Theses and Dissertations

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10217/100504

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Open Access
Rethinking rudeness: the nuanced impact of workplace e-mail incivility on cognitive performance
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2025) Goldman, Chloe B., author; Fisher, Gwenith, advisor; French, Kimberly, committee member; Henle, Chris, committee member; Rhodes, Matthew, committee member
This research builds on prior work examining the relationship between perceived incivility in workplace e-mail and task performance. This study proposed attribution theory and self-determination theory as helping to explain the widely supported negative relationship between incivility and performance. The study design was between-subjects and implemented experimental vignette methodology (EVM) to determine if exposure to an uncivil e-mail impacted perceptions of blame attribution and thwarted fundamental needs as well as subsequent performance on a working memory task. Results based on a sample of 411 working adults recruited on Prolific reveal that, contrary to ample evidence indicating that incivility is detrimental to performance, the incivility-performance relationship appears to be more nuanced than the literature suggests. Findings introduce additional complexity to the experience of incivility: they provide evidence that the level of perceived rudeness might moderate how incivility relates to performance and that some responses, such as external attribution and thwarted relatedness, might even be advantageous to task performance. This work has important implications for how applied psychologists study incivility and understand it in terms of its influence on objective cognitive performance.
Open Access
Exploring the utility of a rolling-admission dialectical behavior therapy skills group for victims and survivors of intimate partner violence
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2025) Colley, Madison L., author; Emery, Noah, advisor; Karoly, Hollis, committee member; Nelson, Niccole, committee member; Kwiatkowski, Lynn, committee member
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant public health concern for individuals with a breadth of identities in the US. The current study explored the effectiveness of a rolling-admission Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills group intervention for individuals who had experienced IPV. The participant sample was made up of 23 victims and survivors of IPV residing in the northern Colorado area. Data were collected at pre-intervention, 24 hours after each intervention, and one month after the final intervention attended for each participant. Participant demographics, PTSD symptoms, positive and negative affect, emotion regulation skills, self-efficacy, social connectedness, and diverse qualitative data were collected. Effect size, idiographic, and qualitative analyses were employed to analyze the data. Results demonstrated that various levels of attendance in a rolling-admission DBT skills group at a domestic violence shelter were associated with qualitative benefits and quantitative improvements on all outcome measures. In addition, participant attendance impacted effects on the outcome measures selected, but not such that participants who attended more interventions saw larger or more effects than those who attended fewer interventions. Finally, the qualitative data elucidated factors which increased the cultural appropriateness of the intervention, enhanced participant motivation, and were broadly considered strengths of the intervention itself. A variety of qualitative recommendations for the group intervention were also provided. Practical recommendations related to group therapy format and specific interventions are offered. The present study highlights the varying treatment needs of victims and survivors of IPV in relation to time since experiencing IPV-related stressors, symptom acuity, and life instability.
Open Access
Mechanisms of prospective memory performance: exploring depression-related impairments in metamemory, cue detection, and intention retrieval
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2025) Rice, Micheala S., author; Davalos, Deana, advisor; Thomas, Michael, committee member; Faw, Meara, committee member; Karoly, Hollis, committee member
Prospective memory (PM) is a critical cognitive skill describing our ability to create and perform future-intentioned goals. College students require a high level of PM abilities to complete their assignments for school, attend work and class regularly, and balance their social life with studying and personal care. PM can be divided into its two subcomponents: cue detection and intention retrieval, which can be measured using electroencephalogram/event-related potentials (EEG/ERPs). Impairments in PM may be explained or predicted by variations in these specific neurophysiological components. Metamemory, or how an individual thinks of their own memory abilities, may predict overall PM performance; metamemory guides how an individual encodes their intended future goal, monitors the environment for the cue, and sets reminders to complete their goal. Since the components of PM are necessary to successfully perform a PM goal, and metamemory may interact with the neurocognitive underpinnings of PM, metamemory beliefs may also predict cue detection and intention retrieval. Further, metamemory beliefs and the neurocognitive components of PM may be sensitive to psychological disorders, such as depression, which could impact overall PM performance. Depression is a particularly prevalent and debilitating disorder, especially among college students, and could play a role in these various factors involved in PM. This dissertation is made up of three papers that examine the neural and cognitive mechanisms involved in the relationship between depression and PM. The first paper characterizes how metamemory beliefs predict the neural and behavioral components of PM. The second paper assesses how depression levels predict the neural components of PM and metamemory beliefs. Further, Study 2 assesses how the relationship between depression and the neural components of PM varies based on metamemory beliefs. Finally, the third paper builds on Studies 1 and 2 by examining how depression levels relate to behavioral PM performance, and if metamemory beliefs or the neural components of PM may explain or contribute to this relationship. Altogether, this dissertation clarifies the cognitive, neural, and psychological factors that may support or harm PM skills, which could help inform intervention strategies to strengthen and protect future-oriented goal setting abilities.
