College of Behavioral & Social Sciences
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The collections in this community comprise faculty research works, as well as graduate theses and dissertations..
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Item Effectiveness of a Brief Behavioral Smoking Cessation Intervention In A Residential Substance Use Treatment Center(2009) White, Thomas James; Smith, Barry D; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Cigarette smoking is the number one preventable cause of death in the United States (American Cancer Society, 2008). Despite decades of awareness on the dangers of cigarette smoking, many smokers have been unable to successfully quit. One population with little access to smoking cessation treatments is inner city drug abusers in residential treatment centers. Smoking rates among polydrug users in treatment approach 100% (Burling & Ziff, 1988), and half of those treated for alcohol or substance abuse will die of smoking-related illnesses (Hurt, et al., 1996). Nonetheless, a recent survey of residential substance abuse treatment centers found that only 31% of centers provided smoking cessation programs (Fuller, et al., 2007). The relative scarcity of smoking cessation programs offered at such centers is alarming. A residential substance-abuse center setting is, theoretically, an ideal location for the implementation of a smoking cessation program, due to the available resources (Bernstein & Stoduto, 1999). Successful completion of a smoking cessation intervention during drug treatment increases illicit drug abstinence rates by 25% at one year (Prochaska, Delucchi, & Hall, 2004). Nonetheless, studies of smoking cessation programs in residential treatment centers have typically showed low rates of success (Friend & Pagano, 2005), although these programs have typically utilized the group modality and not individualized, one-on-one treatment (Currie, Nesbitt, Wood & Lawson, 2003). It is important to measure the effectiveness of smoking cessation programs delivered in a one-on-one modality in residential treatment centers. The smoking cessation intervention employed in the present study was based on prior behavioral interventions. The effectiveness of this intervention on smoking cessation and short-term (one-month) relapse were assessed. Goodness-of-fit analysis revealed significantly greater rates of point-prevalence smoking reduction or cessation in the active treatment condition compared with the placebo condition; however, when smoking cessation rates were examined alone, there was no significant difference in cessation rates across the two conditions. No sex differences were found in smoking cessation or reduction rates across conditions. Hierarchical linear modeling revealed that sex (being male) and nicotine dependence contributed most significantly to CPD following quit day.Item Associations Between Paternal Psychopathology and Conduct Problems in Children with ADHD(2009) Mintz, Abigail D.; Chronis-Tuscano, Andrea; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Parental psychopathology has consistently emerged as an important risk factor for negative developmental outcomes in children with ADHD; yet, this literature has focused almost exclusively on mothers. The few studies that do focus on fathers have identified significant associations between paternal psychopathology and child conduct problems (CP). This study sought to replicate these findings among families of children with ADHD and to extend prior research by considering paternal involvement as a potential moderator. Direct relationships between paternal psychopathology and child CP were not found. However, paternal involvement moderated the relationship between paternal ADHD and child CP. For involved fathers, these two variables were positively correlated, which suggests that children whose fathers are both involved and display psychopathology may be at higher risk for concurrent CP.Item An Initial Assessment of the Convergent Validity of the Negative Symptom Rating Scale: The Relationship Between Behavioral Codings of Expressed Facial Affect and Clinical Ratings of Blunted Affect(2009) Baker, Bryann Renee; Blanchard, Jack J.; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness that represents a significant public health burden. No treatments are FDA approved for negative symptoms of schizophrenia, primarily because there is no valid, reliable measure for negative symptoms. A new negative symptom measure, the Negative Symptom Rating Scale (NSRS), is in the initial phases of validation. The current study assesses the convergent validity of the scale by examining the relationship between the NSRS and expressed facial affect. The study also sought to clarify the relationship between expressed facial affect and functioning. The results revealed a significant relationship between expressed facial affect and the NSRS subscale of blunted affect, as predicted. However, there was not a significant relationship between expressed facial affect and functioning. These results provide initial evidence for the convergent validity of the scale. Currently, there is an ongoing research study to further assess the reliability and