This study was conducted as part of a parent grantwhich examined the relationship between components of sleep and antibody responses to the flu vaccine in a population of 392 nurses working at two large hospitals. During/after sleep data was collected, nurses had blood drawn at four time points: immediately pre-vaccination, 1-, 6-, and 11-months post vaccine to obtain serum for detection of anti-influenza antibodies measured with an HI (hemagglutination inhibition) assay. Additionally, the inflammatory biomarkers IL6, IL1-β, TNF-α and CRP were measured at the pre-vaccine time point only to determine any correlation between the markers and antibody response. Data was analyzed using a hierarchical regression. In the first step, analyses assessed whether each change/average in cytokines over the one-month period had an impact on vaccine response for each of the four viral strains in the flu vaccine. In a second step, analyses assessed whether variables such as insomnia, stress, age, smoking, BMI, and race had any impact on vaccine response beyond the effects exerted through inflammation. The change in association (β) between the primary independent variable and primary dependent variable were examined in order to determine whether there are any suppression effects caused by baseline covariates on the relationship between …

Prior research has established a relationship between playing video games containing stereotyped representations of traditionally marginalized groups and resulting negative attitudes towards those groups. Yet, very little work has examined video games containing more positive, non-stereotyped representations and whether these diverse casts have inverse effects resulting in positive attitudes following exposure, an effect demonstrated in television media. The current study makes use of two paradigms, one based on short-term priming theory concerning immediate exposure to media, and one on long-term cultivation theory dealing with the overall media diet, and the relation to attitudes towards Blacks including symbolic racism, colorblindness, and implicit bias. In Study 1 (n = 31), Black and White participants reported how much time weekly they spent playing a popular game with positive representations of People of Color before completing measures. In Study 2 (n = 91), Black and White participants were exposed to one of three games, one with positive representation, one with negative representation, and a control game before completing study measures. Findings suggested that participant race was related to pro-Black attitudes (p = .009), but that direct exposure to a game with positive representation (p = .13) as well as playing the game during the …

The recent inclusion of complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) within the International Classification of Diseases, eleventh edition (ICD-11) prompted scholars to re-evaluate treatment guidelines for traumatic disorders. The present study aimed to conceptualize dyadic, community, and systemic connections within the context of ICD-11 traumatic disorders and investigate unique associations between factors capturing relational quality. The current study additionally utilized a novel network modeling approach to explore the CPTSD symptom network structure using a college sample of trauma survivors. Consistent with generations of theory and research, relational quality factors associated with the disturbances in self-organization (DSO) symptom cluster, and anticipated discrimination associated with both relational disturbance and sense of threat. Affect dysregulation, re-experiencing, and relational engagement emerged as most central within the CPTSD symptom network, providing evidence towards the role of affect regulation in relational functioning, while intersectional discrimination associated with both the PTSD and DSO symptom clusters. Findings from the present study provide context to the potential application of a relational and systems focused intervention.

Little is known about the current state of multicultural training within sport psychology master's programs. The study explored students' perceptions of their multicultural training and program climate. Importantly, differences in perceptions were investigated based on students' demographic factors, given that students with marginalized identities tend to report less favorable perceptions of and experiences in graduate training. Participants (N = 107) consisted of students and recent graduates of master's level sport psychology programs. Participants reported moderate levels of feeling safe, valued, and comfortable within their master's program, low to moderate levels of multicultural training integration within their curriculum and supervision, and low to moderate satisfaction with their multicultural training. Asian, Asian American, bi/multiracial, Black, African American, Hispanic, and Latino/a/e students, compared to their White peers, reported less satisfaction with their multicultural training, felt less safe, comfortable, and valued within their programs, and perceived less integration of multiculturalism into curriculum and supervision. A multiple regression analysis revealed that, for all students, perceptions of multicultural training integration and reports of feeling safe, comfortable, and valued was significantly related to students' satisfaction with their multicultural training. Discussion focuses on possible explanations for these findings, training implications, and future research directions.