Open Access
Indecision-inaction phenomenon: development and validation of the indecision-inaction phenomenon scale (IIPS)
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2025) Ferland, Missy, author; Dik, Bryan, advisor; Amberg, Marti, committee member; Prasad, Joshua, committee member; Peila-Shuster, Jackie, committee member
Many people are familiar with the experience colloquially known as "analysis paralysis," yet this concept has not precisely been defined, much less operationalized via a measurement instrument. The purpose of this study is to develop a scale to operationalize the latent variable "analysis paralysis," referred to in a more sensitive manner as "indecision-inaction phenomenon," and to establish initial psychometric support for its scores. Indecision-inaction phenomenon is a system of maladaptive cognitive processes that interfere with task completion in individuals, in which excessive deliberation without progression toward execution paradoxically prevents decision-making or goal-oriented action. This study proposed and tested a three-factor model for the latent variable indecision-inaction phenomenon, comprising the perceived choice paradox dimension, the irrational prospection dimension, and the unfulfillment dimension. An item pool was generated, and subject matter expert feedback was integrated to enhance content validity by refining items. A Qualtrics survey was administered to a student sample, including items in the proposed scale as well as several other established scales to explore initial validity evidence. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was conducted to investigate the underlying factor structure of the proposed items and inform subsequent scale revisions. The EFA revealed a three-factor structure reflecting the dimensions IIP- Perceived Choice Paradox, IIP- Irrational Prospection, and IIP- Unfulfillment, as hypothesized. Next, this factor structure was rigorously tested and confirmed using Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFA), again demonstrating a good fit for the three-factor model. Finally, initial reliability and validity evidence for the scale was explored using correlations with scores on scales measuring established criterion variables, generally revealing relationships in expected directions and magnitudes with other constructs. This study offers a framework and instrument— the Indecision-Inaction Phenomenon Scale (IPPS)— for understanding and measuring the experience of indecision-inaction phenomenon, which may be used in future research on maladaptive cognitive processes.
Open Access
Understanding behavioral mechanisms of Pavlovian biases through task reversal paradigms
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2025) Sharma, Sanjiti, author; Seger, Carol, advisor; Thomas, Michael, committee member; Bobadilla, Ana Clara, committee member
Decision-making processes are often influenced by Pavlovian biases as they subtly guide our actions and reactions unconsciously (Raab & Hartley, 2020). These learning biases are acquired overtime through experiences and result in previously neutral stimuli becoming positively or negatively valanced. Pavlovian biases can elicit automatic yet emotional responses in a variety of contexts ranging from mundane life events to life-threatening scenarios (Chen et al., 2022). Often cognitive disorders associated with corrupted decision-making can stem from unchecked Pavlovian biases. Some of these disorders include Substance Use Disorders (SUDs), depression, addictions, chronic pain as well as eating disorders (Nees et al., 2015). Importantly, Pavlovian biases often work in collaboration with instrumental learning. Instrumental learning is defined as a form of learning where actions are modified based on the consequences that they produce (Balleine & Dickinson, 1998). This study consists of Experiment 1 (N = 90 healthy adults) as well as Experiment 2 (N = 90 healthy adults), designed to explore the interaction between Pavlovian biases and goal-directed instrumental learning by examining how each adapts to task reversal. Both experiments in this study have three key conditions: baseline, reversal of goal-directed instrumental learning and reversal of Pavlovian bias. We hypothesized that Pavlovian biases would be slow to adjust after reversal due to their reliance on inflexible learning mechanisms, whereas the more flexible, goal-directed instrumental learning system would adapt more quickly. In line with our hypothesis, we found that goal-directed instrumental learning adapted rapidly whereas Pavlovian biases initially presented hurdles in participants performance levels however, eventually demonstrated some flexibility which led participants to overcome them. This study presents evidence for flexibility demonstrated by Pavlovian biases in deterministic reversal paradigms and further propels the discourse on how these biases interact with goal-directed instrumental learning.
