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Psychology Dissertations and Theses

Theses/dissertations from 2024 2024.

Faculty Mentors' Influence on Latino/a/x STEM Undergraduates' STEM Identity Development , Sandy Cerda-Lezama

Individual and Structural Contributors to Implicit and Explicit Anti-Muslim Bias in the United States , Aeleah M. Granger

The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Juvenile Offender Typology , Aliza Beth Lipman

The Wage of Wellness: The Relationship Between Socioeconomic Status, Race, and Work Recovery , Emily Julia Ready

It Takes a Village: An Examination of Social Relationships and Mental Health , Em Francis Trubits

Theses/Dissertations from 2023 2023

Examining Factors Impacting the Service Needs of Unhoused Women , Holly Brott

Main, Mediated, and Moderated Effects of Participating in an After-School Social and Emotional Learning Program on Young Children's Development of Social-Emotional Skills , Amy L. Cordier

Who Puts the "Support" in Supportive Housing? The Impact of Housing Staff on Resident's Well-Being, and the Potential Moderating Role of Self-Determination , Kenna Estell Dickard

Motivation to Collaborate: A Qualitative Exploration of the Perspectives of Service Providers on an Alternative First Response Program , Desiree' J. DuBoise

Tell Me, Do You Feel It Too? A Meta-analysis of Dyadic Emotional Contagion in the Workplace , Stefanie Fox

Left on "Read" and All Alone: Instigated Cyber Incivility, Shame, and Experienced Ostracism at Work , Alison Lucia Hunt

Exploring Associations between Military Identity and Well-being Outcomes among Post-9/11 Veterans after Separation , James David Lee

Experiences of People with Serious Mental Illness Seeking Services at Community Mental Health Centers During the COVID-19 Pandemic , Emily Leickly

Why So Serious? Using the Belongingness Need Tenet from the Self-Determination Theory to Examine Workplace Humor and Its Outcomes , Katharine Lucille McMahon

Emotion Knowledge, Its Applications, and Their Associations With African American Children's Social Relationships With Teachers and Peers in Kindergarten and First Grade , Brielle Emily Petit

Stress-Reduction from Positive Support: Impacts of Receiving Partner Capitalization Support on Veteran Stress/Work Stress , MaryAnn Dona Samson

Diversity in Recruitment: The Role of Realistic Website Job Previews for Racial and Ethnic Minority Applicants , Jennifer Saucedo

Antecedents of FSSB: Evaluating the Demographic Basis of Support , Erika Ann Schemmel

A Daily Investigation of the Recovery Paradox: Examining the Dynamic Interplay of Workload, Recovery Experiences, and Microbreaks , Morgan Rose Taylor

Not on the Menu: Customer Sexual Harassment in the Restaurant Industry , Fernanda Wolburg Martinez

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Model.Disclose(): Examination of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Disclosure at Work , Timothy Allen Carsey

Transforming Learning Communities, Transforming Ourselves: A Qualitative Investigation of Identity Processes in a Participatory Action Research-themed Undergraduate Course , Julia Sara Dancis

Clarifying and Measuring Inclusive Leadership , Kelly Mason Hamilton

Intersections of Masculinity, Culturally Relevant Factors, and Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration Among Asian American Men , Jason Z. Kyler-Yano

Sleeping to Support: An Examination of the Relationship Between Leader Sleep and Positive Support Behaviors , Jordyn Jan Leslie

Work-Related IPV Among Latinos: Exploring the Roles of Fatherhood Status, Gendered Expectations, and Support for Intimate Partner's Employment , Adrian Luis Manriquez

Masculinity Instability and Ideologies as Predictors of IPV Perpetration: The Mediating Role of Relationship Power , Emma Christine Marioles O'Connor

The Benefits of Social Support on Health and Well-Being in Military Populations: Examining Mechanisms, Source of Support, and the Reach of a Workplace Well-Being Intervention , AnnaMarie Sophia O'Neill

Do Motives Matter? The Role of Motivation in Shaping the Impact of Mindfulness Training on Teachers' Psychological Distress and Wellbeing , Cristi N. Pinela

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

The Longitudinal Effects of a Family and Sleep Supportive Intervention on Service Member Anger and Resilience , Shalene Joyce Allen

Drug Conviction and Employment Restriction: Experiences of Employees with Drug-Related Criminal Histories , Liana Bernard

Sustaining Boys' Motivation Over the Transition to Middle School: Can Interpersonal Resources Protect Boys from Engagement Declines Across Sixth Grade? , Brandy Anne Brennan

Returning to Rejection: Outcomes and Boundary Conditions of Mental Illness Stereotypes , Stefanie Fox

Guarding Against Strain: The Moderating Role of Nonwork Experiences in the Relationship Between Work-Related Hypervigilance and Strain in Correctional Officers , Samantha Getzen

Anti-Muslim Bias: Investigating Individual Differences, Threat Perceptions, and Emotions in Islamophobic Policy Support , Aeleah M. Granger

Black Children's Development of Self-Regulation within Stressful Contexts of Parenting: Investigating Potential Buffering Effects of a Kindergarten Social-Emotional Learning Program , Eli Labinger

"Like I Was an Actual Researcher": Participation and Identity Trajectories of Underrepresented Minority and First-Generation STEM Students in Research Training Communities of Practice , Jennifer Lynn Lindwall

Claiming Miscommunication to Justify Rape: The Role of Liking the Perpetrator , Alyssa Marie Glace Maryn

An "I" for an "I" : A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Instigated and Reciprocal Incivility , Lauren Sarah Park

Parenting and Children's Academic Coping as a Dynamic System: Feedforward, Feedback, and Mediators of Changes Across the School Year , Kristen Elizabeth Raine

Does Experiencing Spousal Support and Strain Impact the Quality of Family-Based Support that Supervisors Provide to Employees? , Joseph Alvin Sherwood

"B-ing Flexible" : Examining Creativity in Bisexual Employees , Megan Jane Snoeyink

Exploring the Relationships Between Community Experiences and Well-Being among Youth Experiencing Homelessness , Katricia Stewart

Mothers' Drinking Motives , Sheila Kathleen Umemoto

An Examination of Nurses' Schedule Characteristics, Recovery from Work, and Well-Being , Sarah Elizabeth Van Dyck

Preventing Sexual Violence Through Understanding Perceptions of Sexual Offenders , Judith G. Zatkin

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Examining Employee Needs at Work and Home: a Self-Determination Theory Perspective , Dana Anuhea Auten

Trajectories, Time Windows, and Alternative Pathways of Engagement: Motivational Resources Underlying Academic Development during Middle School , Heather Anne Brule

Examining Mindfulness Training for Teachers: Theoretical and Methodological Extensions of Intervention Effectiveness , Jaiya Rae Choles

Detecting Reinforcement Patterns in the Stream of Naturalistic Observations of Social Interactions , James Lamar DeLaney 3rd

An Investigation of the Temporal Relationship Between Agitation and Sleep Disturbances , Emily Catherine Denning

Peers' Academic Coping as a Resource for Academic Engagement and Motivational Resilience in the First Year of Middle School , Daniel Lee Grimes

Home Resources Supporting Workplace Resources: an Investigation of Moderated Intervention Effects From the Study for Employment Retention of Veterans (SERVe) , Sarah Nielsen Haverly

"It Puts a Face to All the Knowledge We've Gotten" : a Program of Research on Intimate Partner Violence Surrogate Impact Panels , Kate Louise Sackett Kerrigan

A Daily Examination of Anger and Alcohol Use Among Post-9/11 Veterans , James David Lee

An Examination of Daily Family-Supportive Supervisor Behaviors, Perceived Supervisor Responsiveness and Job Satisfaction , Luke Daniel Mahoney

Nurse Can't Even: the Immediate Impact of Incivility on Affect, Well-being, and Behavior , Katharine Lucille McMahon

Perceptions of Police Use of Force at the Intersection of Race and Pregnancy , Emma Elizabeth Lee Money

The Impact of Paternal Caregivers for Youth Who Commit Sexual Offenses , Miranda Hope Sitney

Human Energy in the Workplace: an Investigation of Daily Energy Management Strategies, Job Stressors and Employee Outcomes , Morgan Rose Taylor

Individual and Community Supports that Impact Community Inclusion and Recovery for Individuals with Serious Mental Illnesses , Rachel Elizabeth Terry

Investigating Sexual Fantasy and Sexual Behavior in Adolescent Offenders , Hayley Lauren Tews

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Integrating Work Ability into the Organizational Science Literature: Advancing Theory and Developing the Nomological Network , Grant Brady

Family Linked Workplace Resources and Contextual Factors as Important Predictors of Job and Individual Well-being for Employees and Families , Jacquelyn Marie Brady

The Role of Teacher Autonomy Support Across the Transition to Middle School: its Components, Reach, and Developmental Effects , Julia Sara Dancis

Does X Mark the Applicant? Assessing Reactions to Gender Non-Binary Job Seekers , Kelly Mason Hamilton

Urbanicity as a Moderator of the Relationship Between Stigma and Well-being Outcomes for Individuals with Serious Mental Illnesses , Emily Leickly

The Relationship Between Undergraduate Research Training Programs and Motivational Resources for Underrepresented Minority Students in STEM: Program Participation, Self-efficacy, a Sense of Belonging, and Academic Performance , Jennifer Lindwall

Perceived Partner Responsiveness, Sleep and Pain: a Dyadic Study of Military-Connected Couples , AnnaMarie Sophia O'Neill

Recruitment Marketing: How Do Wellness and Work-Life Benefits Influence Employer Image Perceptions, Organizational Attraction, and Job Pursuit Intentions? , Amy Christine Pytlovany

The Combined Effects of Parent and Teacher Involvement on the Development of Adolescents' Academic Engagement , Nicolette Paige Rickert

Examining the Development and Classroom Dynamics of Student Disaffection Over Multiple Time Periods: Short-term Episodes and Long-term Trajectories , Emily Anne Saxton

Drinking on a Work Night: a Comparison of Day and Person-Level Associations with Workplace Outcomes , Brittnie Renae Shepherd

Development and Validation of the Workplace Mental Illness Stigma Scale (W-MISS) , Nicholas Anthony Smith

Relational Thriving in Context: Examining the Roles of Gratitude, Affectionate Touch, and Positive Affective Variability in Health and Well-Being , Alicia Rochelle Starkey

Preventing Child Sexual Abuse and Juvenile Offending Through Parental Monitoring , Kelly E. Stewart

"To Call or Not to Call?" The Impact of Supervisor Training on Call Center Employee Attitudes and Well-Being , Whitney Elan Schneider Vogel

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

The Impact of Leader Race and Gender on Perceptions of Organizations in Response to Corporate Error , Nicolas Derek Brown

Impacts of Mindfulness Training on Mechanisms Underlying Stress Reduction in Teachers: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial , Jaiya Rae Choles

Student Motivation Profiles as a Diagnostic Tool to Help Teachers Provide Targeted Support , Cailin Tricia Currie

Insufficient Effort Responding on Mturk Surveys: Evidence-Based Quality Control for Organizational Research , Lee Cyr

Affirmative Consent Endorsement and Peer Norms Supporting Sexual Violence Among Vulnerable Students on College Campuses , Alyssa Marie Glace

Gendered Partner-Ideals, Relationship Satisfaction, and Intimate Partner Violence , Sylvia Marie Ferguson Kidder

Organizational Calling and Safety: the Role of Workload and Supervisor Support , Layla Rhiannon Mansfield

Bystander Intervention to Prevent Campus Sexual Violence: the Role of Sense of Community, Peer Norms, and Administrative Responding , Erin Christine McConnell

Benevolent Sexism and Racial Stereotypes: Targets, Functions, and Consequences , Jean Marie McMahon

Perceived Overqualification and Withdrawal Among Seasonal Workers: Would Work Motivation Make a Difference? , Anthony Duy Nguyen

Differential Well-Being in Response to Incivility and Surface Acting among Nurses as a Function of Race , Lauren Sarah Park

Financial Strain and the Work-Home Interface: a Test of the Work-Home Resources Model from the Study for Employment Retention of Veterans (SERVe) , MacKenna Laine Perry

Neighbor Perceptions of Psychiatric Supportive Housing : the Role of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors , Amy Leigh Shearer

The Role of Caregiver Disruption in the Development of Juvenile Sexual Offenders , Miranda Sitney

Intrapersonal and Social-Contextual Factors Related to Psychological Well-being among Youth Experiencing Homelessness , Katricia Stewart

Age-based Differences in the Usefulness of Resources: a Multi-Study Investigation of Work and Well-being Outcomes , Lale Muazzez Yaldiz

Pathways to Kindergarten Growth: Synthesizing Theories of the Kindergarten Transition to Support Children's Development , Rita Yelverton

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

The Force of Manhood: the Consequences of Masculinity Threat on Police Officer Use of Force , Aurelia Terese Alston

Supervisor Mindfulness and Its Association with Leader-Member Exchange , Dana Anuhea Auten

Combat Experiences, Iso-strain, and Sleep Quality Affect Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress among Working Post-9/11 Veterans , Gilbert Patrick Brady Jr.

A Study of Shame-proneness, Drinking Behaviors, and Workplace Role Ambiguity Among a Sample of Student Workers , Sarah Nielsen Haverly

Intraminority Support For and Participation In Race-Based Collective Action Movements: an Intersectional Perspective , Jaboa Shawntaé Lake

Patients and Nurses and Doctors Oh My!: Nurse Retention from a Multi-Foci Aggression Perspective , Kevin Oliver Novak

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Scholars' Bank

Psychology theses and dissertations.