Prevalence of mental health concerns among young adults is high and continues to increase. As a specific subset of young adults, NCAA student-athletes seem to experience these concerns at a similar or greater prevalence than their non-athlete, age-matched peers. Despite the number of college student-athletes who are experiencing mental health concerns, understanding how mental health impacts sport performance has not been robustly studied and has not included the diversity of identities present in the athlete population. Thus, I explored the beliefs of 266 college student-athletes who represented diverse identities and sports regarding how mental health impacts sport performance. Responses were collected using an on-line survey and analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative methods. Overall, as well as by gender, race/ethnicity, and sport type, 96.4% to 100.0% of participants believed that mental health impacts sport performance. From thematic analysis emerged three themes and various subthemes: (a) cognitive disruptions (concentration, confidence, self-talk, motivation, mindset, and decision-making), (b) the stress of being a student-athlete (life impact sport, team factors, sport impacts mental health), and (c) a mind-body connection (mind correlates with body, and mental health symptoms impact sport performance). Post-hoc cluster analysis by demographic and sport-type variables did not reveal clustering; these variables …

Stereotypical beliefs about emotion have been shown to influence perceptions of competence. While emotional White women are often presumed to be generally less competent, emotional Black women receive variable competence ratings due to the intersecting stereotypes concerning both their race and gender. However, it is unclear how perceptions of competence fluctuate in response to anger, a stereotypically male emotion, in comparison to sadness, a stereotypically female emotion. The project at hand utilized participants' responses to a scenario of White and Black leaders engaging with subordinates in their workplace expressing either neutral, angry, or sad responses to an interaction. We aimed to identify if a Black woman leader's expression of anger garnered a more favorable response than a White woman leader's expression of anger in addition to whether both leader's expression of sadness would garner similarly low ratings of competence. Results reveal that perceptions of a woman leader's competence can be influenced by race alone with no significant influence from emotional expression. Specifically, a Black woman leader's competence can on average be rated lower than a White woman's competence regardless of emotional expression. This study provides further evidence that group stereotypes manifest differentially based on context.

Previous literature has identified links between psychopathic trait severity and disturbed styles of attachment on sexual outcomes in adulthood. However, few studies have investigated these domains within one design. Therefore, it is unclear how they may influence each other, given that an association between attachment styles and psychopathic traits has also been previously documented. This study sought to explore the possible role of psychopathic traits upon the association between attachment and sexual outcomes. Participants were sampled from an undergraduate student population at a large university. Data were analyzed using correlational and hierarchical regression analyses, as well as two exploratory path models. Analyses suggested that aspects of attachment and psychopathic trait severity were significantly associated with each other and differentially predicted certain sexual outcomes. Furthermore, results indicated that the effects of attachment avoidance on sexual outcomes were mediated by Factor 1 traits of psychopathy, while the effects of attachment anxiety were mediated by Factor 2 traits. Additionally, it was found that attachment style was linked with contempt, and this was further linked to disturbances in sexual outcomes, which is a novel finding. Implications of the findings, 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 …

Multiple contributors to neurocognitive impairment in individuals with sickle cell disease have been identified. Research indicates that a history of cerebrovascular accidents, such as silent infarcts and strokes are associated with greater cognitive decline among children with sickle cell disease. Additionally, disease effects such as hemoglobin and hematocrit levels significantly effect cognitive performance among this population and should be taken into consideration when examining neurocognitive impairment. Further, previous studies show a significant relationship between child behavior problems, family functioning, and cognitive performance in children with sickle cell, marking those as important targets for intervention among this population. While cognitive decline with increased age is not typically examined in healthy child populations, some research indicates the presence of age effects in those with SCD. A majority of the literature addresses cognitive impairment from a broad perspective, while a limited number of studies have begun to address effects among specific cognitive domains. Using archival data from the National Institutes of Health's Cooperative Study of Sickle Cell Disease, results revealed that disease severity was negatively correlated with some aspects of cognitive functioning, including visual-spatial domains. Additionally, some measures of cognitive performance were inversely correlated with age. Consistent with hypothesized outcomes, family functioning was …

Due to their influential roles in the lives of their players, understanding coaches' attitudes and perceptions toward LGBQ+ student-athletes is essential for assessing how safe collegiate sport environments are for LGBQ+ athletes. However, the research in this area has been limited. The present study aims to address this gap by investigating coaches' perceptions of LGBQ+ athletes to inform policy and education for promoting inclusive sport environments for these athletes. Participants were 1,533 collegiate coaches (Mage = 39.65 years; women = 41.3%; White = 83.7%; non-Hispanic = 86.4%; heterosexual = 74.9%) drawn from all three NCAA Divisions. In an open-ended, text response question, coaches were asked to identify the extent to which they would support and accept athletes on their teams being open about their sexual orientation and/or gender identity, and to describe the reasoning for their beliefs. Through reflexive thematic analysis, six higher order themes capturing coaches' rationales were identified: (a) levels of acceptance, (b) i coach, therefore i am…, (c) supportive environments are essential, (d) as a queer coach…, (e) limiting queerness, and (f) sexual orientation does not provide a competitive advantage. Analyses illuminate avenues for LGBQ+ athlete inclusion policies and training for coaches.