Open Access
Using machine learning and cohort-sequential modeling to predict suicide attempts among Colorado adolescents
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2025) Arkfeld, Patrice A., author; Conner, Bradley, advisor; Prince, Mark, committee member; Riggs, Nathaniel, committee member; Amberg, Marti, committee member
Suicide has become a leading cause of death across the United States with adolescents posed at particular risk for engaging in self-harm and suicidal ideation, plans, and attempts. As the number of suicide attempts increases, the greater the likelihood that someone will continue attempting suicide, incur an injury during one of their attempts, or die by suicide also increases. Although researchers have identified individual predictors of suicide, very few have investigated the intersectional and interacting variables that predict suicide attempts while differentiating the predictors of multiple suicide attempts from predictors of single attempts and those who have not attempted suicide. The present study utilized the exploratory classification trees to identify these predictors of multiple suicide attempts across the 2015, 2017, and 2019 Healthy Kids Colorado Surveys, which assesses the health and safety of Colorado adolescents. The present study sought to identify if the predictors of multiple suicide attempts change over time and for participants with expansive transgender identities and/or sexual orientation. Models identified 26 predictors of multiple suicide attempts with creating a plan for suicide in the last year as the most predictive of multiple suicide attempts, followed by the number of times participants used heroin in their lifetime, the number of times in the past month when participant misused prescription medications, and the number of days in the last month when participants smoked cigarettes. Results support the use of classification trees in identifying risk factors for multiple suicide attempts though replication is necessary to support these findings.
Open Access
The role of occupational stressors in sleepiness: a quantitative review
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2004) DeArmond, Sarah, author
Krauss, Chen, DeArmond and Moorcroft (2003) called attention to the lack of research on workplace sleepiness. These authors also proposed a number of antecedents of workplace sleepiness, which included occupational stressors. The current study investigated the relationship between seven occupational stressors and workplace sleepiness/sleepiness surrogates via a meta-analytic approach. The results of the analyses showed that six of the occupational stressors (role ambiguity, role conflict, workload, interpersonal conflict, situational constraints, perceived control) had small to moderate relationships with workplace sleepiness/sleepiness surrogates (the relationship between traumatic/acute stressors and workplace sleepiness/sleepiness surrogates was not analyzed due to an insufficient number of relevant data points). Although moderators were suggested for the relationships between role ambiguity, workload, perceived control, and workplace sleepiness/sleepiness surrogates, only one potential moderator (type of workplace sleepiness/sleepiness surrogate scale) was investigated for the relationship between workload and workplace sleepiness/sleepiness surrogate because of practical constraints. The type of workplace sleepiness scale was not found to moderate the relationship. The meta-analyses suggest that this is an important area for future research.
Open Access
Predicting the paycheck: using machine learning to understand determinants of income
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2024) Benson, Annika, author; Prasad, Josh, advisor; Gardner, Danielle, committee member; Prince, Mark, committee member; Conroy, Samantha, committee member
Income is a variable of interest in industrial/organizational psychology due to its relationship with outcomes like turnover, motivation, and psychological well-being. However, current research on income has generally assumed a linear relationship between predictors and income, not accounting for potential curvilinear effects or variable interactions. Further, studies on income indicate that large amounts of variance are unaccounted for, suggesting there are predictors yet to be identified. This study addresses those gaps in the research by using machine learning techniques and a large archival data set to investigate the strength and nature of how variables contribute to predicting income. Results demonstrate the effectiveness of machine learning techniques over traditional OLS regression and identifies variables not found currently in the literature. Findings from this research can be used both to create more effective organizational compensation systems as well as indicate targets for interventions to address income inequality.
Open Access
Validation of the emotional availability self-report for use with children 0-5 years
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2024) Scherbak, Veronica E., author; Dik, Bryan, advisor; Prince, Mark, committee member; Lucas-Thompson, Rachel, committee member; Merz, Emily, committee member
Emotional availability (EA) is a relationship construct that is used to assess the health and quality of the relationship between a caregiver and their child by examining the contribution of each member of the relationship. Empirical research has found a great deal of evidence that EA is an important factor to consider in parent-child relationship research and is linked with various parental and child outcomes, such as mental health issues, and various child development issues, such as depression and personality disorders in mothers and children's development of theory of mind. Most of the extant research measures EA using an observational EA System (Biringen et al., 2014). However, in 2002, an Emotional-Availability - Self-Report (EA-SR) instrument was introduced to assess parental perceptions of EA in their relationship with their child (Biringen et al., 2002). Evidence for the validity of EA-SR scores has been established for use with children 0-18 months, but has yet to be investigated with older children. This study aimed to establish the reliability and validity of scores on the EA-SR for use with children 0-5 years of age. Data analysis included an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to determine the factor structure of the EA-SR, as well as an examination of convergent and discriminant correlations between EA-SR scores and those on other measures. Initial evidence was found that a 13-item short form of the EA-SR may be a valid and reliable measure of EA for children ages 3-5.