validity of the NSRS.Item Examining the Effect of the LET'S ACT Behavioral Activation Treatment for Depression on Substance Abuse Treatment Dropout(2009) Magidson, Jessica F; Lejuez, Carl W.; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Despite the prevalence of depression among substance users and the negative impact of depressive symptoms on substance abuse treatment outcomes, few interventions targeting depression have been developed to meet the needs of depressed substance users, particularly in low-income urban areas. The current study aimed to replicate and expand upon promising preliminary findings for the use of a brief behavioral activation approach [Life Enhancement Treatment for Substance Use (LET'S ACT; Daughters et al., 2008)] to treat depression in the context of inner-city residential substance abuse treatment. Main extensions to the previous study include a comparison of LET'S ACT to a contact-time matched control treatment, Supportive Counseling (SC), and a more definitive evaluation of the effect of LET'S ACT on substance abuse treatment dropout. Results indicated that compared to SC, participants receiving LET'S ACT evidenced significantly lower rates of substance abuse treatment dropout and depressive symptoms, as evidenced by a significant treatment x time interaction with the change in self-reported and clinician-rated depressive symptoms from baseline to the 2-week follow up, as well as significantly higher rates of behavioral activation, as evidenced by a significant treatment x time interaction with scores on the Behavioral Activation for Depression Scale (BADS) from pre- to post-treatment. This study builds on preliminary evidence for LET'S ACT as a short-term behavioral treatment for depression in residential substance abuse treatment and offers initial support for the effect of LET'S ACT on substance use outcomes.Item Latino parents' perceptions of, and response to, child Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder: An ecological perspective(2009) Diaz, Yamalis; Chronis-Tuscano, Andrea; Zambrana, Ruth E.; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Attention and behavior problems occur at high rates among Latino children in the United States; however, Latino children are less likely than children from other racial/ethnic groups to receive treatment for these problems. Efforts to understand and address these disparities should include research to understand how Latino parents perceive and respond to child behaviors within an ecological framework, as broad contextual factors are known to influence parenting and help-seeking. To this end, the present study utilized grounded theory methodology to analyze in-depth interviews conducted with a community sample of 25 ethnically-diverse Latino mothers of varying levels of socioeconomic status (SES). The primary aims for the study were: (1) To examine parental understanding and perceptions of DSM-IV ADHD and ODD symptoms; (2) To explore and describe self-reported parenting and help-seeking responses to clinical levels of child ADHD and ODD behaviors, as depicted in hypothetical behavioral vignettes; and (3) To explore general childrearing values and socialization goals among Latino mothers. Each of these aims were examined from an ecological perspective by considering demographic and psychosocial factors, including SES, level of acculturation, and maternal levels of depression and social support. Four major findings emerged. First, Latino mothers did not experience significant difficulty understanding DSM-IV symptoms of ADHD or ODD and the way they perceive these behaviors is largely consistent with the respective clinical disorders. Second, parental responses to clinical levels of ADHD and ODD behaviors were linked to external versus internal causal attributions across both disorders. Third, parental socialization goals, which reflected strong values on educational/professional goal attainment and positive interpersonal skills, were associated with reported parental responses to ADHD and ODD, respectively. Finally, there were trend differences in results by level of SES. The theoretical model that emerged from this study extends existing models related to parental beliefs, parenting, and help-seeking behavior. Findings suggest important clinical implications with respect to assessing ADHD and ODD among Latino children and engaging Latino parents into parenting and school-based interventions. Results of this study will inform future research and intervention-development efforts ultimately aimed at increasing mental health service use and improving outcomes among Latino children.Item FILM-INDUCED EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE AND EXPRESSION IN SOCIAL ANHEDONIA(2009) Carreno, Jaime T.; Blanchard, Jack J; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Social anhedonia is an important feature of schizophrenia and it is a promising indicator of latent liability for the disorder. Although social anhedonia is defined as an affective construct, only a limited number of studies have investigated the affective and behavioral correlates of the construct. Studies that have looked at these variables have been limited by a lack of appropriate