Adult attachment has been found to play an important role for romantic relationship satisfaction. Specifically, the existent literature generally suggests that attachment anxiety is negatively related to relationship satisfaction. However, the underlying mechanism for this link still needs further exploration. The present study examined the direct and indirect effect of attachment anxiety on relationship satisfaction via two distinct relationship commitment variables: constraint commitment and dedication commitment. The final sample included 146 unmarried participants who were in a romantic relationship for at least three months. Results of multiple regression analyses on the indirect effect model indicated that attachment anxiety had a significant direct effect on relationship satisfaction as well as a significant indirect effect on relationship satisfaction via constraint commitment. However, the hypothesized indirect effect through dedication commitment was not supported. Findings are discussed from the adult attachment perspective. Counseling implications, limitations, and future research directions are outlined.

Petrie and Greenleaf's sociocultural model proposes that athletes experience unique sport environment pressures regarding weight, body size/shape, eating and appearance that increases their risk of developing disordered eating (DE) attitudes and behaviors. Although research in cross-correlational studies has looked at prevalence of eating disorders (ED) and DE behaviors in different sport types, such pressures are likely to vary by sport depending on its unique environment and performance demands. For instance, female athletes in leanness sports experience more body dissatisfaction and societal appearance pressures compared to those in nonleanness sports. Because these effects have been established primarily with female athletes, I examined ED/DE correlates from Petrie and Greenleaf's model with 695 collegiate male athletes who represented five sport types (endurance, ball game, power, technical, weight-dependent) based on a well-established categorization system. Through a series of one-way MANCOVAs (BMI serving as the covariate), I found that sport types were significantly different from each other on all ED/DE correlates except for negative affect. Follow-up analysis revealed that power, endurance, and weight-dependent athletes showed the greatest number of significantly different group centroids, demonstrating distinct profiles among the sport types in their experiences of the ED/DE correlates. Discussion focuses on possible explanations for the research …

Therapeutic alliance has been consistently demonstrated as a robust predictor of treatment outcomes, though the time in psychotherapy at which therapeutic alliance best predicts outcomes is unclear. Unfortunately, evidence suggests that racial and ethnic minority clients typically form weaker therapeutic alliances in treatment. The weaker development in therapeutic alliance among racial and ethnic minority clients may mediate discrepancies in treatment outcomes, including higher dropout rates. The purpose of this study was to explore this possibility by (1) investigating the temporal relationship between therapeutic alliance and treatment outcomes and (2) examining differences in therapeutic alliance ratings and treatment outcome, including unilateral termination, among racial and ethnic minority clients. The findings of this study may be integral to identifying and addressing psychotherapy treatment disparities that are tied to racial or ethnic minority status.

The purpose of this study was to thoroughly review previous work and to create a new experimental paradigm combining recognition memory with value-based incentives and metacognitive confidence judgments, which may provide convergent evidence for the motivation-cognition interface. This paradigm involves a game-like task administering global and local motivational incentives. Furthermore, trial-level metacognitive confidence ratings were gathered to understand the relationship of metacognitive accuracy and value as a function of strategic control of attention and memory and incentive-based motivation. Paired samples t-tests and a repeated measures ANOVA were used to identify differences in recognition performance based on reward incentive, and Goodman-Kruskall gamma correlations between performance confidence estimates were used to measure metacognitive accuracy. The results showed the mean number of recognition hits (correctly remembering previously seen items) were indeed greater for high-value items compared to low-value items. I also report an unanticipated effect of block, such that the hit rate increased for low valued items from Block 1 to Block 2. Unfortunately, I did not find meaningful results for the metacognitive judgments. This study lays important groundwork for subsequent research incorporating physiological testing to provide a much-needed link between mind and brain with respect to motivation and cognition. Moreover, this study …

Racism, sexism, and other forms of oppression are consequential to Black women's mental health. The current research examines the psychological impact of gendered racism, which is oppression on the basis of both gender and race, and the extent to which gendered racial identity may buffer the association between gendered racism and psychological distress (i.e., anxiety and depressive symptoms) among U.S. Black women. The study includes a sample of 150 Black women (at least 18 years of age or older, mean age = 39.11) recruited using Qualtrics panel service. Women were administered measures of gendered racism, gendered racial identity, and mental health (i.e., anxiety and depression). Data was analyzed through a series of bivariate correlations and moderation analyses using PROCESS macro. Results revealed that gendered racial identity did not moderate the association between gendered racism and mental health. This study advances our understanding of the oppression Black women contend with on the basis of their race and gender and offers insight about the factors that may mitigate the psychological impact of this phenomenon on Black women.