Open Access
Assessing associations between empathy, attitudes towards animal welfare, and stress in dairy farm workers
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2024) Curcio, Hannah, author; Stallones, Lorann, advisor; Cramer, Catie, committee member; Dik, Bryan, committee member; Graham, Dan, committee member
Livestock farmers face job-specific stressors that increase their overall risk of stress-related diseases and deaths. While the literature suggests a relationship between farm workers' levels of empathy, their own well-being, and the welfare of their livestock animals, little research has adequately investigated these potential associations. Furthermore, empathy towards animals has been linked to attitudes about and indicators of animal welfare, but no previous research had assessed levels of empathy in dairy workers specifically towards their dairy cattle. The present study, thus, assessed the relationships between empathy towards dairy cattle, attitudes towards animal welfare, stress related to the welfare of cattle, and stress pileup in dairy farm workers. Specifically, I hypothesized that dairy workers' levels of empathy towards dairy cattle would be positively correlated with their attitudes towards animal welfare; dairy workers' levels of stress related to the welfare of cattle would be negatively correlated with their levels of empathy towards dairy cattle and their attitudes towards animal welfare; and, dairy workers' stress pileup (as measured by the number of stressors participants reported often caused them stress) would be negatively correlated with their levels of empathy towards dairy cattle and their attitudes towards animal welfare. As hypothesized, dairy workers' stress pileup was negatively correlated with levels of empathy towards dairy cattle. No evidence was found in support of the other hypotheses. However, additional exploratory analyses found relationships between empathy and the following variables: a positive relationship with years working in production livestock, a negative relationship with size of herd, primary language (such that participants with English as their primary language had significantly higher empathy for dairy cattle scores than those with Spanish as their primary language), and birth country (such participants born in the United States had significantly higher empathy for dairy cattle scores than participants born in Mexico). While limited, the results highlight the ways in which the well-being of farm workers and the welfare of their livestock are interconnected and posits that empathy may play a crucial role.
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Promoting safety through diversity management: diversity climate, racial ethnicity, and safety voice
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2024) Beckel, Julia Lynn Otero, author; Gardner, Danielle, advisor; Prasad, Joshua, committee member; Prince, Mark, committee member; Rosecrance, John, committee member
Given a sustained increase and undue burden of work-related injury and illness among racial-ethnic minorities in the United States, the current study aimed to provide a preliminary understanding into mechanisms which might lend to occupational health disparities. I utilized a two-wave survey approach via Prolific, a web-based survey platform, to gather perceptions from workers in high-risk industries (e.g., construction, manufacturing, healthcare, etc.) relating to their work groups' diversity climate, perceived organizational identification and psychological safety, worker safety voice, and occupational safety and health history. I considered four research questions: 1) How do employee perceptions of their organization's diversity climate relate to worker safety voice, 2) Do workers' perceptions of psychological safety and organizational commitment mediate the relationship between perceived diversity climate and worker safety voice, 3) What racial-ethnic differences exist in the indirect effects of diversity climate on worker safety voice via psychological safety and organizational identification?, and 4) If racial-ethnic difference in safety voice exist, are they also associated with differences in self-reported occurrences of accidents, injuries, or work-related illnesses across racial-ethnic groups? Results demonstrate the indirect effect of diversity climate on safety voice is significant via psychological safety, but not organizational identity. However, these effects did not influence occupational incident occurrence by race/ethnicity. I discuss relevant implications for theory and practice.
Open Access
The association between occupational complexity and white matter in the brain
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2024) Diaz, Jazmin, author; Thomas, Michael, advisor; Burzynska, Agnieszka, committee member; Davalos, Deana, committee member; Fisher, Gwenith, committee member
Occupational complexity (OCC) refers to experiences that increase one's environmental stimulation in a job and provide greater opportunities for skill development. Understanding the association between OCC and brain white matter is critical in aging research as it can elucidate the potential protective effects of stimulating environments on brain health and shed light on strategies for preserving microstructural integrity as individuals age. The current study examines whether working a complex job is associated with white matter integrity, determined by fractional anisotropy (FA). Participants included 58 healthy adults aged 18-85 (M = 49.2, SD =21.7) who completed diffusion-weighted imaging scans and a subcategory of a validated work survey to assess OCC. A principal component analysis reduced the survey items to four meaningful constructs. Higher age was consistently associated with lower FA. Information processing was significantly associated with FA in the inferior longitudinal fasciculus. Additionally, a significant interaction between information processing and age in the forceps major suggests the effect of OCC on FA is dependent on age. These findings highlight that while OCC is associated with FA, its effects may vary by regions and age, pointing to a more nuanced relationship between work characteristics and brain health.