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This collection contains some of the theses and dissertations produced by students in the University of Oregon Psychology Graduate Program. Paper copies of these and other dissertations and theses are available through the UO Libraries .

Recent Submissions

• When “Self-Harm” Means “Suicide”: Adolescent Online Help-Seeking for Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors  Lind, Monika ( University of Oregon , 2024-03-25 ) The sensitive period of adolescence facilitates key developmental tasks that equip young people to assume adult roles. Adolescence features important strengths, like the need to contribute, and some risks, like vulnerability ...
• Stereotypes and Social Decisions: The Interpersonal Consequences of Socioeconomic Status  Hughes, Bradley ( University of Oregon , 2024-01-09 ) Interpersonal perceptions of socioeconomic status (SES), those formed in face-to-face interactions, can perpetuate inequality if they influence interpersonal interactions in ways that disadvantage people with low SES. There ...
• Utilization of Linguistic Markers in Differentiation of Internalizing Disorders, Suicidality, and Identity Distress  Ivie, Elizabeth ( University of Oregon , 2024-01-09 ) The adolescent period of development is associated with a significant increase in the occurrence of mental illness. In addition, death by suicide is one of the leading causes of death amongst adolescents. Identity formation ...
• The Role of Fractal Fluency on Visual Perception  Robles, Kelly E. ( University of Oregon , 2024-01-09 ) From quarks to galaxies, the natural world is organized with fractal geometry. Fractal fluency theory suggests that due to their omnipresence in our visual world, fractals are more fluently processed by the visual system ...
• The Anatomy of Antagonism: Exploring the Relations of 20 Lexical Factors of Personality with Machiavellianism, Grandiose Narcissism, and Psychopathy  Kay, Cameron ( University of Oregon , 2024-01-09 ) Despite being the focus of extensive research over the past two decades, the structure of the “Dark Triad”—or, as I will refer to it here, the “Aversive Triad”—is still shrouded in confusion. Much of this confusion stems ...
• Content Representation in Lateral Parietal Cortex  Zhao, Yufei ( University of Oregon , 2024-01-09 ) While the lateral parietal cortex (LPC) in the human brain is traditionally investigated for its functions in visual perception, more recent evidence has highlighted its substantial contribution to supporting human episodic ...
• Sociocultural Contexts of Emotion Socialization in BIPOC Families  Lee, Angela ( University of Oregon , 2024-01-09 ) Having effective emotion regulation skills is critical to socioemotional well-being, and parents play a key role in the development of children’s emotion regulation through emotion socialization behaviors. However, since ...
• Cross-ideological Communication: The Impact of Real Conversations Compared to Imagined Ones  Niella, Tamara ( University of Oregon , 2024-01-09 ) Political polarization has visibly increased in the last few years. A sense of divisiveness has been exacerbated by a surge in social media communication about contentious issues which has been replacing face-to-face ...
• Inflammation, Mental Health, and the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Pilot Study with Child Welfare Service Involved Families  Horn, Sarah ( University of Oregon , 2024-01-09 ) The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has posited unique challenges for families and significantly disrupted several aspects of children’s environments. The pandemic is an ongoing risk experience, with young children being ...
• Testing Novel Norm Interventions for Promoting Pro-environmental Consumption  Lieber, Sara ( University of Oregon , 2024-01-09 ) The purpose of the current project was to investigate how a social psychology approach could be used to develop an effective climate-change mitigation tool. A commonly used technique in the social psychology literature for ...
• Understanding the Misunderstood Emotion: A Mixed-Methods Investigation of Variants of Anger  Razavi, Pooya ( University of Oregon , 2023-07-06 ) In cultural accounts and scholarly writings about anger, we see conceptualizations that reflect the existence of two variants: an anger perceived as moral, appropriate, and justified; and an anger considered wrong and ...
• Measuring long-term memories at the feature level reveals mechanisms of interference resolution  Drascher, Maxwell ( University of Oregon , 2023-07-06 ) When memories share similar features, this can lead to interference, and ultimately forgetting. At the same time, many highly similar memories are remembered vividly for years to come. Understanding what causes interference ...
• The Role of Hierarchical Structures in Cognition  Moss, Melissa ( University of Oregon , 2023-07-06 ) Individuals routinely execute complex tasks that involve multiple, dependent levels of information, such as driving a car or cooking dinner. It is amazing that our cognitive system is able to represent such complex, ...
• A Contextual Psychology Approach to Improving Health Outcomes in the Perinatal Period  Lightcap, April ( University of Oregon , 2023-07-06 ) The United States holds alarming records for highest infant and maternal mortality rates in the developed world. The US infant mortality rate is on par with many low and middle income countries, and despite the decline in ...
• The Study of Behavior Settings as an Aid in Mental Hospital Analysis: A Methodological Exploration  Rose, David William ( University of Oregon , 1969-06 ) The ultimate goal of all mental hospital analyses is to provide information which by direct implication or through analysis might act as a guide in restructuring environment in which the mental patient lives. The goal of ...
• Personality-Driven Social Media Curation: How Personality Traits Affect Following Decisions on Twitter  Bedford-Petersen, Cianna ( University of Oregon , 2023-03-24 ) As social media occupies an increasingly important place in people’s lives, new opportunities are presented for people to select and modify their online environments. On many platforms, users have significant control over ...
• Stability of Mind-Mindedness Across the Transition to Motherhood and its Longitudinal Association with Children’s Theory of Mind & Executive Function  Gluck, Stephanie ( University of Oregon , 2023-03-24 ) Parental mind-mindedness refers to caregivers’ propensity to attribute mind-like and intentional qualities in their interactions with or representation of their young children. It is proposed to be associated with positive ...
• Dating and Mating in Adolescence: How Hormones and Puberty Influence Adolescent Mating Motivation  Donaldson, Sarah ( University of Oregon , 2022-10-26 ) Puberty marks the physical transition towards sexual maturity, culminating in the ability to reproduce. It follows that maturing cognitive, affective, and social skills develop concurrently to support reproductive competence, ...
• Individual Differences in Memory Functions and Their Relation to Hippocampal Connectivity  Frank, Lea ( University of Oregon , 2022-10-26 ) The hippocampus plays an important role in many aspects of learning and memory. It is most known for its role in episodic memory and spatial navigation, though it has also been shown to contribute to other processes like ...
• Collective Ongoing Betrayal Trauma: Gendered and Racialized Police Violence toward the Black Community  Barnes, Melissa ( University of Oregon , 2022-10-26 ) Racialized and gendered police violence is a pernicious problem for Black communities. For my dissertation, I empirically tested a novel theoretical concept, Collective Ongoing Betrayal Trauma (COBT). COBT integrates the ...

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Class of 2023 /  2022 /  2021 /  2020  / 2019  /  2018 /  2017 /  2016 /  2015 /  2014 /  2013 /  2012 2011  /  2010  /  2009 /  2008 /  2007 /  2006  /  2005  /  2004  /  2003  /  2002 2001  (PDF)/  2000  (PDF) /  1999  (PDF) List of Prize-Winning Theses, 2001 - Present

Reading Sample Theses

As you prepare for your thesis, you might want to get a sense of what you can accomplish in your finished product. Reading past theses can show you the scope and nature of well-done undergraduate projects. Because theses in different areas of psychology often look quite different, it will help you to examine several in the same general area you plan to conduct your research in.

The Psychology Undergraduate Office has hard copies of several prize-winning theses from the past five years that you may sign out to see what the best undergraduate work looks like. Above, you can browse the titles of past undergraduate theses to give you an idea of the topics of theses students typically write.

Only hard copies of recent prize-winning theses are currently available.

Please note: Recent theses stored in the Social Relations Library (which recently closed) are unavailable. Inquirers needing a thesis that is not listed in HOLLIS should contact the authors of theses directly to attempt to obtain a copy.  

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Home > Academic Units > SPFC > CPY Dissertations

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

The Seattle Pacific University Department of Clinical Psychology is an APA-accredited doctoral program offering both an M.S. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology.

This series contains successfully defended doctoral dissertations.

Dissertations from 2023 2023

Unhealed Wounds: From Complex Trauma Exposure to Wellbeing and the Role of Coping , Mohammed K. Alsubaie

Understanding the Effects of Empathy and Masculine Gender Role Stress on the Relationship Between Gender and the Understanding of Consent in adolescents: A Moderated Mediation Framework , Kate Degenhardt

Suicidal Ideation and Community Connectedness in LGBTQ+ Adults: Can Emotion Regulation and Mindfulness Skills Help? , Samantha V. Jacobson

Sensory processing impacts on sleep patterns in children with neurodevelopmental disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic , Julianne M. Myers

Dissertations from 2022 2022

The Impact of COVID-19 on Secondary Victimization and Resiliency Following Sexual Assault , Elena Cantorna

Developmental Trajectories of Positive Emotion Regulation: The Moderating Effects of Gender and Parenting , Hailey Caudle

The Role of Coping Self-Efficacy, Coping Strategies, and Resiliency Following Sexual Assault , Lauren Hirsch

Ableist Microaggressions and Well-being: Investigating the Moderating Effect of Coping Strategies , Whitney Morean

Relations of EEG and Perceived Response to Methylphenidate among Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder , Tara M. Rutter

Integrative Meaning, Mindfulness, and Traumatic Grief Among Bereaved Adults , Brandy Tidwell

Parental Attachment and Compassion as Predictors of Distress Disclosure Among Young Adults , Ellie N. Wilde

School Related Criminal Acts, Interpersonal Problems, and Classroom Behaviors as a Function of The Proportion of Black Students and Black Teachers , LeAnne Zaire

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Telehealth Mindful Parenting Training on Executive Function in Autistic Children and their Parents , Vanessa Zhou

Dissertations from 2021 2021

Investigating the Effects of Endurance of Marriage on the Relationship between Attachment and Love Style , Melissa Caris

Parental Accommodation as a Mediator of Parenting Style on Changes in Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Symptoms , Jennifer Cataldi

Predicting First Responder Resilience: Investigating the Indirect Effect of Posttraumatic Cognitions through Coping Processes , Michael Dolezal

How Social Support Affects Career Adaptability through the Academic Career , Megan Fox

Longitudinal Trauma Treatment Outcomes in an Immigrant and Refugee Sample , Shuen-En Ho

Attachment, Trait Mindfulness, and Expectations in Married Women: A Moderated Mediation Model , Elizabeth Larson

Depression as a Moderator of the Relationship between Perceived Injustice and Neuropsychological Performance Validity among Individuals Previously Diagnosed with a Concussion , Jeremiah Lum

Psychometrics of a Measure of Sexual Assault Coping Self-Efficacy: A Comparison of Across Age Groups , Thomas Pankau

Posttraumatic Cognitions as a Pathway from Resilience to Sleep in First Responders , Emily Peterman Cabano

Detachment and Antagonism as Moderators of Effects of Psychosocial Stressors on Emotional Distress in Daily Life , Christina My Quach

Development of the Sexual Shame Inventory , Jyssica Seebeck

School Violence and Suicidal Ideation: The Mediating Roles of Perceived School Safety and Substance Use Among Adolescents , Jordan Skalisky

Shame Proneness as a Vulnerability Factor for Negative Emotions in the Context of Interpersonal Stressors: An Experience Sampling Study , Oxana L. Stebbins

An Examination of the Role of Interpersonal Stressors and Attachment Style in Dissociative Experiences , Erin Verdi

Dissertations from 2020 2020

What Happens When Youth Talk About Their Problems? Co-Rumination as a Mechanism of Stress Generation , Jaclyn T. Aldrich

Moderation of Effects of Anxiety on Verbal and Visuospatial Short-Term Memory in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder , Rachael Arowolo

Impacts of Motor and Sensory Impairment on Language in Young Children with Autism , Elizabeth A. Bisi

Psychometric Evaluation of the Calling and Vocation Questionnaire-Revised (CVQ-R) and Calling and Vocation Questionnaire-10 Item (CVQ-10) , Caitlin Coyer

An Integrated Analysis of the Mechanisms by Which Parents Facilitate the Development of Emotion Regulation in Young Adolescents , Andrew Fox

Examining the Factors that Mediate the Relationship from Legal Advocacy Satisfaction to Resilience , Desta T. Gebregiorgis

The Costs of COVID-19: Loneliness, Coping, and Psychological Distress in the United States Population , Lauren Hammond

Autism and Externalizing Behaviors: Attachment as a Protective Factor , Rebecca Kramer

Generalized Anxiety Symptoms and Interpersonal Self-Perceptions During Stressors: A Prospective Examination of Psychological and Biological Stress , Jamie A. Lewis

Parent Emotion Coaching and Affect Recognition in Theory of Mind in Autism Spectrum Disorder , Audrey L. O'Connor

The Missing Moral Dimension: Perceptions of Transgressions and the Moderating Role of Moral Foundations on Psychological Distress , Hannah Reas

Generalized Anxiety Disorder Symptoms as a Moderator of Affective Reactions to Perceived Interpersonal Behaviors , Narayan B. Singh

Posttraumatic Growth in the Context of Grief: Testing the Mindfulness-to-Meaning Theory , Honey Williams

Trauma Exposure, Depressive Symptoms, and Responding to Positive Events and Affect in Young Adults , Jana DeSimone Wozniak

Dissertations from 2019 2019

The Impact of Trauma Experience, Adverse Early Circumstances and Unit Cohesion on Posttraumatic Growth in Active Duty Service Members , John Charleson

Cognitive Functioning, Depression, and Strengths as Predictors of Quality of Life in Multiple Sclerosis , Tara Annthea Crouch

The Roles of Pragmatic Language and Theory of Mind in the Adaptive Communication Skills of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder , Taja Estrada

Campus Shootings: Does Religious Faith and Relationship with Victims Affect Psychological Well-Being? , Melissa J. Gowen

Attachment and Internalizing and Externalizing Problems in Adolescence: Exploring the Mediating Role of Physiological Self-Regulation Capacity , Michelle A. Kuhn

The Effect of a Substance Use Intervention on Co-occurring Adolescent Depression Symptoms , Elizabeth Ann Lehinger PhD

The Effect of Substance Use on the Relationship between PTSD Symptom Clusters and Suicide in Adolescents , Lindsay S. Moore

Emotional Clarity in Young Adults: Operationalization, Measurement, and Associations with Mental Health Outcomes , Madeline D W Noland

Examining Depression Symptoms, Parental Stress, and Dispositional Mindfulness in Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder , Tracey Ward

RSA in Young Adults: Identifying Naturally-Occurring Response Patterns and Correlates , Brittany K. Willey

Dissertations from 2018 2018

Examining the Interaction between Stress Exposure and Stress Reactivity as Predictors of Reward Sensitivity and Anhedonia Symptoms , Joshua Ahles

The Impact of Bully Victimization and Substance Use on Suicidal Behavior in Sexual Minority Youth , Ashley Christine Estoup

The Role of Joint Attention in Pragmatic Language Development in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders , Ellen F. Geib

Investigating the Effects of Adult Insecure Attachment on Interpersonal Attraction , Fiona B. Kurtz Ms.