This study explored NCAA athletic departments' mental health screening practices, including the mental health concerns assessed for by the mental health screening, personnel responsible for administering and reviewing screeners, and resources available for athletes identified as "at risk." Participants were athletic department staff who had knowledge of their school's mental health screening processes. Frequencies and chi-square analyses were used to assess trends across divisional levels (DI vs. DII/DIII). Analyses show that significantly more DI than DII/DDIII institutions have a formal mental health screening program. Institutions' coverage of mental health topics in their screening did not vary significantly by Divisional level, with one exception: a larger percentage of DI institutions assessed whether student athletes had worked with a mental health practitioner than DII/DIII schools. DII/III were significantly more likely to have athletic trainers both administer and review mental health screeners and DI institutions were significantly more likely to have a sport psychologist employed within their athletic department than. DI schools were significantly more likely to have had a student athlete attempt suicide and participate in inpatient treatment than DII/III schools. Implications of the findings, limitations, and future directions are discussed.

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 …

Associations between greater perceived racial discrimination and both higher levels of depressive symptomology and higher blood pressure have been established in the literature. Research has found that depression is often comorbid with diabetes and individuals with type 2 diabetes are at an increased risk for depression as the prevalence of depression is 2 to 3 times higher in people with diabetes when compared to the general population. Additionally, individuals with type 2 diabetes are also at an increased risk for high blood pressure. Although these associations are present in the literature, no studies have been found that examine all of these variables in conjunction. The current study used data from the 2014 Health and Retirement Study to examine the associations among perceived racial/ethnic discrimination, depression symptoms, and blood pressure for older Latinx adults (ages 50+) with type 2 diabetes (n = 303) and without type 2 diabetes (n = 521), while controlling for sex, age, partner status, and education. Findings indicated diabetes status was positively associated with both depression symptoms (t(790) = 5.32, p < .001) and systolic blood pressure (t(703) = 2.74, p = .006). Racial/ethnic discrimination was positively associated with depression (r(206) = .14, p = .045); however, …

Black mothers socialize their daughters to embody the strong Black woman (SBW) schema to help them navigate gendered racist oppression. While research indicates that ascribing to the SBW schema offers Black women psychosocial benefits (e.g., increased self-esteem), identifying with the SBW schema has been linked to several negative psychological outcomes (e.g., anxiety, depression, and stress). Considering the evidenced negative implications associated with identifying with the SBW schema on Black women's mental health, the current study had three aims: (1) investigate the socialization messages Black women received about strong Black womanhood, (2) explore the extent to which they identified with these messages, and (3) assess the implications of this socialization on Black women's functioning. To address these aims researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with 11 Black college women (Mage = 20.09; SD = 1.04). For this manuscript, we extracted data pertaining to aim one and analyzed this data using a consensual qualitative research (CQR) data approach. Findings revealed messages Black women were given about strong Black womanhood (i.e., know your worth, depend on yourself, overcome societal barriers, little to no messages about strong Black womanhood, and additional responses) and illuminated behaviors mothers modeled that exemplified strength (i.e., self-sufficient, preserving, caretaking, and additional …

Unipolar depression is a leading cause of disability and overall burden of disease for millions of individuals across the world. Depressive symptoms (e.g., depressed mood, anhedonia, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness, difficulties concentrating, etc.) can drastically affect an individual's life leading to occupational, social, and personal impairment. Past research shows significant ethnic and racial differences in depression rates and treatment. Moreover, previous literature has also begun to explore the multidimensional nature of depression, investigating its occasion-like (or episodic) and trait-like (or stable) factors. However, prior studies have not explored differences in occasion and trait depression by race or ethnicity, nor have they explored these questions in nurses, a group that faces substantial workplace stressors. To redress these gaps, the current study investigated trait and occasion depression in a large sample of nurses (N = 390) tracked across 12 months and aimed to understand whether trait versus occasion rates of depression differed by racial and ethnic minority status. Findings indicated substantially more trait depression (65.93%) than occasion depression (34.11%) across the year in nurses. However, there were no significant differences based on racial and ethnic minority status. Results highlight the importance of understanding depression as a much more stable aspect of an …