Open Access
At what point does a behavior become child abuse? A closer look at the chronicity of child maltreatment and culture
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2024) Varavei, Hesam, author; Harman, Jennifer, advisor; Henry, Kimberly, committee member; Fisher, Gwen, committee member; Brown, Samantha, committee member
Child abuse/maltreatment is an issue that faces many families in the United States. One element of debate regarding the lack of unity in defining child abuse, is the chronicity of the abusive behaviors, or the duration/frequency of child abuse within the life of a child. A major factor that affects chronicity is the culture/ethnicity of a person, as child-rearing behaviors have been found to differ between various cultures. The current study aims to answer three main research questions: how often does a behavior have occur for someone to perceive it as abusive, do ethnic differences exist when looking at the perceptions of different types of abuse, and what demographic characteristics are most associated with the perceptions of each category of abuse. I will examine how often each behavior must occur before it is perceived as child abuse; using an original survey of three types of abusive behaviors: physical, sexual, and psychological. Results indicate that for physical and sexual abuse, all behaviors had a majority percentage for the choice "Once"; while for psychological abuse, all but two behaviors had majority percentage for the response "Once". Findings also showed that the group differences for ethnicity were not significant across any of the abuse types. Lastly, results of a multilevel model using all variables showed that the most significant demographic factors for physical abuse ratings were ethnicity, gender, and previous experience of physical and sexual abuse; for sexual abuse ratings was gender; and for psychological abuse ratings were gender, ethnicity, and age.
Open Access
Identifying risk and protective factors for cannabis hangovers
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2024) McFarland, Naomi M., author; Karoly, Hollis, advisor; Prince, Mark, advisor; Graham, Daniel, committee member; Riggs, Nathaniel, committee member
Objective: An understudied topic in the cannabis field is the cannabis hangover. Cannabis hangovers are defined as unwanted consequences of cannabis use occurring either the next-day or same day after the acute effects have worn off. Cannabis hangovers have been described by people who use cannabis in self-report social media posts; however, there are inconsistent findings in the current literature. The inconsistency in the current literature may be largely due to low validity and the limited range of symptoms investigated. The present study sought to identify the prevalence and severity of cannabis hangover symptoms, explore facets of cannabis use (e.g., quantity, frequency, route of administration, tolerance) as predictors, and exploring the associations between protective behavioral strategies (PBS) and cannabis hangover occurrence and severity. Method: 1211 adult college students who reported using cannabis at least once in their lifetime were recruited from the psychology research pool at Colorado State University over 2 semesters. Participants completed a survey on their cannabis use patterns, cannabis hangover experiences, and protective behavioral strategies (PBS) for cannabis use, along with general information questionnaires (e.g., demographics). Results: Overall, the study results provide evidence for heterogeneity in both the endorsement of cannabis hangover symptoms and the severity ratings. 91.4% of the sample reported at least one cannabis hangover symptom with a mean total number of symptoms of 7.5 (SD=6.07). The average mean severity across symptoms was 4.73 (SD=1.69). Each predictor was significantly associated with the likelihood of at least one cannabis hangover symptom. Tolerance and average PBS frequency were the most robust predictors of cannabis hangover symptom occurrence such that tolerance significantly predicted a higher likelihood of endorsing 29 symptoms and average PBS frequency significantly predicted a greater likelihood of not endorsing 19 symptoms. Only flower use, tolerance and average PBS frequency significantly predicted the rate of total number of cannabis hangover symptoms, whereby flower use and tolerance predicted a higher rate of total number of cannabis hangover symptoms and average PBS frequency predicted a lower rate. None of the predictors were significantly associated with cannabis hangover severity ratings. Conclusion: This study describes a high prevalence rate and moderate severity of cannabis hangovers, with tolerance and protective behavioral strategies emerging as key predictors of symptom occurrence and total symptom count. The results suggest that interventions aimed at lowering tolerance and promoting PBS use may be more effective in reducing the occurrence of cannabis hangovers than simply focusing on changing patterns of use. Future research should use longitudinal designs to investigate causal relationships and explore potential confounding variables, such as contextual factors, to better understand cannabis hangover symptom occurrence and severity.