measures of affiliation, control for contributions of current depressive symptoms and inclusion of both male and female participants. The current study sought to extend past research by addressing the limitations listed above. A cohort of psychometrically identified social anhedonics and normally hedonic controls were identified from a large college sample. The participants completed a clinical interview and a series of questionnaires. The clinical interviews focused on current and past mood disorders, schizophrenia and schizophrenia spectrum personality disorders. The questionnaires focused on self-reports of current depressive symptoms and general tendencies to express emotion. The participants were then presented with a series of affect eliciting films clip during which their emotional expressions were recorded. After each film, they were asked to self report their affective state. Contrary to past studies and current hypothesizes social anhedonics did not differ from controls in terms of emotional experience or emotional expression. The lack of findings could be as a result of small sample sizes, lack of validated self-report measures of emotional experience, or the nature of the limited sample of behavior collected among other study limitations.Item PROBLEMS, INSIGHTS, AND COPING STRATEGIES OF SECOND-GENERATION FEMALE AMERICANS VS. FIRST GENERATION FEMALE ASIANS AS MANIFESTED IN SESSIONS WORKING WITH DREAMS(2008) Sim, Wonjin; Hill, Clara E.; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)First and second generation Asian Americans are probably different in patterns of behavior and values and may have faced different issues and concerns resulting from significantly different living contexts (Sue & Zane, 1985). The present study investigated differences in problems, insights, and coping strategies between the two different groups of female Asians- first vs. second generation Asian Americans as manifested in sessions working with dreams using a qualitative research method. Seven second generation female Asian Americans and seven first generation female Asians were randomly chosen among 88 participants in the original study (Hill et al., 2007). Trained judges listened to the chosen sessions, created core ideas, developed categories and assigned each core idea into one or more categories. Results suggest that interpersonal issues and academic/post-graduation/career issues were typical for both groups. First generation Asians were more likely to present issues with immigration/cultural/adjustment and distress related to physical health issues than second generation Asian Americans. For all cases, insights about self, relationship, and present were typical for both groups. First generation Asians were more likely to develop insights about past and emotional insights than second generation participants. Both groups typically presented interpersonal behavioral changes as their coping strategies. Only first generation Asians typically presented changes in mental and/or emotional state of the client as their coping strategies.Item Mechanisms Underlying Difficulties in Intimate Relationships in Borderline Personality Disorder: The Roles of Fear of Positive Evaluation and Fear of Abandonment(2008) Rodman, Samantha Alison; Lejuez, Carl W; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a chronic and severe disorder, and leading researchers concur that difficulties within intimate relationships are a central problem within the disorder (e.g., Gunderson, 1996; Linehan, 1993). The focus of the proposed investigation is to uncover novel mechanisms that may underlie these difficulties. It was hypothesized that there would be a significant relationship between BPD symptomatology and difficulties with intimate relationships in an undergraduate sample. Further, it was hypothesized that this relationship would be mediated by the fear of positive evaluation (FPE), which was previously only studied in social anxiety disorder (e.g., Weeks, Heimberg, & Rodebaugh, 2008; Weeks, Heimberg, Rodebaugh, & Norton, 2008) and the fear of abandonment. Many aspects of the initial predictions were supported. Specifically, BPD symptoms, FPE, and fear of abandonment were all found to significantly predict difficulties within intimate relationships, as operationalized by fear of intimacy score, even when controlling for theoretically relevant variables (symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress; fear of negative evaluation; and social anxiety). These findings are important because they illustrate that, even at the sub-clinical level observed in this undergraduate sample, BPD symptoms are related to impaired intimate relationship functioning. Support was not found for the hypothesis that BPD symptoms would contribute uniquely to FPE. Instead, BPD symptoms were not found to impact FPE once social anxiety was taken into account, a finding that is in accordance with the strong association between social anxiety and FPE that has been documented in the literature (e.g., Weeks, Heimberg, & Rodebaugh, 2008; Weeks, Heimberg, et al., 2008). Therefore, it may be hypothesized that the link between fear of praise and BPD that has been observed in the theoretical