measure and gender in Step 1 and then the correlated dimensions for that outcome at Step 2. For body satisfaction, F(5, 160) = 27.281, p < .000, adj. R2 = .443, only …

Violence and aggression continue to be both public health and economic concerns. The field of violence prediction has undergone a series of changes in an attempt to best assess risk including using unstructured clinical judgment, actuarial measures, and structured professional judgment. Although prediction has become more accurate with improved measures, a new generation has recently emerged with an emphasis on understanding violence, as opposed to merely predicting it, to shift the focus towards violence prevention. In addition to the creation of measures, researchers have sought to identify specific risk factors for aggression and violence including static and dynamic risk factors. Despite research demonstrating associations between neuropsychological and social-cognitive factors, violence risk measures continue to omit these variables. The current study developed a multi-faceted, theoretical model of aggression including social-cognitive, neuropsychological, personality, and psychiatric factors. A community, male sample (N = 1,192) collected through Amazon's MTurk responded to a series of self-report measures and neuropsychological tasks. Utilizing structural equation modeling (SEM), I created a model predicting aggression. Several important paths were significant including from entity theory to aggression, mediated by hostile attribution bias, schizotypy to aggression, mediated by both hostile attribution bias and disinhibition, substance use to aggression mediated by disinhibition, …

This person-centered analytic approach identifies homogeneous offender subtypes in terms of psychopathic trait profiles and facilitates examination of correlates that may be linked with specific subtypes. Prosody is an external correlate that contains a wealth of information relevant to disruptions in cognition and affect and may offer novel insight into different psychopathic subtypes. The current study examined prosodic output in a male offender sample (n = 469) within the context of the clinical Psychopathy Checklist – Revised interview (PCL-R; Hare, 2003). Audio recorded speech samples were drawn from offender responses to affectively-charged PCL-R interview questions representing differing levels of valence and arousal. Generally consistent with previous literature, LPA results indicated that a four-class solution yielded the best model fit for the allocation of individual cases to subtypes with high overall classification accuracy (85%). Results of external validation analyses using mixed effects multivariate analysis of variance revealed significant two- and three-way interactions (psychopathy subtype x valence x arousal) for both speech production and variability indices that helped differentiate the subtypes. Overall, the current study suggests that meaningful differences exist in terms of prosodic output within psychopathic offender subtypes, which may be related to dysfunction in underlying affective processes. Implications of these …

In the current study, I examined the efficacy of mindful self-compassion, imagery, and goal-setting (i.e., treatment as usual) interventions on athletic identity, knee self-efficacy, subjective knee functioning, and perceived injustice, following ACL surgery. Twenty-nine adolescent and young adult athletes participated in the interventions and completed self-report measures assessing each of these constructs prior to their surgery and over seven weeks post-ACL surgery. HLM analyses demonstrated significant decreases in athletic identity and increases in subjective knee functioning from pre-surgery through seven weeks post-surgery. Intervention group further explained these decreases, though no one intervention clearly emerged as more or less beneficial. No significant changes were observed for athletes' ratings of knee self-efficacy or perceived injustice. Limitations and areas for future research are discussed.

Middle childhood is the least understood developmental period in the attachment literature, likely due to active reorganization of the attachment system during this stage. Coinciding with increased cognitive and socioemotional competencies, middle childhood attachment begins to transition from relationship-specific attachment to general attachment representations. While parents continue serving as the primary attachment figure used as a secure base and safe haven, noticeable shifts occur in terms of the need for availability over proximity to attachment figures and the child's involvement in maintaining the attachment relationship. Currently, there is no dominant conceptual or methodological approach for studying attachment in middle childhood. The present study sought to develop and validate an observational coding system examining middle childhood attachment using a dimensional approach. The Middle Childhood Behavioral Attachment Dimensions (MCBAD) system demonstrated mixed reliability and validity compared to other established attachment measures. Compared to traditional categorical attachment measures, this study provides evidence for the utility of an anxiety-avoidance dimensional attachment scale in childhood. Additionally, the MCBAD is the first observational system that examines both nonverbal and verbal attachment behaviors in an unstructured separation-reunion episode, and findings suggest a need for further examination of verbal attachment during this developmental stage.

The current study used a sample of service members and veterans to explore the association of combat exposure and perceptions of the family system using a moderated mediation model. Combat veterans over the age of 18 with a family of creation (N = 154) completed an online survey through which they were administered a background information questionnaire, the Combat Experiences subscale of the Deployment Risk and Resilience Inventory – 2, the Moral Injury Events Scale, the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, the Patient Health Questionnaire, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, the McMaster Family Assessment Device, and the Dyadic Adjustment Scale – Revised. Results of six moderated mediation analyses revealed that exposure to potentially morally injurious events (pMIEs) moderated the relationship between (1) combat exposure and couple relationship satisfaction and (2) combat exposure and family functioning, both via PTSS, anxious symptoms, and depressive symptoms. To our knowledge, the empirical models presented in this paper are the first to model the role of pMIEs in SMV literature, and provide a foundation for other models to emerge moving forward. Implications and limitations are discussed.

Research examining how these athletes, specifically football players, are racially mistreated in revenue sports in Power Five conferences, as well as the effect of this mistreatment on their health and well-being, has been sparse. Thus, the purpose of my study was to examine current Black male college football players' experiences of racial mistreatment within their lives in general, and their collegiate sport experiences in particular, and to learn how these experiences have affected their health and well-being across their academic, athletic, and social spheres of functioning. Through reflexive thematic analysis, I gathered that (a) the athletes believed that football defines and limits them, (b) they felt misunderstood and isolated on campus, (b) they were dehumanized and criminalized, and (d) they were physically and psychologically exhausted from chronic racial mistreatment. Despite the NCAA making positive strides toward addressing mental health concerns within collegiate athletics, there remains a clear need for more support and nourishment regarding the mental health of Black male college athletes, particularly football players. Further results and implications are discussed.