A Grounded Theory Qualitative Research Approach to Understanding Enduring Marriage , Heather Lucas

Examining the Moderating Role of Anxiety Symptoms on Insistence on Sameness in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder , Wayne Eric Mason Jr

Physiological Activation as a Mediator in the Relationship Between Perseverative Cognition and Somatic Symptoms , Karly M. Murphy

Examining the Interacting Effects of Marital Role Salience and Satisfaction on Mental Health Trajectories of Female Expatriates , Kaitlin M. Patton

Sexual Violence and Legal Advocacy: Psychometric Evaluation of the Legal Advocacy Services Satisfaction Survey , Joanne K. Sparrow

The Association of Attachment and Marital Satisfaction Mediated by Implicit Theories of Relationships , Sadie Teal

Summer Treatment Program for ADHD and ASD: The Role of Physical Activity, Sleep and Inhibitory Control , Erin G. Underbrink

A program evaluation of ZGiRLS: The role of cognitive emotion regulation in predicting mental health outcomes in adolescent girls , Julie Vieselmeyer

Dissertations from 2017 2017

Risky Sex and Alcohol-Related Behaviors and Cognitions in Adolescents: Evaluating a Values-Based Intervention , Meredith K. Chapman

The Etiology and Phenomenology of Sexual Shame: A Grounded Theory Study , Noel Clark

The Effect of Emotional Vulnerability and Invalidation on Emotion Dysregulation in Early Adolescence: An Empirical Investigation of Linehan’s Biosocial Theory of Borderline Personality Disorder , Sarah Crystal

The Effectiveness of Text Coaching on Substance Use Treatment Outcomes in Adolescence , Emily Hu

Sexual Assault Coping Self-efficacy as Moderated by Legal Advocacy Social Support , Clara Jane Roberts

The Relationship Between Trauma and Well-Being: Moral Emotions in Sex-Trafficked Women , Gina M. Scarsella

Dissertations from 2016 2016

Internalizing Symptoms: Relations to Executive Functions in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder , Jessica L. Berg

Ecosystemic Effects of Military Sexual Trauma in Male Service Members and Veterans , Jessica A. Carlile

International Interests and Psychological Well-Being Following Global Service Learning as a Function of Sociocultural Adaptation and Cultural Distance , Elizabeth C. Dykhouse

Stress and Somatic Symptoms: Rumination and Negative Affect as Moderators , Melissa Joy Garner

Integrating Cognitive Mechanisms in the Relationship Between Trait Affect and Depressive Symptoms: The Role of Affect Amplification , Kaitlin A. Harding

Brooding, Avoidance, and Suppression as Mechanisms Linking Shame-Proneness with Depressive Symptoms , Melissa Rose Hudson

Courage, Psychological Well-being, and Somatic Symptoms , Christopher J. Keller

The Role of Emotional Distress in Predicting Opiate Analgesic Medication Use in Chronic Pain Patients , Amy E. Kupper

Temperament and Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia as Contributors to Externalizing Behavior Among Early Adolescents , Tyler Laney Ph.D.

Impact of Situational Context on Gratitude and its Affective Outcomes , Adam P. McGuire

Does Use of Neutralization Techniques Predict Delinquency and Substance Use Outcomes? , Erin C. Siebert

Psychometric Evaluation of the Offender Coping Self-Efficacy Scale in the Context of Incarceration and Upon Re-entry , Minhdan Thuy Ta

Queers in the Hands of a Loving God: God Image, Strength of Faith, and Campus Climate in Predicting Self-Stigma , Sage Liam Willis

Dissertations from 2015 2015

Adaptive Functioning Deficits and Internalizing Problems in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders , Hayley A. Dauterman

The Relation of Hyperactivity to Parenting Stress within the Parent-Child Relationship in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders , Heather Davis

Negative Cognitive Style, Rumination, and Negative Emotionality as Mediators of the Antidepressive Effects of Physical Activity Among Young Adults , Kara Pegram

Examining the Relationship between Forgiveness and Subjective Well-Being as Moderated by Implicit Religiousness and Spirituality , Jessica Peterson

The ABCs of stress responding: Examining the time course of affective, biological, and cognitive responses to induced stress as prospective predictors of depressive symptoms , Marissa Erin Rudolph

Behavioral Health among Asian American and Pacific Islanders: The Impact of Acculturation and Receipt of Behavioral Health Services on Depression and Anxiety , Mari E. Yamamoto

Perspectives on a Positive Youth Development Environment for Youth with Developmental Disabilities in 4-H , Megan E. Zurawski

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Home > College of Social and Behavioral Sciences > Psychology > Psychology Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Psychology Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Theses/projects/dissertations from 2024 2024.

Impact of Perinatal Escitalopram Exposure on Adolescent Behavior , Jessica Bezenah - Bottorff

THE ROLE OF SOCIAL SUPPORT AND EMOTIONAL REGULATION IN RELATIONSHIP WITH ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES AND FOOD ADDICTION , NEGIN GHAFFARI

EFFECTS OF APOLIPOPROTEIN E, DEPRESSION, AND ANXIETY ON COGNITIVE DECLINE AMONG OLDER ADULTS AT RISK FOR ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE , Lea Hemphill

Career motivation as mediator between cultural self-construal and interest , Mengxuan Zhang

Theses/Projects/Dissertations from 2023 2023

WHY WE LEAVE: THE ROLE OF APPROACH AND AVOIDANCE MOTIVATIONS IN ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP DISSOLUTION , Emily Connard

THE IMPACT OF TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND WORKPLACE RELATIONSHIPS ON EMPLOYEE BURNOUT AND THEIR CORRELATION TO TURNOVER INTENTION AND ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT , Teni Davoudian

Development and Validation of the Employee-Supervisor Attachment Scale , Johnny Doherty

Adverse Childhood Experiences Effects on Hot and Cool Executive Functioning , Miriam Gabrielle Fenton

BIOMARKERS OF OBJECTIVE CRITERIA FOR SUBTLE COGNITIVE DECLINE IN PARKINSON’S DISEASE , Mary Ellen Garcia

THE EFFECTS OF INNOVATIVE WORK CULTURE AND TRAINING QUALITY ON COUNTERPRODUCTIVE WORK BEHAVIORS , Emily Anne Garreton

Perceptions of Interpersonal and Intrapersonal Gains Following a Therapeutically Applied Tabletop Role Play Game Group , Tyler Giatroudakis

Pathways Through Care of Latinx Individuals Experiencing First-Episode Psychosis , Estevan Hernandez

BURNING OUT OF TIME: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FUTURE TIME PERSPECTIVE, WORKAHOLISM, PSYCHOLOGICAL CAPITAL, EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE, AND BURNOUT , Hira Ikram

AUTHENTICITY, SUPPORT, AND IDENTITY MANAGEMENT IN THE WORKPLACE FOR TRANSGENDER EMPLOYEES , Raeven Jones

EMPLOYEE PERCEPTIONS OF STRESSORS AT WORK: AN ATTACHMENT PERSPECTIVE , Emma Josephine Naudet

Psychological Distress and Problematic Video Gaming: The Role of Psychological Inflexibility and Emotion Dysregulation , Frank Nieblas

IMPACT OF SUBJECTIVE COGNITIVE COMPLAINTS ON MCI DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA IN ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE , Rhiannon Rivas

One of Us: Monoracial Latinx Perspectives of Multiracial Latinx-White Individuals , Rosemary Rojas

Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers Not Associated with Neurologic Compromise Among Mild Cognitively Impaired Reverters with Parkinson's Disease , Cameron Ryczek

THE EFFECT OF RESPONSE FORMAT ON FAKING IN PERSONALITY MEASUREMENTS USED FOR PERSONNEL SELECTION , Gilberto Sanchez

An Evaluation of Therapeutically Applied Role-Playing Games for Psychological and Social Functioning Amongst Youth/Young Adults , Adam Thomas Soleski

REPEATED TREATMENT WITH 5-HT1A AND 5-HT1B RECEPTOR AGONISTS: EVIDENCE OF TOLERANCE AND BEHAVIORAL SENSITIZATION , Jordan Taylor

Toxic Leadership and its effect on Employees' Subjective Well-Being , Vaishnavi Waldiya

GRIEF, DEPRESSION, AND WELL-BEING: THE ROLE OF SOCIAL SUPPORT AND PSYCHOLOGICAL INFLEXIBILITY , Ashley Wicochea

The Effects of Organizational Justice , Anneliese Yuenger

Overtime Worked and Its Effect on Burnout, Illness, and Health outcomes , Haoqiu Zhang

Theses/Projects/Dissertations from 2022 2022

THE EFFECT OF NUMERACY AND MATH ANXIETY ON WHOLE NUMBER BIAS , Jasmine Jessica Leanna Bonsel

THE INFLUENCE OF MOTIVATION, ROLE IDENTITY, AND PERCEIVED MEANINGFULNESS OF WORK ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VOLUNTEER SATISFACTION AND VOLUNTEER CONTRIBUTION , Tonia Christine Caraveo

The Influence of Work-Life Balance Directionality on Retirement Decisions , Joshua Craig

The Relationship Between COVID-19 Stress, Psychological Inflexibility, and Psycholoical Well-Being , Alyx Duckering

AS SEEN ON TV: REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN ADVERTISEMENTS AND THE EFFECTS ON WOMEN’S SELF-PERCEPTIONS, SELF-OBJECTIFICATION, AND SELF-DEHUMANIZATION , Kori Gearhart

Social Comparison and Shifting in Quantitative Performance , Ashlee Pardo

TO PREVENT OR TO DECEIVE: THE EFFECTS OF ORGANIZATIONAL JUSTICE ON MALINGERING AND WORKPLACE INJURY VIA PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTRACT BREACH AND SAFETY CLIMATE , Abraham Rico

THE ROLE OF TRAUMA COPING SELF-EFFICACY AND SHAME IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VARIANTS OF SELF-BLAME AND PSYCHOLOGICAL OUTCOMES , Melody Robinson

OBSERVING GENDER ROLE SALIENCE AND GENDER ROLE FLEXIBILITY AS POTENTIAL BUFFERS BETWEEN LEVELS OF HOUSEHOLD RESPONSIBILITIES AND EXPERIENCES WITH WORK-FAMILY CONFLICT AND ROLE OVERLOAD , Roberta Alexis Salgado

PREDICTORS OF DEPRESSION IN DIFFERENT SUBGROUPS OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE: A NEUROIMAGING STUDY , Yenny Gabriela Valenzuela

Theses/Projects/Dissertations from 2021 2021

I AM OUT, NOW WHAT?: THE DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD OF BEING JUSTICE-INVOLVED , Eric J. Cazares

What Impact Can Conflict Resolution Skills Have on Conflict Experienced Within Culturally Heterogenous Virtual Teams? , Kellen Dohrman

ANTECEDENTS AND OUTCOMES OF EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONAL ORIENTATION PERCEPTION , Kaleb Garcia

HOUSEHOLD RESPONSIBILITIES AND EXPERIENCES OF WORK-FAMILY CONFLICT AND WELL-BEING AMONG FATHERS: THE ROLE OF IDENTITY AND GENDER ROLE BELIEFS , Rita Garcia

I’M ATTACHED TO MY WORK: AN INVESTIGATION OF JOB EMBEDDEDNESS AS A MEDIATOR BETWEEN WORKAHOLISM ON EMOTIONAL EXHAUSTION, SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING, AND TURNOVER INTENTIONS , Cristian Hernandez