literature may be primarily due to the high concordance rates between BPD and social anxiety. Further, it was found that fear of abandonment mediated the relationship between BPD symptoms and fear of intimacy. Thus, among individuals with heightened symptoms of BPD, the fear of possibly being abandoned may cause a more general fear of intimate relationships, leading to conflict within intimate relationships and avoidance of intimacy. Clinical implications of this finding are discussed.Item Caffeine Abstinence during the Menstrual Cycle: An Evaluation of Mood, Somatic, Cognitive, and Psychomotor Effects of Withdrawal(2008) Vo, Hoa Thi; Smith, Barry D; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The purpose of the present study was to extend our understanding of caffeine withdrawal symptoms and of potentially differing symptom patterns across phases of the menstrual cycle. Forty-eight moderate habitual caffeine consumers, age 18 to 25 years, were recruited from the University of Maryland. Exclusion criteria included current or past psychiatric conditions (within six months) and premenstrual syndrome (PMS). In addition to daily diaries (including the caffeine intake survey, premenstrual syndrome questionnaires, LH surge test, and the caffeine withdrawal checklist), the effect of caffeine abstinence on psychomotor tasks was assessed during the follicular (around day 5 of the cycle) and luteal phases (approximately 4 days after the LH surge) of the menstrual cycle. Data analyses focused on withdrawal symptom ratings and psychomotor performance one day during the follicular phase and one day during the luteal phase of the cycle after 24 hours of caffeine abstinence. A series of repeated measures ANOVAs were used to assess caffeine withdrawal effects and differences in these effects between the follicular and luteal phases. Results confirmed the presence of certain withdrawal symptoms, but did not provide support for phase-differentiated effects of self-reported withdrawal symptoms or of psychomotor and cognitive performance differentials across the menstrual cycle. However, withdrawal, as a result of caffeine abstinence, did impact self-report symptom ratings during select days of abstinence, as compared with days of non-abstinence, during the both the follicular and the luteal phase. The present study is the first multi-method study to examine the effects of caffeine abstinence on habitual consumers across the menstrual cycle.Item Error Observation in Schizophrenia(2009) Mann-Wrobel, Monica Constance; Blanchard, Jack J.; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Despite the pervasive and impairing nature of social difficulties in schizophrenia, the causes of these problems are not fully understood. It has been suggested that problems with cognitive functioning contribute to the social deficits of schizophrenia. However, little is known about the neural mechanisms that underlie cognitive processes directly linked to social dysfunction in schizophrenia. Recent studies of the mirror neuron system have focused on the error-related negativity (ERN), a negatively-deflected event-related brain potential that is elicited following the commission of an erroneous response. This study examined ERN activity in schizophrenia patients and psychiatrically healthy controls during performance and observation of a confederate performing a computerized flanker task. The lateralized readiness potential (LRP) allowed for a direct comparison of brain activation reflecting response readiness verses error signaling. Correlations between ERN activity during flanker observation, social cognition (i.e., theory of mind), and community social functioning were explored. Finally, correlations between verbal memory, executive functioning, and social functioning were examined and social cognition was explored as a mediator between neurocognition and social functioning. Results indicated that controls produced a robust ERN during execution of the flanker task, whereas ERN activity among patients was comparatively attenuated in amplitude. During observation, there were no significant group differences and no identifiable observation ERN; however, there was greater negative activity following error than correct trials in this condition for all participants. LRP activity did not parallel that of the ERN, supporting the differentiation of motor activity and error-related processing during observation. The only significant correlation to emerge between ERN activity and social cognition and social functioning was between occupational status and execution ERN activity among controls only. Unexpectedly, neurocognition and social functioning were negatively correlated in the patient group. Expectedly, these variables were positively correlated among controls. Therefore, regression analyses were conducted separately by group; however, neither neurocognition nor social cognition predicted a significant proportion of the variance in social functioning. Despite limitations, this research is discussed as a starting point for integrating the study of psychophysiological activity with social behavior and functioning, particularly in a clinical population with pronounced social deficits.