Open Access
American Indian adolescent methamphetamine use: an examination of region/identity variations and the impact of protective factors
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2024) Fredrickson, Gereon J., author; Prince, Mark, advisor; Emery, Noah, committee member; Swaim, Randall, committee member; Zimmerman, Toni, committee member
Objective: Studies suggest that American Indians (AI) have high rates of methamphetamine use and indicate that AI youth have a significantly higher prevalence of past year methamphetamine use relative to non-Hispanic Whites. Methamphetamine use has been associated with an increased risk of morbidity and many adverse long-term effects. Minimal research explores region and identity differences with methamphetamine use and primarily focuses on risk-factors that lead to higher levels of use. The proposed study sought to identify protective factors that increase abstinence and reduce patterns of use among adolescent AIs by exploring the impact of parental monitoring, positive social/peer support, positive self-esteem, ethnic pride, and ethnic experience on age of initiation and past-year methamphetamine use. Method: This study is a secondary data analysis of survey data collected form an epidemiological research study with AI youth. The current study uses data collected from the Fall of 2015 through the Fall of 2019. Participants included 14,769 adolescents, grades 7-12th, from 103 different schools, across seven distinct regions of the contiguous United States. Analysis Plan: Since lifetime methamphetamine use was reported in only 3.7% of the data, past-year use was dichotomized to account for varying modeling effects and model convergence. Means, frequencies, and standard deviations were calculated for all variables as well as bivariate correlations. To model the protective factors, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used which included testing for model fit and psychometrics of the protective factor scales. An Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were completed to determine fit of the items for each protective factor, with invariance testing at the configural, metric, and scalar levels. Firth's Penalized Likelihood logistic regression and censored regressions were used to examine direct effects between the five protective factors (parental monitoring, positive peer/social influence, self-esteem, ethnic pride, and ethnic experience) and two methamphetamine use outcome variables (i.e., age of initiation and past-year use). Results: Key findings in this study were that males in middle school that identified as AI-multi-ethnic living in the Northeast region and males in high school that identified as AI-multi-ethnic living in the Southern Great Plains region endorsed significantly more methamphetamine use in the past year with an earlier age of initiation. Additionally, parental knowledge, positive peer/social influence, and internal self-esteem increased the likelihood for AI adolescents to have not initiated methamphetamine use. Lastly, parental knowledge, positive peer/social influence, internal and external self-esteem, and ethnic experience factors were significant in increasing the likelihood that AI adolescents did not engage in methamphetamine use in the past year. Conclusions: This study provides powerful recommendations for programs that target AI adolescent methamphetamine use to further prevent initiation and build resilience. It demonstrates the need to foster parental knowledge, positive peer/social influence, self-esteem, and ethnic experience as protective factors. Understanding these factors within the AI community that contribute to positive outcomes for adolescents can help further programs, schools, and communities as prevention strategies implore techniques to maximize effectiveness in reducing overall AI adolescent substance use. Further, these results have implications for future research on prevention of AI adolescent methamphetamine use.
Open Access
The effects of personality and social determinants of health on sports-related concussion risk: an examination of symptom reporting, concussion incidence, and return to play
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2024) Weishaar, Megan Gardner, author; Conner, Bradley T., advisor; Prince, Mark A., committee member; Davalos, Deana B., committee member; Stephens, Jaclyn A., committee member
Sports-related concussion (SRC), a form of mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) that occurs during sport participation or recreation, has emerged as a public health concern among adolescent athletes in the United States in recent decades due to increasing knowledge of high incidence rates. Important factors such as return to play (RTP) timeline and symptom reporting behaviors have been shown to contribute to SRC incidence. As a result, recent research has called for work that identifies a parsimonious group of variables that are salient in identifying athletes most at risk of outcomes such as early RTP, higher SRC incidence, and symptom nondisclosure. A small body of work has established that certain personality characteristics and social determinants of health are associated with these SRC outcomes. However, few specific personality and social determinants of health factors have been examined, few studies have investigated predictors of SRC incidence and RTP outcomes specifically, and a small number of these studies have investigated these research questions among adolescent athletes despite high rates of athletic participation and SRC incidence. The current study sought to expand previous work to further elucidate relations between a myriad of personality and social determinants of health predictors, and time to RTP, diagnosed SRC, and symptom reporting outcomes among adolescent athletes (N = 317, ages 14-19). The ultimate goal of the study was to identify personality and social determinants of health factors most salient in SRC outcomes to inform practical tailoring of prevention and intervention strategies. Participants were adolescents who were currently enrolled in high school or college or were enrolled in high school within the past calendar year, participated in a high school or club sport in the past year, and either denied sustaining a diagnosed SRC in the past year (N = 156) or endorsed sustaining a diagnosed SRC in the past year (N = 161). Data were collected through a one-time online survey that took participants 20-30 minutes to complete. Participants were compensated via an online gift card or course credit. Recruitment methods included outpatient medical clinics, high school athletic trainers, sports gyms and tournaments, Twitter, and university research pools. Analyses included a series of Cox proportional hazards and logistic regression models investigating associations between personality and social determinants of health predictors and time to RTP, diagnosed SRC incidence, and symptom reporting outcomes (i.e., honesty and comfort in symptom reporting). Overall, study results bolstered the conclusion that 1. Personality and social determinants of health factors are important in predicting SRC outcomes and 2. The relations between personality and SRC outcomes are highly nuanced, depending upon specific personality facets, outcome, and sample characteristics. Study results inform athletes, peers and family of athletes, coaches, athletic trainers, and other medical professionals about which personality and social determinants of health variables are most salient in SRC risk, thus informing prevention and intervention efforts for SRC such that they can be more personalized and tailored at the individual, environmental, and systems levels.