HOW THE LEVEL OF JOB COMPLEXITY IMPACTS THE GENDER WAGE GAP ACROSS OCCUPATIONS , Zytlaly Magaña Corona

LGB EMPLOYMENT AND CIVIL RIGHTS PROTECTIONS: EMPHASIZING EXISTING AND POTENTIAL POLICY FOR IMPROVING THE LGB HIRING , Alexa Nicole Massiquet

FAMILY-SUPPORTIVE SUPERVISOR BEHAVIOR AND FATHERS’ WORK-FAMILY CONFLICT , Talar Ohanian

SEROTONIN 1B/1A RECEPTOR MODULATION ON BEHAVIORAL FLEXIBILITY IN C57BL/6J MICE , Brandon L. Oliver

EFFECTS OF NEONATAL ETHANOL EXPOSURE IN NORMAL AND DOPAMINE DEFICIENT RATS , Jessica Luz Razo

THE WEIGHT OF SCOPE, PACE, AND PRACTICES OF ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE DURING EVALUATIONS OF ACCEPTANCE OF ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE , Lewis Schneider

Inducing Proactive Control with High Load AX-CPT , Mina Selim

INVESTIGATING THE ROLE OF EXPECTATIONS OF DISCLOSURE IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRAUMA-RELATED SHAME AND SEEKING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES , Holly Rachelle Timblin

Does Working Memory Capacity Modulate the Relationship between Intentional Mind-Wandering and Task Demand? , Stephen Ware

Spirituality, Inclusivity, Workplace Well-Being, and Organizational Citizenship Behavior , Rebecca Williams

HELPING YOUR CHILDREN DEVELOP POSITIVE, SUCCESSFUL SIBLING RELATIONSHIPS: A 4-SESSION PARENTING WORKSHOP , Caitlin Marie Younger Sackett

Theses/Projects/Dissertations from 2020 2020

THE IMPACT OF EXPERIENCING AGEISM AND SOCIAL SUPPORT ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AGE AND PERCEPTIONS OF SELF-EFFICACY , Sean Alexander

Working Women’s Cognitive Attributions and Self-Perceptions After Experiences of Subtle Sexism and Internalized Sexism , Amanda Bain

THE IMPACT OF NEGATIVE AFFECT ON PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING THROUGH AFFECTIVE COMMITMENT, ORGANIZATIONAL CITIZENSHIP BEHAVIORS, AND EMPLOYEE BURNOUT , Michelle Balesh

BIOLOGICAL SIBLINGS: CAN YOU TRUST THEM WITH YOUR MATE? , Elisha Barron

THE INCREMENTAL EFFECT OF VOLUNTARINESS OF PART TIME WORK STATUS OVER AGE IN PREDICTING WORK MOTIVATION IN PART TIME WORKERS , Daniel A. Caro

INVESTIGATING WORK ENGAGEMENT AND AFFECTIVE COMMITMENT THROUGH A MULTI-DIMENSIONAL WORK UNDERLOAD SCALE, MEDIATED BY WORK-RELATED BOREDOM , Jessica Clemons

REFINEMENT OF THE SPITEFULNESS CONSTRUCT , Arturo Covarrubias-Paniagua

Anticipated Stigma and Chronic Illness: The Impact of Psychosocial Safety Climate , Michelle DeOrsey

A PARENTING CURRICULUM FOR PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS OF YOUNG CHILDREN WITH A FOCUS ON ATTACHMENT THEORY , Alexandria Driscoll

ESTABLISHING THE PUBLIC LIBRARY AS AN OUT-OF-SCHOOL PARTNER IN STEM/STEAM EDUCATION , Gwyneth Fernandez

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AUTOMATION THREAT AND EMPLOYEE RELATED OUTCOMES USING SUPPORT AS A BUFFER AND MODERATED BY TRANSFORMATIONAL AND TRANSACTIONAL LEADERSHIP , Monica Garcia

A FOUR-SESSION WORKSHOP FOR PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM: UNDERSTANDING AND MANAGING CHALLENGING BEHAVIORS, AND SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN WITH ASD , Vanessa Huizar

SELF-STIGMA AND HELP-SEEKING IN FIRST GENERATION STUDENTS: THE MODERATING ROLE OF EMPOWERMENT , D'Andra P. Johnson

Virtuality Now: Redefining Virtuality from an Individual Perspective , Trinity Kerr

SUPPORTING EARLY DEVELOPMENT AND SCHOOL READINESS IN INFANTS AND TODDLERS: A 4-SESSION PARENTING WORKSHOP , Elaine Krzeminski

Work-Related Communications After Hours: The Influence of Communication Technologies and Age on Work-Life Conflict and Burnout , Alison Loreg

The Myers-Briggs Personality System and its Moderating Effects on the Relationship Between Job Characteristics and Job Satisfaction , Rebecca Marshall

THE ROLE OF EMOTIONAL ACCEPTANCE AND AWARENESS IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER SYMPTOMS AND POSTTRAUMATIC GROWTH AMONG SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT , Cecilia Maria Melendez

DUAL MECHANISMS OF COGNITIVE CONTROL: AN EYE TRACKING STUDY , Kyle Mobly

SCOPE OF ATTENTION VARIATION AS A FUNCTION OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION , Kathleen O'Donnell

The Role of Numerical Processing and Working Memory Capacity on the Relationship Between Math Anxiety and Math Performance , Pilar Olid

DEMOGRAPHIC DIFFERENCES IN THE PERCEIVED INVASION OF PRIVACY WHEN SOCIAL MEDIA IS USED IN PERSONNEL SELECTION , Zayna Osborne

RETIREMENT PLANNING MOTIVATION FROM A REINFORCEMENT SENSITIVITY THEORY (RST) PERSPECTIVE , Luke Poulter

Developmental Implications of Parentification: An Examination of Ethnic Variation and Loneliness , Bertha Preciado

Helping Young Girls Build a Positive Body Image: A Training Workshop for Parents , Jennifer Richardson

HOW TO HELP YOUR CHILD SUCCEED IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL A PARENT EDUCATION WORKSHOP , Lauren Rivera

The Relationship Between Subtle Sexism and Women's Careers Explained by Cognitive Processes and Moderated by Attachment Styles , Patricia Carolina Rivera

The Consequences of Social Exclusion on Women's Negative Emotions and Self-Regulation of Unhealthy Eating , Caitlin Shaw

The Importance of Nutrition for Development in Early Childhood , Kaitlyn Sue Suha

FELT INCLUSION AMONG SEXUAL MINORITY EMPLOYEES: THE ROLES OF THE ORGANIZATION AND SUPERVISOR , Jamie Michael Tombari

The Importance of Recess in the Lives of Children , Kayla L. Villanueva

THE INFLUENCE OF SPIRITUALITY ON MOTIVATION IN THE WORK PLACE , Tong Yao

Theses/Projects/Dissertations from 2019 2019

How Prototypicality Influences Inferences and Discrimination Towards Gay Men , Adam Beam

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN JUSTICE PERCEPTIONS, CONSCIENTIOUSNESS AND WORKPLACE BEHAVIORS AMONG OLD AND YOUNG EMPLOYEES , Martha P. Blanco Villarreal

THE IMPORTANCE OF FIT: FOSTERING JOB SATISFACTION AND RETENTION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS , Heather Carrasco

THE IMPACT OF SEXUAL ASSAULT DISCLOSURE REACTIONS ON INTERPERSONAL FACTORS AND MENTAL HEALTH , Lindsey Chesus

Women's Perceptions of Sexual Assault Perpetrators and Fear of Rape , Aaron George Cisneros

DIVERSITY STRUCTURES AND WHITES' CLAIMS OF BIAS , Princess Egbule

IMPACT OF CONDITIONAL JOB OFFER ON APPLICANT REACTIONS TO SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE SELECTION PROCESS , Ashley Gomez

THE EFFECTS OF WORKING MEMORY CAPACITY AND TRAIT ANXIETY ON VISUAL SHORT-TERM MEMORY PERFORMANCE , Celene Gonzalez

THE DARK SIDE OF FAMILY SUPPORTIVE SUPERVISOR BEHAVIORS: IS GETTING HELP WITH FAMILY NEEDS DETRIMENTAL TO WOMEN'S CAREERS? , Gino Howard

EARLY-LIFE METHYLPHENIDATE DECREASES SOCIAL ANXIETY IN ADULT FEMALE RATS WITHOUT CENTRAL DOPAMINE DEFICIENCY , Graham James Kaplan

The Impact of Sexual Assault Training and Gender on Rape Attitudes , Monica Krolnik Campos

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN REPRESENTATION AND STRESS FOR WOMEN OF COLOR IN THE WORKPLACE , Aurora Luksetich

EFFECTS OF ANXIETY AND WORKING MEMORY CAPACITY ON PERFORMANCE IN THE EMOTIONAL STROOP TASK , Gia Macias

THE ROLE OF SELF-COMPASSION IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MORAL INJURY AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AMONG MILITARY VETERANS , Mernyll Manalo

Development of the Mate Expulsion Inventory , Nestor Maria

Sexual Harassment, Justice Perceptions, and Social Identity: Cognition and Group Dynamics , Devon Marrott

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Digital Commons @ USF > College of Arts and Sciences > Psychology > Theses and Dissertations

Psychology Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

Improving the Subjective Well-Being of Autistic Youth Utilizing a Positive Psychology Intervention , Nicolette Bauermeister

An Experimental Study of Negative Performance Feedback: Consideration of a Cognitive Pathway and Individual Difference Factors , Ansley M. Bender

A Critical Analysis of the Graduate Socialization of Racially Minoritized School Psychology Students , Tatiana J. Broughton

The Influence of COVID-19 on Tobacco Racial Health Disparities: Testing the Differential Effects of COVID-19 on Smoking Motivation Variables across Black and White Smokers , Patricia F. Calixte-Civil

An Evaluation of Measurement Invariance of DSM-5 Borderline Personality Disorder Criteria Across Heterosexual, Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Adults , E. Elisa Carsten

The Development of a Behaviorally Based Mentoring Workplace Scale , Christina N. Falcon

Examining the Role of Executive Functions on the Intention-Behavior Gap of Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy Use , Becky K. Gius

The Effect of Psychopathy Trait Descriptions on Mock Juror Decision-Making , Bailey A. Hall

Context matters: Profiles of emotion regulation at work and home , Roxanne C. Lawrence

Planning to Behave Impulsively to Feel Better: An EMA Study of College Students' Nonsuicidal Self-Injury, Binge Eating, and Exercise Behaviors , Rose H. Miller

One Year Impact of the Advancing Coping and Engagement (ACE) Program on Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Student Success , Amanda C. Moseley

The Effects of Divided Attention in Free Recall: Affecting Trace Accumulation by Dividing Attention , Anne Olsen

Investigating Risk Factors of the Development of Compulsive Exercise and Eating Disorder Symptoms in College Students , Madeline Palermo

Invisible Families, Clear Consequences: Work-Family Integration Among Employees in Same Gender Presenting Romantic Relationships , Joseph Regina

Threats to School Safety: Examining Levels of Community Violence and Its Relation to School-Related Threats , Dorie Ross

The Social Anxiety Stigma Scale (SASS): Development, Factor Structure, and Validation , Ruba Rum

Socio-emotional effects of rejection: An experience-sampling examination , Gabriella Silva

Observed Error Monitoring as an Index of Theory of Mind , Kipras Varkala

I'll Make a Man Out of You: Precarious Manhood Beliefs among Heterosexual-Cisgender Men and Queer Men , Serena L. Wasilewski

From Other and From World: Expanding the Current Model of Existential Isolation , Roger Young Jr.