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) presents with difficulties in social communication, repetitive and/or restricted behaviors, as well as variable language development. Individuals with suspected ASD ideally participate in assessments which include measures of cognitive abilities, adaptive functioning, language functioning, and ASD specific measures (i.e., ADOS, ADI-R). Diagnosis of ASD can occur confidently at 2 years of age, however, the mean age at diagnosis is 4-5 years old. Delays in diagnosis are accounted for by lacking professionals and centers with the capabilities to assess ASD, as well as long waitlists for assessments. Early identification and intervention have been shown to provide the best improvements in ASD symptomology. The aim of the current study was to conduct a program evaluation of an autism treatment center that was designed to provide high quality evidence-based interventions. The study determined if treatment-as-usual in that center yields the expected gains in adaptive functioning and corresponding decreases in barriers to learning. Results indicated improvement in scores on standardized direct assessment of milestone achievement and barriers to learning, but no significant improvement in adaptive skills via secondary informant questionnaire measures following 6 months of treatment. The overall sample size was small due to COVID-19 complications, lack of institutional procedures, …

Betrayal trauma theory (BTT) explains the relationship between a victim and perpetrator to be an especially critical factor for predicting adverse trauma outcomes; however, to date, there is no adequate measure to assess this relationship. We aimed to create a measure of reliance, here defined as dependence on another for food, clothing, finances, emotional support, and more. We utilized a new scale, the Reliance on Perpetrator Scale, to measure this construct. 397 participants completed a battery of questionnaires to measure reliance and 4 primary outcomes of interpersonal trauma exposure: PTSD symptoms, depression, event centrality, and dissociation. A series of exploratory principal components factor analyses provided evidence for a 3 factor solution for this scale, though visual examinations of scree plots and a parallel analysis indicated 2 factors. We ultimately chose to retain 2 factors: practical reliance and emotional dependence. We expected and achieved predictive validity such that practical reliance and emotional dependence were both highly positively correlated with all outcomes. We expected and achieved convergent validity such that positive affect and secure attachment were highly positively correlated with emotional dependence as measured by an existing scale. The current study replicated previous findings that high betrayal events—as opposed to low betrayal …

With the growing popularity in video games, there has been increased concerns over the prolonged exposure to the entertainment medium. Problematic gaming is defined as a pattern of gaming behavior that causes significant impairment in personal, social, other important areas of functioning, often characterized by preoccupation and loss of interest in other areas. This study examined how problematic gaming behaviors may be influenced by insecure adult attachment and perceived social support from differing sources. It was hypothesized that avoidant attachment would have a significant direct and indirect effect (via perceived social support) on problematic gaming. In addition, perceived social support from online friends and from offline friends were hypothesized to moderate the relationship between attachment and problematic gaming, Participants were recruited from both SONA (n = 151) and Amazon's Mturk (n = 264) to complete an online research questionnaire that measured variables of interest. Results indicated that the direct and indirect effects of attachment avoidance on problematic gaming were supported in both subsamples but the moderator effects were not. Further exploratory analysis found that anxious attachment demonstrated a similar pattern as avoidant attachment, but with a significant moderator effect of perceived social support from online friends (enhance) on the attachment …

Narcissism is currently being redefined as a multidimensional construct. While some researchers hold that narcissism remains a unidimensional phenomenon, others have suggested that bi- and tridimensional conceptualizations may better represent the construct as well as align more succinctly with the experiences of individuals with varying levels of narcissistic traits. Also, since the latter conceptualizations offer a broader assessment of narcissistic tendencies, they may provide greater accuracy in identifying differing narcissistic phenotypes (e.g., malignant vs vulnerable). Given the variety in conceptualizations of narcissism, it remains an open area as to how their respective domains are associated with various risk factors and behavioral outcomes, particularly within antagonistic forms of narcissism. This thesis explored the multidimensional approaches to defining narcissism and examined the associations between narcissistic traits and attachment style, self-concept, self-esteem, emotion regulation, and aggression. Also, the current study explored how differences in college degree (business vs. psychology) and gender may influence the expression of narcissism and associations with attachment style. Overall, the study provides results relevant for a tridimensional view of narcissism and adds to the literature on narcissism's link with factors involved in personality pathology, gender, and choice of college degree.