Open Access
The role of coping in depression and anxiety outcomes of US Latinx cancer patients
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2024) Vigodnier, Eva Victoria, author; Chavez, Ernest, advisor; Borrayo, Evelinn, advisor; Prince, Mark, committee member; Gonzalez-Voller, Jessica, committee member
Cancer diagnosis and treatment are related to adverse mental health outcomes, including increased depression and anxiety symptoms. Literature shows that lung cancer (LC) and head and neck cancer (HNC) patients report among the highest rates of depression and anxiety. These outcomes have been shown to be worse among medically underserved cancer patients, including the US Latinx population. However, no research exists that investigates rates of depression and anxiety among US Latinx LC and HNC patients nor potential protective factors. Further, research shows that the ways in which people cope with stressors has both positive and negative impact on mental health factors. The present study analyzed coping, depression, and anxiety outcomes among medically underserved US Latinx cancer patients. Results indicate that 29.51% of medically underserved US Latinx people newly diagnosed with LC or HNC report clinically relevant depression symptoms and 59.02% report clinically relevant anxiety symptoms. Self-efficacy in several forms of adaptive coping were also found to serve as protective factors toward depression and/or anxiety symptomatology and differences in coping self-efficacy were observed between individuals that met the clinical cut-offs for depression and/or anxiety across various coping strategies. Self-efficacy in coping strategies that were problem-focused and aimed at stopping unpleasant thoughts and emotions, were found to be most predictive of reduced depressive and anxious symptomatology. The present study is the first to explicate mental health outcomes among US Latinx people newly diagnosed with LC or HNC and to identify salient coping factors that buffer depression and anxiety symptoms. Implications for mental health intervention in oncological treatment settings are discussed.
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Vocational Discernment Through Faith Scale: development and validation
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2024) Alayan, Alexandra J., author; Dik, Bryan J., advisor; Anderson, Sharon, committee member; Prince, Mark, committee member; Gibbons, Alyssa, committee member
People who identify as religious/spiritual may pray for direction and then wait until a clear response is received, however, theologians have argued that God has historically guided career paths indirectly through one's utilization of resources aiding in self-reflection and career discernment. Practical career development recommendations have encouraged students who may identify as religious or spiritual to take active discernment approaches instead of passive discernment approaches within the career decision-making process. There is a paucity of research quantitatively exploring the role of religion/spirituality in one's career decision-making process. The current project involved two studies designed to comprehensively explore and investigate the validity and reliability of the Vocational Discernment Through Faith Scale, which quantitatively measured the constructs of passive discernment and active discernment approaches to the career decision-making process. Participants were undergraduate students at Colorado State University, a large Western (U.S.) public university, recruited from the population of students enrolled in introductory psychology courses. Results indicated initial evidence of psychometrically sound qualities of a condensed two-factor scale that showed adequate to good fit across factor analysis processes using both Exploratory Factor Analysis (Study One) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (Study Two). Results also suggested strong internal consistency reliability for the two dimensions of the scale, and promising test-retest reliability results. These results are promising, and point to the need for future research that continues to investigate the factor structure of the Vocational Discernment through Faith Scale.