Temporal and Spatial Properties of Orientation Summary Statistic Representations , Jacob S. Zepp

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Boredom, Interoceptive Ability, and Emotional Eating , Erica Ahlich

Environmental Transmission of Career Interests Through a Genetic Lens: Understanding the Confounding Around Parental Occupation , Tyler Allan

Do Suicide Attempt Survivors Have Reduced Long-Term Well-Being? A Study of Veterans Across Three Nationally Representative Cohorts , Bradley A. Brown

Depersonalized, Dysregulated, and Demanded: The Impact of Burnout on Appraisal and Emotional Events , Katrina M. Conen

Breast Health Esteem to Motivate Breast Health Behavioral Intentions: An Application of the Terror Management Health Model , Emily P. Courtney

Gender Differences in College Drinkers: The Role of Masculine Norms , Jared A. Davis

Prevalence and Predictors of Careless Responding in Experience Sampling Research , Alexander J. Denison

Perceptions of Workplace Discrimination: A Closer Look , Jeremiah Doaty

The Impact of Cannabis on Motivational Processes for Smoked Tobacco and Cigarettes , Claire M. Gorey

Outcomes of a Telehealth Adaptation of a Trauma-Based Parent Training Program , Holland Hayford

Why Don’t They Just Ask?: Barriers to Directly Requesting Affirmative Sexual Consent by Gender and Sexual Orientation , Jessica A. Jordan

Examining the Social Validity of Parent Training: Post-Participation Parent Perceptions and Reflections of Group Triple P , Nycole C. Kauk

Individual Differences in Response to Hostile and Benevolent Sexism in a STEM Interview Context: The Moderating Role of Behavioral Activation , Elizabeth Kiebel

Do Sociability Expectancies Moderate Social Anxiety Predicting Alcohol Consumption Following a Social Stressor Speech Task , Jacob A. Levine

An Object for Sexual Pleasure: Does Viewing Sexualized Media Predict Increases in Self and Partner Objectification Impacting Feelings of Sexual and Romantic Closeness? , Kaitlyn Ligman

Influences of Sentence Context and Individual Differences in Lexical Quality on Early Phonological Processing during Silent Reading , Sara Milligan

Testing the Effects of Social Exclusion on Emotional Arousal: An Examination of the Effects of Psychological Pain and Rumination , Amanda L. Peterson

Creating a Short, Public-Domain Version of the CPAI-2: Using an Algorithmic Approach to Develop Public-Domain Measures of Indigenous Personality Traits , Mukhunth Raghavan

Equitable Implementation of the Good Behavior Game , Faith D. Reynolds

Ethnic-Racial Minoritized Adolescents’ Perceptions of Cyberhate, School Connectedness, Ethnic-Racial Identity, and Life Satisfaction , Alexis Taylor

Predicting Future Well-Being Among United States Youth Who Attempted Suicide and Survived , Bingjie Tong

Approach and Avoidance Food Craving: A Dual Cue Reactivity Investigation , Christina Lee Verzijl

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

School Professional Coaching on Facilitation of Prevent-Teach-Reinforce (PTR) Model for Students with Persistent Problem Behavior , Rachel Ayres

Influencing Motivation for Alcohol through Social Bonding , Bryan Benitez

Case Studies in Applied Behavior Analysis: Using a Desensitization Procedure to Decrease Problem Behavior Towards Peers and Using a Treatment Package to Increase Time Spent in a Small Group , Mallamy I. Camargo Pena

Testing the Congruence of Espousals and Enactments Predicting Team Innovation , Rylan M. Charlton

The General Psychopathology Factor ( p ) From Adolescence to Adulthood: Disentangling the Developmental Trajectories of p Using a Multi-Method Approach , Alexandria M. Choate

An Ecological Momentary Assessment of Disordered Eating Behaviors within Alcohol Use Episodes: Determining Temporal Sequencing in Food and Alcohol Disturbance , Emily M. Choquette

The Influence of Maternal Body-Shaming Comments and Bodily Shame on Portion Size , Savannah R. Flak

Mental Health Problems, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Offending Behavior Among Persons Incarcerated in a County Jail , Lauren F. Fournier

The Adaptive, Social, Communication, and Cognitive Skills of Monolingual and Bilingual Toddlers with Autism , Marcela A. Galicia

Good Intentions Go Awry: Investigation of Unhelpful Supportive Leadership , Cheryl E. Gray

Hello Traitor: An Examination of Individual Differences in Perceptions of Technology-Related Incivility , David J. Howard

Measuring State Empathy: Exploring the Efficacy of a Film Clip Task and Examining Individual Differences in Empathic Responding , Stephanie R. Hruza

The Relationship of Hope to Goals and Psychological Outcomes in Patients with Advanced Lung Cancer: A Test of Hope Theory , Kelly A. Hyland

Decisions and How Doctors Make Them: Modeling Multilevel Decision-Making within Diagnostic Medicine , Michelle S. Kaplan

Cultural Values as a Moderator of the Emotion Suppression to Strain Relationship: A Comparison of Two Dominant Theoretical Mechanisms , Roxanne C. Lawrence

How Enduring is Global Precedence? , Jong Lee

Cool Under Fire: Psychopathic Traits and Decision-Making in Law Enforcement-Oriented Populations , Sean J. McKinley

Cognitive Ability and Ambivalence toward Alcohol: An Examination of Working Memory Capacity’s Influence on Drinking Behavior , Emily T. Noyes

The Relationship Between Parenting Stress, Attendance, and Attrition in a Group-Based Parent Management Training Program , David Rubio Jr.

Unintended Consequences? Testing the Effects of Adolescent-Targeted Anti-Vaping Media upon Adult Smokers , Leslie E. Sawyer

“Just Joking”: Women’s Cardiovascular Responses to Sexist Humor , Samantha Shepard

Negative Performance Feedback and the Self-Regulatory Benefits of Mindfulness , Jeremiah Slutsky

Examining the Potential Interactions of Expectancies and Disordered Eating Behavior , Cody B. Staples

The nature of resilience: A person-centered approach using latent profile analysis , Yuejia Teng

Evaluation of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) Fit Indices in Distinguishing between Circumplex and Other Factor Models , Andrew J. Thurston

Comparison of Parameter Estimation Approaches for Multi-Unidimensional Pairwise Preference Tests , Naidan Tu

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

The Impact of Cues on Autobiographical Memory Recall in Depression , Ena Begovic

Perfectionism, Negative Life Events, and Cognitive Appraisal: A Contextual Model of Perfectionism’s Maladaptive Nature , Ansley M. Bender

The Effect of Acute Interpersonal Racial Discrimination on Smoking Motivation and Behavior among Black Smokers , Patricia F. Calixte-Civil

Parent Coping and Sibling Relationship Quality in Pediatric Cancer: The Moderating Effects of Parental Emotion Socialization Beliefs , Esther Davila

Higher Sense of Control Predicts Long-term Well-being After Depression , Andrew R. Devendorf

Villains or Vermin? The Differential Effects of Discrimination and Dehumanization on Immigrant Cardiovascular Responses , Mona El-Hout

Alcohol Expectancy Associates as a Probe of the Motivational Processes that Lead to Drinking , Daniel C. Faraci

Features of borderline personality and related psychopathologies as a contemporaneously and temporally connected network , Haya Fatimah

Editing the Self Away: The Effects of Photo Manipulation on Perceptions of the Self , Roxanne N. Felig

Motivation Matters: The Interaction of Approach and Avoidance Alcohol Motivation and Self-Control Demands in College Drinkers , Becky K. Gius

Facilitators and Barriers to Treatment Engagement in a Behavioral Parent Training Program , Holland Hayford

Effects of Inter-Male Status Challenge and Psychopathic Traits on Sexual Aggression , Amy M. Hoffmann

If at First You Don’t Succeed...Your Coworkers Just Might Be Pleased: A Story of Workplace Schadenfreude , Kim Johnson

Motivation to Volunteer , Lendi N. Joy

Exploration of Drive for Leanness in Relation to Drives for Thinness and Muscularity, as well as their Concurrent Associations with Health-Related Outcomes , Brittany Lang

Affect and Craving: Examining the Differential Influences of Positive and Negative Affect on Inclinations to Approach and Avoid Alcohol Use , Jacob A. Levine

Threat-Induced Alterations in Cognition and Associations with Disinhibited Behavior , Julia B. McDonald

A Prospective Examination of Psychosocial Outcomes Following Gynecomastia Surgery , D. Luis Ordaz

Assessing the Impacts of Sensorimotor Stimuli and Nicotine Content on Cravings and Other Outcomes of E-Cigarette Use , Amanda M. Palmer

The Threat of Virality: Digital Outrage Combats the Spread of Opposing Ideas , Curtis Puryear

Why Are Women Leaving STEM? An Examination of Workplace Rivalry , Joseph Regina

A Fidelity-based Integration Model for Explicit and Implicit Ensemble Coding , Ke Tong

Care in Context: Constructing a Theory of Care in One Fifth Grade Classroom , Emily J. Wingate

Depression, Music Choice, and Affective Outcomes in Daily Life , Sunkyung Yoon

The Immediate Effect of a Brief Mindfulness Intervention on Attention and Acceptance , Xiaoqian Yu

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Understanding the Mechanisms Between Job Stress and Employee Sleep: A Daily Diary Study , Marijana L. Arvan

The Effects of Mortality Salience on Interest in Death (and Life) Among High Openness Individuals , Patrick Boyd

Linking Sleep and Aggression: The Role of Response Inhibition and Emotional Processing , Melanie L. Bozzay

Mapping Reward Values to Cues, Locations, and Objects: The Influence of Reward Associations on Visual Attention , Constanza de Dios

From C++ to Conscientiousness: Modeling the Psychosocial Characteristics Influencing Cybersecurity Personnel Performance , Rachel C. Dreibelbis

Personality and Process: The Role of Dyadic Homophily , Christina N. Falcon

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Clinical Psychology Dissertations Collection

This collection contains open access and campus access dissertations, made possible through Graduate Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The full content of open access dissertations is available to all, although some files may have embargoes placed on them and will be made available as soon as possible. The full content of campus access dissertations is only available to those either on the UMass Boston campus or with a UMass Boston campus username and password. Click on the "Off-Campus UMass Boston Users" link on the record page to download Campus Access publications. Those not on campus and those without a UMass Boston campus username and password may gain access to this dissertation through resources like Proquest Dissertations & Theses Global or through Interlibrary Loan.

Dissertations from 2024 2024

Agreements and Discrepancies in Perceptions of Mentoring Relationship Quality: A Multi-Informant Investigation , Yui Sum Poon

Dissertations from 2023 2023

Decomposing Relational Mechanisms of Parent Engagement in Early Intervention: An Examination of Working Alliance and Family-Centered Practices , Alison E. Chavez

Sexual Racism and Mental Health Among Asian/Asian American Sexual Minority Men , Christopher Chiu

Investigating the Sexual Consent Process for Plurisexual Individuals , Kaitlyn R. Gorman

Lost in Translation: Training Experiences and Burnout Among Bilingual Trainees in Doctoral Psychology Programs , Ingrid Hastedt

Exploring the Roles of Parent Emotional Styles and Children’s Coping Skills in the Emotional and Behavioral Sequelae of Community Violence Exposure , Juliana M. Neuspiel

Exploring the Asian American Autism Family Relationship Processes Among Non-Autistic Adult Siblings from Immigrant and Confucian-Ethnic Family Background , Thanh Phuong Nguyen

Diagnosing Psychosis Among Black Americans: The Impact of White Clinicians' Colorblind Racial Attitudes and Multicultural Responsiveness , Keira E. O'Donovan

The Impact of Historical Trauma, Self-Compassion, and Resistance Against Racism among African Americans , Darrick Scott

Negotiating Acculturation: A Qualitative Study of Muslim American Women , Noor N. Tahirkheli

Resolution of Diagnosis Among Parents of Children Diagnosed with Autism , Deanna C. Toner

Dissertations from 2022 2022

Patterns of Emotional Processing and the Psychological Impact of Heterosexism , Kathleen M. Collins

Body Image Experiences Among Black American Sexual Minority Women , Alison E. A. Goldblatt

Examining Culturally Adapted, Values Based, Mental Health Stigma Reduction and Help-Seeking Messages for Asian Americans , Anna M. Ying

Dissertations from 2021 2021

Self-Compassion Among Roommates: An Investigation of Interpersonal Effects , Bryan Balvaneda

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Effects of After-School Programs on Academic, Social, Behavioral, Mental Health, and Identity Outcomes Among Youth with Marginalized Identities , Kirsten M. Christensen

The Power of Friendships: Associations Between Friendship Quality, Satisfaction, and Well-Being for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder , Melanie S. Feldman

Evaluating the Cultural Validity of Social Cognition in a Latinx Sample , Mayte Forte

Beyond Borders in Chronic Schizophrenia: NEO-FFM Personality Traits, Neurocognition, and Symptoms , Lauren M. Grabowski

A Longitudinal Investigation of First-Generation College Students' Mentoring Relationships during their Transition to Higher Education , Matthew A. Hagler

My Wounds Matter Too: Associations Among Distress, Emotion Regulation, Autism Symptomology, and Self-Harm Functions Among Young Adults with ASD , Sarah Levinson

Dissertations from 2020 2020

A Preliminary Evaluation of a Culturally Adapted Stress Management Prevention Workshop for Latinx Students , Natalie Arbid

Cross-Age Peer Mentoring: A Meta-Analysis , Samantha Burton

The Experience of Misgendering Among Trans and Gender Diverse People , Hamish A. Gunn

Assessing Mental Health Provider Bias Toward Clients with Understudied Marginalized Sexual Identities and Practices , Cara Herbitter

The Effectiveness of a Mindfulness, Acceptance, Valued Action, and Flexible Coping Intervention for Race-Based Stress on Momentary Coping and Distress Symptoms , Jennifer Honculada Martinez

Dissertations from 2019 2019

Responsibility Development in Young Men in Postsecondary Settings: Construct Structure and Contextual Influences , Gabriel M. Garza Sada

A Process for Change: A Grounded Theory Investigation of Participatory Action Research as a Means for Countering Mental Illness Stigma Experienced by Transition-Aged Black Youth , Jacqueline G. Hargrove

Dismantling an Intervention Aimed at Increasing White People's Knowledge and Understanding of Racial Justice Issues , Alissa L. Hochman

The Role of Narrative Coherence and Parental Scaffolding in Buffering the Effects of Domestic Violence Exposure , Shirley Poyau

Novice Therapist Responsiveness: Description and Development , Max B. Wu

Dissertations from 2018 2018

Latino Immigrant Youth Development in Anti-Immigrant Contexts: Exploring Adaptive Cultures as Resources Promoting Competencies and Wellness , Darcy Alcantara

Treatment Engagement and Client Competence in CBT for Social Anxiety Disorder , Amber L. Calloway

“Surviving and Thriving During Stress”: Bridging the Gap with Technology, a Web-Based Acceptance-Based Behavioral Therapy Program for University Students , Elizabeth Hemenway Eustis

Diagnostic Stability of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Young Children with Diverse Backgrounds , Ivy Giserman Kiss

Examining the Moderating Role of Internalized Racism on the Relation Between Racism-Related Stress and Mental Health in Asian Americans , Danielle Godon-Decoteau

Mental Health Literacy and Stigma among Recently Returning Veterans: Cultural Correlates, Mutability, and Relations with Healthcare Utilization , Sarah Krill Williston

The Impact of Individual and Parental Confucian Attitudes on Mental Illness Stigma and Help Seeking Attitudes Among Asian Americans from Confucian Cultures , Charles M. Liu

“I Wish Katrina Wouldn’t Have Happened, But I’m Glad It Happened”: Posttraumatic Growth and Adaptive Outcomes in Low-Income Black Mothers Who Survived Hurricane Katrina , Emily E. Manove

Encouraging Toddlers with ASD to Request: An Exploration of Expectant Pausing and Engagement Strategies , Melissa P. Maye

Does Mindfulness Support Empathy? , L. G. Rollins

Exploring Perceived External Control as a Transdiagnostic Cognitive Process in Anxiety Disorders and the Investigation of a Brief Acceptance Intervention , Lauren P. Wadsworth

Mentoring as a Protective Factor for Youth with a History of Interpersonal Trauma Exposure , Elyssa Briann Weber

An Exploration of Mentoring Functions in the Context of Parental Relationships , Laura A. Yoviene Sykes

Dissertations from 2017 2017

The Challenge of Social Mobility: Habitus among Low-Income and Working-Class Students in Higher Education , J. Anna Bell

Risk, Resilience, Recovery: In Search of the Protective Factors of Mental Health , Victoria Choate Hasler

Cognitive Aspects of Children's Experience of Economic Disadvantage , Amy E. Heberle

Mothering Values of Black Student Mothers: A Grounded Theory Analysis , Sara A. Kaplan-Levy

Asian American Women Leaders' Strategies for Negotiating Intersectional Discrimination Related to Racism and Sexism , Fanny Ng

Young Children's Emotion Vocabulary and the Potential Influence on Emotion Regulation Ability , Marisa Murphy O'Boyle

Determined Wellness: The Influence of Mental Illness Models Upon Treatment Outcome Expectancies and Treatment Engagement , Francisco I. Surace

Dissertations from 2016 2016

Self-Reported Sexuality among Women with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) , Hillary Hurst Bush

The Power in the Pattern: Relationships between Out-of-School Time Activity Participation Profiles and Civic Engagement in Youth , Melody Joy Blass Fisher

The Influence of Mentor-Youth Activity Profiles on School-Based Youth Mentoring Relationship Processes and Outcomes , Stella S. Kanchewa

Experiences of Trust in Longer-Lasting Formal Youth Mentoring Relationships , Michelle Levine

Exploring the Effects of Cultural Protective Factors on Infant Development and Maternal Well-Being: A Transnational Study of Brazilian Mothers and Their Infants Living In Massachusetts and Minas Gerais , Fernanda Lucchese

The Roles of Early Intervention Providers’ Cultural Competence and the Parent-Provider Working Alliance in Early Intervention Service Receipt Outcomes of Diverse Children At-Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorders , Frances D. Martinez-Pedraza

The Relationship to Internal Experiences Scale (RIES): The Development and Validation of a Self-Report Measure of Cognitive Fusion and Decentering , Shannon M. Sorenson

Evaluating the ‘Reading the Mind in the Eyes’ Test: Cultural Variations in Emotional Perception , Ashley-Ann Woodhull

Dissertations from 2015 2015

Patterns of Interaction within Parent-Child Dyads Affected by OCD and Anxiety , Catherine Kraper

Cultural Adaptation of In-Home, Community-Based Mental Health Services for Ethnic Minority Children and Families: Exploring Clinician and Family Perspectives on Effective Care , Esroruleh Tamim Mohammad

In the Face of Adversity: Valued Living and Decentering as Buffering Factors in the Relations Among Social Disadvantage, Psychological Distress, Drinking to Cope and Problem Drinking , Lucas P. K. Morgan

The Intersectionality of Racism and Sexism for Asian American Women , Shruti Mukkamala

Identifying Sensory Symptoms as a Diagnostic Indicator of Autism Spectrum Disorder , Timothy W. Soto

Individual and Dyadic Analysis of Cardiac Profiles in Response to Stress in a Longitudinal Sample of Infant-Mother Dyads , Akhila Venkatachalam Sravish

Dissertations from 2014 2014

Palestinian Refugee Family Trees of Resilience: Intergenerational Cultivation of Resistance, Return, and Perseverance, in Response to Israel State Violence and Occupation , Devin G. Atallah

The Relationship between Mental Health and Young Children's Academic Development: What We Can Learn From a National Sample of At-Risk Chilean Children , Katia M. Canenguez

Understanding the Impact of Violence on Early Language , Danielle Forbes

The Psychological and Social Processes through which Internalized Heterosexism Influences Psychological Distress in Sexual Minorities , Julia A. Puckett

Black Beauty, White Standards: Impacts on Black Women and Resources for Resistance and Resilience , Speshal T. Walker

Dissertations from 2013 2013

Experiences of Latina First Generation College Students: Exploring Resources Supporting the Balancing of Academic Pursuits and Family Life , Hercilia B. Corona-Ordoñez

Linking Universal Developmental/Behavioral Health Screening and On-Site Mental Health Consultation: Examining Gaps in Service Delivery , Leandra Godoy

Racism and Anxiety in a Black American Sample: The Role of Mediators and a Brief Mindfulness Manipulation , Jessica Rose Graham

The Impact of Emotion Regulation and Interpersonal Problems on Behavioral Dysregulation in a College Student Sample: An Investigation of the Mediating Role of Mentalizing , Kelly Graling

The Role of Caregiver Insight in Young Children's Violence Exposure: Testing a Relational Model of Risk and Resilience , Sarah A. O. Gray

Understanding Ethnic-Racial Socialization and Cognition among Multiracial Youth: A Mixed Methods Study , Susan A. Lambe Sarinana

Targeted Prevention of Childhood Anxiety: Engaging Parents in an Underserved Community , Nicholas D. Mian

Maternal Self-Efficacy and Perceived Stigma Among Mothers of Children with ASD, ADHD, and Typically Developing Children , Sara D. Rosenblum-Fishman

Youth Initiated Mentoring: Investigating a New Approach to Working with Vulnerable Adolescents , Sarah E. O. Schwartz

The Influences of Social Identities and Resource Competition on Blacks' and Asians' Social Distance: A Virtual World Method , John Tawa

Dissertations from 2012 2012

Latino Immigrants' Responses to Immigration Policy and Enforcement: Strengths and Resources Promoting Empowerment and Wellness in an Urban Setting , Celeste Atallah-Gutiérrez

Measuring Exposure in Natural Disaster: A Meta-Analysis, an Integrative Data Analysis, and a Multi-Wave Longitudinal Study of Hurricane Katrina Survivors , Christian S. Chan

The Role of Difficulties in Emotion Regulation in the Relationship between Experiences of Trauma , Kathleen Sullivan Kalill

Objectification Theory and Sexual Health among Women , Kara Lustig

Bereavement among Urban University Students: The Role of Meaning Making in Adjustment to Loss , Rebecca L. Norris-Bell

The Impact of Mindfulness on Exposure and Extinction Processes in Social Anxiety , Michael Treanor

The Role of Men's Friendships in Psychological Distress, Fear of Emotions, and Adherence to Masculine Role Norms , Liza Zwiebach

Dissertations from 2011 2011

Exploring Predictors of Well-Being after Exposure to Inter-Caregiver Aggression in Childhood: Examining the Role of Emotional Support and Emotional and Cognitive Processing , Cara Fuchs

The Social Negotiation of Ambiguous In-Between Stigmatized Identities: Investigating Identity Processes in Multiracial and Bisexual People , Vali Dagmar Kahn

Trajectories of Psychological Distress among Low-Income, Female Survivors of Hurricane Katrina , Sarah Ryan Lowe

The Ecology of Cognitive Training and Aging , Anya Potter

Expanding a Model of Female Heterosexual Coercion: Are Sexually Coercive Women Hyperfeminine? , Elizabeth Anne Schatzel-Murphy

Developing an Anti-Racist Stance: How White Youth Understand Structural Racism , Catharine R. Thomann

Functioning in the Face of Racism and its Uncertainties: The Potential Buffering Role of Values Clarification and Values Consistency in a Black American Sample , Lindsey Michelle West

The Expression of Nonviolence in Communication and its Relation to Physical and Mental Health: Development and Validation of a Coding System for Measuring the Expression of Nonviolence in Communication between Intimate Partners in Conflict Situations , Lissa Brett Young

Dissertations from 2010 2010

Understanding Revictimization: The Impact of Emotion Suppression, Acceptance, and PTSD Symptomatology on Risk Detection Abilities in Sexual Assault Survivors , Heidi M. Barrett-Model

Adopted Korean Women: Influences of Becoming a Biological Mother on Racial & Ethnic Identities and Cultural Orientations , Stephanie Carole Day

Psychosis-Proneness, Mindfulness, and Positive Emotional Experience: Examining Correlational and Causal Relationships , Shannon Marie Erisman

Unattainable Beauty: An Analysis of the Role of Body Shame and Self-Objectification in Hopelessness Depression among College-Age Women , Meredith A. Evans

Neuropsychological and Personality Predictors of Competence to Stand Trial: A Social Cognitive Perspective , Kristy L. Klein

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Psychology Dissertations and Theses

The Psychology Department Dissertations and Theses Series is comprised of dissertations and theses authored by Marquette University's Psychology Department doctoral and master's students.

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Sexual Minority Behavioral Health Outcomes: The Role of Social Stressors and Self-Regulation , Zane B. Ballard

Cultural Differences in Reactions to Tics , Jordan Stiede

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Perspectives on Social Support and Stigma in PrEP-related Care Among Gay and Bisexual Men on PrEP: A Qualitative Investigation , Juan Pablo Zapata

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Relations of Discriminatory Experiences and Marianismo Beleifs with PTSD Symptoms in Latinx Women , Claire Maria Bird

Family Functioning in Latino Families of Children with ADHD: The Role of Parental Gender and Acculturation , Anne Malkoff

The Famous Names Discrimination Task as a Biomarker of Alzheimer's Disease Risk: An ERP Study , Elizabeth Rose Paitel

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Objective and Subjective Influences on Cognitive Performance in Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes , Natalie E. Benjamin

Is It Just Me or Was That Sexist? Perception of Hostile and Benevolent Sexism in the Context of Race , Mackenzie S. Kirkman

A Statistical Examination of Impaired Performances Across Concussion Screening Instruments , Kathryn Ann Ritchie

Implicit Regulation of Emotion: Priming Non-Conscious Reappraisal and Suppression During Stress , Sydney Clare Timmer-Murillo

Caregivers' Role in Fostering Resilience in Preschoolers , Kristen Yule

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Suicidal Risk at a College Counseling Center: Correlates at Intake and Therapeutic Outcomes , Maha Baalbaki

The Relationship Between Cognitive Flexibility, Coping, and Symptomatology in Psychotherapy , Benjamin Todd Johnson

Video Game Interventions to Improve Cognition in Older Adults , David E. C. Marra

Acute Stress Exposure and Expression of Instrumentally Conditioned Financial Preferences: An fMRI Study , William Travis McCuddy

A Replication and Extension of the PEERS for Young Adults Social Skills Intervention , Alana J. McVey

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Mechanisms of Regulation: Profiling the Impact of Emotion Regulation on Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms , Samantha Ann Chesney

The Effects of Emotional Arousal on False Recognition in Alexithymia , Anthony N. Correro

Global Self-Worth and Perceptions of Competence in Latino Youth: The Role of Acculturation and Acculturation Risk Factors , Theresa Lauer Kapke

Invariant Two Component Structure of the RBANS , Elisabeth M. Vogt

Reading between the Lines: Cultural Sexual Scripts and Collegiate Sexual Behaviors , Lauren Yadlosky

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Using I Cubed Theory to Predict the Perpetration of Violence in Adolescent Romantic Relationships , Christina Caiozzo

Who Confronts Sexual Prejudice? How Gender and Ideologies are Related to Heterosexual Allies Challenging Hate Speech , Kelly L. LeMaire

Parent-Adolescent Communication about Health Risk Behaviors Among Adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus , Ashley Charlene Moss

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Assessment of Intervention Effects on In Vivo Peer Interactions in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders , Bridget Kathleen Dolan

Reinforcement Learning in Individuals at Risk for Alzheimer's Disease , Christina Marie Figueroa

Predicting Depression And Help-Seeking Attitudes Among Latinos: Acculturation And Cultural Values , Natasha Suhail Najar

The Influence of Anger on Implicit Biases , Katherine Reiter

Alcohol Use In Mexican-Americans By Nativity: The Role Of Ethnic Identity, Acculturation, And Acculturative Stress , Leticia G. Vallejo

The Role Of Maternal Attributions In Treatment Outcomes For Children With Adhd , Kelsey Ann Weinberger

The Faith Lives Of Lesbians And Psychological Health: The Moderating Role Of Internalized Homonegativity , Dane Robert Whicker

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Effects of Fashion Ads on Young Adults' Physical Self-Assessments , Michaela Engdahl

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Standardized and Personally Relevant Stimuli in Two Mood Induction Procedures , Kathleen Hazlett

Effects of Violence on Youths' Perceptions of Peer and Sibling Aggression , Jessica Houston