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Multi-dimensional aspects of mindfulness: psychometric evaluation, neurobiological underpinnings, and experiential insights
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2024) Duffy, John R., author; Thomas, Michael L., advisor; Davalos, Deana, committee member; Graham, Dan, committee member; Stephans, Jaclyn, committee member
Objective: This dissertation aimed to deepen our understanding of mindfulness by exploring a psychometric evaluation of self-report scales, neurobiological underpinnings, and experiential insights in a multidimensional approach. The objective encompassed three specific aims: firstly, to evaluate the psychometric effectiveness of two self-report scales; the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) and the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) within populations diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), ensuring these tools' validity and reliability while addressing the complexity of mindfulness. Secondly, the research intended to synthesize existing literature on brain networks related to mindfulness through an umbrella review (a review of reviews / metanalyses), aimed to clarify the neural mechanisms of mindfulness. Thirdly, the study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to compare brain activity between a control group performing a visualization task (control) and a group engaged in a guided compassion meditation (experimental). This comprehensive framework sought to advance the field of mindfulness research by integrating psychometric analysis, brain network review synthesis, and experimental neuroimaging to enhance theoretical understanding of mindfulness. Method: We employed a three-pronged methodological approach. Firstly, a psychometric evaluation of the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) and the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) to assess their reliability and validity in a PTSD-affected veteran population. Secondly, we conducted an umbrella review to synthesize existing research on brain networks and connectivity related to mindfulness to map out neural correlates and their implications. Thirdly, an experimental study using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) compared neural activation patterns between participants engaged in a visualization task and those practicing guided compassion meditation, aimed to identify distinct neural activities associated with this mindfulness practices. Results: The psychometric evaluation of the MAAS and FFMQ confirmed their validity and reliability in assessing mindfulness in PTSD populations, highlighting mindfulness as a complex, multifaceted construct. An umbrella review of existing literature demonstrated the significant impact of mindfulness on brain connectivity, particularly in the DMN, CEN, and SN networks. The experimental fMRI study revealed distinct neural activation patterns between compassion mindfulness and a visualization task, with compassion mindfulness showing decreased activity in regions involved in emotional regulation and cognitive functions, such as the medial superior prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex. Conclusions: These findings affirm the utility of MAAS and FFMQ reliability and validity, but demand more nuanced research based on a more multifaceted concept of mindfulness. The impact of mindfulness on large-scale brain networks underscores its potential to enhance cognitive and emotional regulation through neuroplasticity. However, significant methodological variability across studies calls for standardized research protocols to ensure consistency and reliability. Future research should address these limitations, explore the long-term effects of mindfulness, and include diverse populations to improve the generalizability of mindfulness-based interventions. Finally, significant differences in neural activation patterns between visualization tasks and compassion mindfulness meditation, indicate that such mindfulness practices may uniquely influence brain regions associated with emotional regulation and cognitive processes. These findings highlight the potential of compassion mindfulness to modulate brain activity in these areas, offering insights into its mechanisms and benefits.
Open Access
Enhancing visual search performance: investigating cue effectiveness, dual cueing, automation bias, and attentional tunneling in complex search scenes with head-mounted displays
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2024) Warden, Amelia C., author; Cleary, Anne, advisor; Wickens, Christopher D., advisor; Graham, Dan, committee member; Arefin, Mohammad, committee member
In large complex environments, such as urban driving or flying a plane, human attention may be overloaded, leading to negative consequences when encountering expected and unexpected hazards, like pedestrians crossing the street or a cart on the runway. In such situations, the searcher may benefit from attention cues presented with an HMD. The current experiments address gaps in HMD attention cueing by investigating the effectiveness of different cue properties: cue precision, dual-cueing, cue frame-of-reference, and the impact of imperfectly reliable automation. In all three experiments, participants searched for a routine target (cued or uncued) and an uncued, less expected high priority target. Search efficiency was examined across three different platforms with increasing search field sizes and realism: a static search with a 2D wide-angle desktop display (Experiment 1), a static search presented with an augmented-reality head-mounted display (AR-HMD; Experiment 2), and dynamic search in a 3D virtual reality environment (Experiment 3). Search performance benefited from cueing compared to an unaided search in all experiments. Dual-cueing provided the greatest benefit with the AR-HMD when the searcher's field-of-view (FOV) was constrained by the device's FOV because the searcher benefited from a global cue that indicated which direction they could find the locally cued target. While cueing improved search efficiency, cues showed an overall automation bias, with searchers blindly following incorrect automation. This bias was slightly amplified by the dual cue compared to the single cue. Lastly, there was a trend suggesting automation-based attentional tunneling, where the uncued, less expected high priority target was missed. Overall, attention cueing significantly enhances search performance, particularly with dual cues when targets appear outside of the searcher's FOV. But cueing also introduces an automation bias. These findings have design implications for optimizing automated cueing systems for various platforms to enhance hazard detection in real-world large scenes.

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