A Factor Structure of a Presenting Problems Checklist: Comparing Levels of Distress and Impairment , Julia Rubinshteyn

The Peers Intervention: Social Anxiety, Physiological Regulation, and Core Autistic Symptoms in Adolescents with Autism , Kirsten A. Schohl

Theses/Dissertations from 2011 2011

Long Term Effects of Chronic Variable Stress Administered during Different Developmental Stages in Mice , Henry Boeh

Ambivalent sexism and the expected distribution of power in romantic relationships , Teni Davoudian

Parents' Influence on Child Social Self-Efficacy and Social Cognition , Denise Marie Gardner

Acculturation, Cultural Values, and Latino Parental Beliefs About the Etiology of ADHD , Kathryn E. Lawton

Emotional Responses to Gender-Based Inequality: Justifications and Consequences , Erin Quasney

Effects of Chronic Variable Stress Across Developmental Stages in Mice , Sheryl Jayne Stevens

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

Functional Resting State Connectivity in Individuals At-Risk for Alzheimer's Disease , Alissa M. Butts

Neural Dedifferentiation in Relation to Risk for Alzheimer's Disease , Nathan C. Hantke

The neuropsychological functioning of men residing in a homeless shelter , Sara Murray Hegerty

Child and Caregiver Social Behavior and Joint Attention Change following P.L.A.Y. Project Intervention , Jeffrey Scott Karst

Religious Coping and Social Support as Mediators and/or Moderators and Acculturative Stress in a Latino Community Sample , Priscilla Vasquez

Theses/Dissertations from 2009 2009

Treatment Attrition and Relapse Readmission in Psychiatric Inpatients: Predictors of Treatment Engagement and Psychiatric Relapse , Nicholas W. Bowersox

The primary prevention of sexual violence against adolescents in Racine County and the Community Readiness Model , Theresa A DeWalt

Depression Among the Oneida: Case Studies of the Interface Between Modern and Traditional , Mark R. Powless

Client characteristics and treatment retention in an outpatient drug-free chemical dependency program , Jessica A Thull

Submissions from 2007 2007

Consenting to unwanted sexual activity in heterosexual relationships: A sociocultural examination , Brianna Bartels

Investigating processes of positive adaptation in children living in violent homes , Renee L. DeBoard

Predictors of behavior during mother-child interactions , Elizabeth A. Heideman

Resilience in victims of intimate partner abuse , Sharon R. Shatil

Theses/Dissertations from 2006 2006

The role of an implicit power/sex association in the confluence model of sexual aggression , Kristine M. Chapleau

The relationship between exposure to interparental conflict and social cognitive processes in children's peer relations , Kara L. Lindstedt

Cognitive style patterns among those at high risk for eating disorders , Valerie J. Lucas

The effect of a small unexpected extrinsic reward on memory performance in humans , Mark R. Powless

Lesbian Lives: An Exploration of Faith, Quality of Life and Personal Ideology , Beth Shaw

Theses/Dissertations from 2005 2005

Witnessing Parental Violence: A Retrospective Analysis of the Effects on Partner Violence in a Sample of Ethnically Diverse Women , Terri A. deRoon

Age-related asymmetry reduction indicative of functional recruitment and plasticity : an FMRI study of inhibitory control , Veronica M. Dixon

Emotional Processes in the Family: Context for Interparental Conflict , Gregory M. Fosco

The role of attunement in relationship satisfaction and conflict resolution , Patrick R. Gunderson

Interparental Conflict and Children's Internalizing Psychopathology: Examining the Role of Children's Appraisals and Emotions , Jennifer K. Hauser

Health-Related Quality of Life Outcomes Following Anterior Temporal Lobectomy for Intractable Medical Temporal Lobe Epilepsy , Tiffany Warren

Theses/Dissertations from 2004 2004

The state-trait empathy model of helping : does state empathy moderate the relationship between trait empathy and helping? , Robert W. Bond

ADHD symptoms and creative vocational and recreations interests , Karla M. Felske

Goal setting by women in battered women's shelters , Kathleen McHugh

Four components of lesbian community , Gregory J. Simons

Theses/Dissertations from 2003 2003

Psychological outcomes of dating violence: the moderating effects of ego-resiliency and social support , Michelle Dennis

The role of attachment in shaping children's adjustment to interparental conflict , Sarah R. Raynor

Modulation of memory storage processes associated with emotionally arousing narratives , Douglas Yee

Submissions from 2001 2001

A comprehensive model of dating violence: Testing the integration of social learning and attachment theories , Kristen M Kingsfogel

Submissions from 2000 2000

Outcome effects of receiving a spiritually informed vs. a standard cognitive-behavioral stress management workshop , Robert William Nohr

Theses/Dissertations from 1999 1999

Clinician attitudes about a behavioral health questionnaire as a function of level of support , Jennifer L. Close-Goedjen

A scale for measuring attitudes toward people with psychological problems , Lynn M. Servais

Submissions from 1998 1998

The role of personal meaning and multiple risk and protective factors in adolescent alcohol abuse , James K. Giese

Detection of impression management on the COMPASS measure , Wendy Martinez Schneider

Theses/Dissertations from 1997 1997

Religious orientation and antihomosexual prejudice , Kristina M. Kracht

Theses/Dissertations from 1996 1996

The effects of sex-type on hiring decisions , Robert Glowacki

Schematic processing and memory for schema-relevant stimuli in bulimia-prone and normal undergraduates , Kelly M. Gustavson

The formulation of the Remoralization Scale , Tracy Rand

Concurrent validity of the current life functioning scale , Darci Shook-Woolley

Theses/Dissertations from 1995 1995

Perceptions of adopted children and adoptive parents , Christa B. Crawford

Gender differences in mate selection preferences : effects of sex-role orientation and involvement levels , Erin Drawz

Adolescent risk-taking and alcohol use / , James K. Giese

The effects of schemata development on information recall after reading a newspaper article , Lee Ann Kahlor

The Michill Adjective Rating Scale (MARS) and the MMPI-2 : concurrent validation , Rosemary Lynn Kleman

Depression and engagement in mood-related activities in learning disabled and non-learning disabled adult students , Patric W. Mattek

Predictors of response to two types of mood-induction procedures: an analogue of depression , Bryan C. Smyth

Theses/Dissertations from 1994 1994

Frontal-lobe functioning among conduct disordered adolescents in an institutional setting , James Dabrowski

Performance as a function of body esteem of elite speedskaters and a comparison with college undergraduate students , Jeff Klaiber

An attempt to predict change in mood in response to cognitive and behavioral induction techniques , Kathleen McHugh

Parenting of young children by employed and nonemployed mothers , Margaret Anderson Rodriguez

Gender differences in the completion of sequential reasoning patterns , Beatrix Schieffer

Detecting malingering on the MMPI-2 with and without a head injury correction factor , Lisa L. Schwartz

The comparability of the WPPSI-R, WPPSI, and WISC-R , Rainer Seitz

Beck and Hamilton Rating Scales as measures of treatment outcome for depression , Li Tan

Risk taking behavior in delinquent and nondelinquent adolescent boys , Monica L. Weiss

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Psychology Undergraduate thesis collection

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As part of their final year undergraduate degree examination for MA or BSC Psychology, students submit a dissertation based on an original research project supervised by academic staff in the department.

During 2006/07 it was agreed that all Psychology Undergraduate students would be required to submit an electronic copy of their dissertation to the Library to be stored in the Edinburgh Research Archive. This was agreed in order to enable the University to preserve its academic record.

Please note that only the Title and Abstract is available to the general public. Full text is only available to the ed.ac.uk domain. Copyright and all rights therein are retained by authors or by other copyright holders. All persons copying this information are expected to adhere to the terms and constraints invoked by each author's copyright. In most cases, these works may not be reposted without the explicit permission of the copyright holder.

Recent Submissions

The effect of sentence complexity on processing depth: a text change detection study using garden paths , a connectionist approach to causal learning , the effects of late non-proficient bilingualism and a year abroad on executive functioning , investigating the role of social media addiction in the relationship between impulsivity and disordered eating , the effect of healthy adult ageing and cognitive reserve on specific theory of mind abilities , investigating the effects of social exclusion on a child's tendency to imitate grammatical syntax , developing empathy in the digital age: the relationship between social media usage and empathic accuracy scores in young adolescents , can we learn to be more conscientious a behavioural intervention study using goal setting theory as motivation , real ghost stories: how do psychics construct their personal experiences as genuine , stepping into the shoes of another: how attachment security and parental mind-mindedness impacts the development of adolescent empathic accuracy , miraculous cures: how do individuals justify their beliefs in the authenticity and miraculous quality of faith healing cures , the brief acceptance measure: developing & testing a brief measure of psychological flexibility suitable for daily use , do garden path sentences affect the depth of semantic processing a change detection study , collaboration and emotional self-management in moba gamers , the effect of exercise on cognitive functioning in static and strategic sport , investigating human scale judgement , impulsivity in cognitive estimation formation and the influence of age , l2 response planning: effect of content and length predictability , can self-perception, personality, age, gender and duration predict addictive social media use in university students , investigating the effects of resilience, loneliness and neuroticism on social media addiction .

Dissertation Structure & Layout 101: How to structure your dissertation, thesis or research project.

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) Reviewed By: David Phair (PhD) | July 2019

So, you’ve got a decent understanding of what a dissertation is , you’ve chosen your topic and hopefully you’ve received approval for your research proposal . Awesome! Now its time to start the actual dissertation or thesis writing journey.

To craft a high-quality document, the very first thing you need to understand is dissertation structure . In this post, we’ll walk you through the generic dissertation structure and layout, step by step. We’ll start with the big picture, and then zoom into each chapter to briefly discuss the core contents. If you’re just starting out on your research journey, you should start with this post, which covers the big-picture process of how to write a dissertation or thesis .

*The Caveat *

In this post, we’ll be discussing a traditional dissertation/thesis structure and layout, which is generally used for social science research across universities, whether in the US, UK, Europe or Australia. However, some universities may have small variations on this structure (extra chapters, merged chapters, slightly different ordering, etc).

So, always check with your university if they have a prescribed structure or layout that they expect you to work with. If not, it’s safe to assume the structure we’ll discuss here is suitable. And even if they do have a prescribed structure, you’ll still get value from this post as we’ll explain the core contents of each section.  

Overview: S tructuring a dissertation or thesis

• Acknowledgements page
• Abstract (or executive summary)
• Table of contents , list of figures and tables
• Chapter 1: Introduction
• Chapter 2: Literature review
• Chapter 3: Methodology
• Chapter 4: Results
• Chapter 5: Discussion
• Chapter 6: Conclusion
• Reference list

As I mentioned, some universities will have slight variations on this structure. For example, they want an additional “personal reflection chapter”, or they might prefer the results and discussion chapter to be merged into one. Regardless, the overarching flow will always be the same, as this flow reflects the research process , which we discussed here – i.e.:

• The introduction chapter presents the core research question and aims .
• The literature review chapter assesses what the current research says about this question.
• The methodology, results and discussion chapters go about undertaking new research about this question.
• The conclusion chapter (attempts to) answer the core research question .

In other words, the dissertation structure and layout reflect the research process of asking a well-defined question(s), investigating, and then answering the question – see below.

To restate that – the structure and layout of a dissertation reflect the flow of the overall research process . This is essential to understand, as each chapter will make a lot more sense if you “get” this concept. If you’re not familiar with the research process, read this post before going further.

Right. Now that we’ve covered the big picture, let’s dive a little deeper into the details of each section and chapter. Oh and by the way, you can also grab our free dissertation/thesis template here to help speed things up.

The title page of your dissertation is the very first impression the marker will get of your work, so it pays to invest some time thinking about your title. But what makes for a good title? A strong title needs to be 3 things:

• Succinct (not overly lengthy or verbose)
• Specific (not vague or ambiguous)
• Representative of the research you’re undertaking (clearly linked to your research questions)

Typically, a good title includes mention of the following:

• The broader area of the research (i.e. the overarching topic)
• The specific focus of your research (i.e. your specific context)
• Indication of research design (e.g. quantitative , qualitative , or  mixed methods ).

For example:

A quantitative investigation [research design] into the antecedents of organisational trust [broader area] in the UK retail forex trading market [specific context/area of focus].

Again, some universities may have specific requirements regarding the format and structure of the title, so it’s worth double-checking expectations with your institution (if there’s no mention in the brief or study material).

Acknowledgements

This page provides you with an opportunity to say thank you to those who helped you along your research journey. Generally, it’s optional (and won’t count towards your marks), but it is academic best practice to include this.

So, who do you say thanks to? Well, there’s no prescribed requirements, but it’s common to mention the following people:

• Your dissertation supervisor or committee.
• Any professors, lecturers or academics that helped you understand the topic or methodologies.
• Any tutors, mentors or advisors.
• Your family and friends, especially spouse (for adult learners studying part-time).

There’s no need for lengthy rambling. Just state who you’re thankful to and for what (e.g. thank you to my supervisor, John Doe, for his endless patience and attentiveness) – be sincere. In terms of length, you should keep this to a page or less.

Abstract or executive summary

The dissertation abstract (or executive summary for some degrees) serves to provide the first-time reader (and marker or moderator) with a big-picture view of your research project. It should give them an understanding of the key insights and findings from the research, without them needing to read the rest of the report – in other words, it should be able to stand alone .

For it to stand alone, your abstract should cover the following key points (at a minimum):

• Your research questions and aims – what key question(s) did your research aim to answer?
• Your methodology – how did you go about investigating the topic and finding answers to your research question(s)?
• Your findings – following your own research, what did do you discover?
• Your conclusions – based on your findings, what conclusions did you draw? What answers did you find to your research question(s)?

So, in much the same way the dissertation structure mimics the research process, your abstract or executive summary should reflect the research process, from the initial stage of asking the original question to the final stage of answering that question.

In practical terms, it’s a good idea to write this section up last , once all your core chapters are complete. Otherwise, you’ll end up writing and rewriting this section multiple times (just wasting time). For a step by step guide on how to write a strong executive summary, check out this post .

Need a helping hand?

Table of contents

This section is straightforward. You’ll typically present your table of contents (TOC) first, followed by the two lists – figures and tables. I recommend that you use Microsoft Word’s automatic table of contents generator to generate your TOC. If you’re not familiar with this functionality, the video below explains it simply:

If you find that your table of contents is overly lengthy, consider removing one level of depth. Oftentimes, this can be done without detracting from the usefulness of the TOC.

Right, now that the “admin” sections are out of the way, its time to move on to your core chapters. These chapters are the heart of your dissertation and are where you’ll earn the marks. The first chapter is the introduction chapter – as you would expect, this is the time to introduce your research…

It’s important to understand that even though you’ve provided an overview of your research in your abstract, your introduction needs to be written as if the reader has not read that (remember, the abstract is essentially a standalone document). So, your introduction chapter needs to start from the very beginning, and should address the following questions:

• What will you be investigating (in plain-language, big picture-level)?
• Why is that worth investigating? How is it important to academia or business? How is it sufficiently original?
• What are your research aims and research question(s)? Note that the research questions can sometimes be presented at the end of the literature review (next chapter).
• What is the scope of your study? In other words, what will and won’t you cover ?
• How will you approach your research? In other words, what methodology will you adopt?
• How will you structure your dissertation? What are the core chapters and what will you do in each of them?

These are just the bare basic requirements for your intro chapter. Some universities will want additional bells and whistles in the intro chapter, so be sure to carefully read your brief or consult your research supervisor.

If done right, your introduction chapter will set a clear direction for the rest of your dissertation. Specifically, it will make it clear to the reader (and marker) exactly what you’ll be investigating, why that’s important, and how you’ll be going about the investigation. Conversely, if your introduction chapter leaves a first-time reader wondering what exactly you’ll be researching, you’ve still got some work to do.

Now that you’ve set a clear direction with your introduction chapter, the next step is the literature review . In this section, you will analyse the existing research (typically academic journal articles and high-quality industry publications), with a view to understanding the following questions:

• What does the literature currently say about the topic you’re investigating?
• Is the literature lacking or well established? Is it divided or in disagreement?
• How does your research fit into the bigger picture?
• How does your research contribute something original?
• How does the methodology of previous studies help you develop your own?

Depending on the nature of your study, you may also present a conceptual framework towards the end of your literature review, which you will then test in your actual research.

Again, some universities will want you to focus on some of these areas more than others, some will have additional or fewer requirements, and so on. Therefore, as always, its important to review your brief and/or discuss with your supervisor, so that you know exactly what’s expected of your literature review chapter.

Now that you’ve investigated the current state of knowledge in your literature review chapter and are familiar with the existing key theories, models and frameworks, its time to design your own research. Enter the methodology chapter – the most “science-ey” of the chapters…

In this chapter, you need to address two critical questions:

• Exactly HOW will you carry out your research (i.e. what is your intended research design)?
• Exactly WHY have you chosen to do things this way (i.e. how do you justify your design)?

Remember, the dissertation part of your degree is first and foremost about developing and demonstrating research skills . Therefore, the markers want to see that you know which methods to use, can clearly articulate why you’ve chosen then, and know how to deploy them effectively.

Importantly, this chapter requires detail – don’t hold back on the specifics. State exactly what you’ll be doing, with who, when, for how long, etc. Moreover, for every design choice you make, make sure you justify it.

In practice, you will likely end up coming back to this chapter once you’ve undertaken all your data collection and analysis, and revise it based on changes you made during the analysis phase. This is perfectly fine. Its natural for you to add an additional analysis technique, scrap an old one, etc based on where your data lead you. Of course, I’m talking about small changes here – not a fundamental switch from qualitative to quantitative, which will likely send your supervisor in a spin!

You’ve now collected your data and undertaken your analysis, whether qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods. In this chapter, you’ll present the raw results of your analysis . For example, in the case of a quant study, you’ll present the demographic data, descriptive statistics, inferential statistics , etc.

Typically, Chapter 4 is simply a presentation and description of the data, not a discussion of the meaning of the data. In other words, it’s descriptive, rather than analytical – the meaning is discussed in Chapter 5. However, some universities will want you to combine chapters 4 and 5, so that you both present and interpret the meaning of the data at the same time. Check with your institution what their preference is.

Now that you’ve presented the data analysis results, its time to interpret and analyse them. In other words, its time to discuss what they mean, especially in relation to your research question(s).

What you discuss here will depend largely on your chosen methodology. For example, if you’ve gone the quantitative route, you might discuss the relationships between variables . If you’ve gone the qualitative route, you might discuss key themes and the meanings thereof. It all depends on what your research design choices were.

Most importantly, you need to discuss your results in relation to your research questions and aims, as well as the existing literature. What do the results tell you about your research questions? Are they aligned with the existing research or at odds? If so, why might this be? Dig deep into your findings and explain what the findings suggest, in plain English.

The final chapter – you’ve made it! Now that you’ve discussed your interpretation of the results, its time to bring it back to the beginning with the conclusion chapter . In other words, its time to (attempt to) answer your original research question s (from way back in chapter 1). Clearly state what your conclusions are in terms of your research questions. This might feel a bit repetitive, as you would have touched on this in the previous chapter, but its important to bring the discussion full circle and explicitly state your answer(s) to the research question(s).

Next, you’ll typically discuss the implications of your findings . In other words, you’ve answered your research questions – but what does this mean for the real world (or even for academia)? What should now be done differently, given the new insight you’ve generated?

Lastly, you should discuss the limitations of your research, as well as what this means for future research in the area. No study is perfect, especially not a Masters-level. Discuss the shortcomings of your research. Perhaps your methodology was limited, perhaps your sample size was small or not representative, etc, etc. Don’t be afraid to critique your work – the markers want to see that you can identify the limitations of your work. This is a strength, not a weakness. Be brutal!

This marks the end of your core chapters – woohoo! From here on out, it’s pretty smooth sailing.

The reference list is straightforward. It should contain a list of all resources cited in your dissertation, in the required format, e.g. APA , Harvard, etc.

It’s essential that you use reference management software for your dissertation. Do NOT try handle your referencing manually – its far too error prone. On a reference list of multiple pages, you’re going to make mistake. To this end, I suggest considering either Mendeley or Zotero. Both are free and provide a very straightforward interface to ensure that your referencing is 100% on point. I’ve included a simple how-to video for the Mendeley software (my personal favourite) below:

Some universities may ask you to include a bibliography, as opposed to a reference list. These two things are not the same . A bibliography is similar to a reference list, except that it also includes resources which informed your thinking but were not directly cited in your dissertation. So, double-check your brief and make sure you use the right one.

The very last piece of the puzzle is the appendix or set of appendices. This is where you’ll include any supporting data and evidence. Importantly, supporting is the keyword here.

Your appendices should provide additional “nice to know”, depth-adding information, which is not critical to the core analysis. Appendices should not be used as a way to cut down word count (see this post which covers how to reduce word count ). In other words, don’t place content that is critical to the core analysis here, just to save word count. You will not earn marks on any content in the appendices, so don’t try to play the system!

Time to recap…

And there you have it – the traditional dissertation structure and layout, from A-Z. To recap, the core structure for a dissertation or thesis is (typically) as follows:

• Acknowledgments page

Most importantly, the core chapters should reflect the research process (asking, investigating and answering your research question). Moreover, the research question(s) should form the golden thread throughout your dissertation structure. Everything should revolve around the research questions, and as you’ve seen, they should form both the start point (i.e. introduction chapter) and the endpoint (i.e. conclusion chapter).

I hope this post has provided you with clarity about the traditional dissertation/thesis structure and layout. If you have any questions or comments, please leave a comment below, or feel free to get in touch with us. Also, be sure to check out the rest of the  Grad Coach Blog .

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

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36 Comments

many thanks i found it very useful

Glad to hear that, Arun. Good luck writing your dissertation.

Such clear practical logical advice. I very much needed to read this to keep me focused in stead of fretting.. Perfect now ready to start my research!

what about scientific fields like computer or engineering thesis what is the difference in the structure? thank you very much

Thanks so much this helped me a lot!

Very helpful and accessible. What I like most is how practical the advice is along with helpful tools/ links.

Thanks Ade!

Thank you so much sir.. It was really helpful..

You’re welcome!

Hi! How many words maximum should contain the abstract?

Thank you so much 😊 Find this at the right moment

You’re most welcome. Good luck with your dissertation.

best ever benefit i got on right time thank you

Many times Clarity and vision of destination of dissertation is what makes the difference between good ,average and great researchers the same way a great automobile driver is fast with clarity of address and Clear weather conditions .

I guess Great researcher = great ideas + knowledge + great and fast data collection and modeling + great writing + high clarity on all these

You have given immense clarity from start to end.

Morning. Where will I write the definitions of what I’m referring to in my report?

Thank you so much Derek, I was almost lost! Thanks a tonnnn! Have a great day!

Thanks ! so concise and valuable

This was very helpful. Clear and concise. I know exactly what to do now.

Thank you for allowing me to go through briefly. I hope to find time to continue.

Really useful to me. Thanks a thousand times

Very interesting! It will definitely set me and many more for success. highly recommended.

Thank you soo much sir, for the opportunity to express my skills

Usefull, thanks a lot. Really clear

Very nice and easy to understand. Thank you .

That was incredibly useful. Thanks Grad Coach Crew!

My stress level just dropped at least 15 points after watching this. Just starting my thesis for my grad program and I feel a lot more capable now! Thanks for such a clear and helpful video, Emma and the GradCoach team!

Do we need to mention the number of words the dissertation contains in the main document?

It depends on your university’s requirements, so it would be best to check with them 🙂

Such a helpful post to help me get started with structuring my masters dissertation, thank you!

Great video; I appreciate that helpful information

It is so necessary or avital course

This blog is very informative for my research. Thank you

Doctoral students are required to fill out the National Research Council’s Survey of Earned Doctorates

wow this is an amazing gain in my life

This is so good

How can i arrange my specific objectives in my dissertation?

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Subject Guide: Psychology: Theses and Dissertations

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Accessing Theses and Dissertations

• Durham Theses and Dissertations
• Other UK Theses and Dissertations
• Non-UK Theses and Dissertations

Durham e-Theses contains the full-text of Durham University Higher Degree theses .

All theses passed after 1 October 2009 (with a small number of exceptins) are available, or will be available following an embargo determined by the author. Durham University Library has also digitised its extensive collection of PhD, MPhil and Research Masters dissertations from 1899 onwards.

EThOS - The UK’s national thesis service which aims to maximise the visibility and availability of the UK’s doctoral research theses. EThOS aims to provide a national aggregated record of all doctoral theses awarded by UK Higher Education institutions, and free access to the full text of as many theses as possible for use by all researchers to further their own research.

ProQuest Dissertations and Theses - ProQuest Dissertations & Theses (PQDT) Global is the world's most comprehensive collection of dissertations and theses from around the world, offering millions of works from thousands of universities. Each year hundreds of thousands of works are added. Full-text coverage spans from 1743 to the present, with citation coverage dating back to 1637. If needed you can limit your results to institutions from countries in the UK.

ProQuest Dissertations and Theses  - ProQuest Dissertations & Theses (PQDT) Global is the world's most comprehensive collection of dissertations and theses from around the world, offering millions of works from thousands of universities. Each year hundreds of thousands of works are added. Full-text coverage spans from 1743 to the present, with citation coverage dating back to 1637.

Open Access Theses and Dissertations -  OATD.org aims to be the best possible resource for finding open access graduate theses and dissertations published around the world. Metadata (information about the theses) comes from over 1100 colleges, universities, and research institutions.

DART-Europe E-Theses Portal - A partnership of research libraries and library consortia who are working together to improve global access to European research theses.

South African Theses and Dissertations - via the National ETD Portal. 

Australian Theses via TROVE  - a collaboration between the National Library of Australia and hundreds of Partner organisations around Australia.

OAIster - A union catalog of millions of records that represent open access resources. It includes more than 50 million records that represent digital resources from more than 2,000 contributors. Results can be limited to just theses and dissertations.

Theses Canada - Launched in 1965 at the request of the deans of Canadian graduate schools, is a collaborative program between Library and Archives Canada (LAC) and Canadian universities. It strives to acquire and preserve theses and dissertations from participating universities, provide free access to Canadian digital theses and dissertations in the collection, and to facilitate access to non-digital theses and dissertations in the collection

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• Dissertation

How to Write a Dissertation | A Guide to Structure & Content

A dissertation or thesis is a long piece of academic writing based on original research, submitted as part of an undergraduate or postgraduate degree.

The structure of a dissertation depends on your field, but it is usually divided into at least four or five chapters (including an introduction and conclusion chapter).

The most common dissertation structure in the sciences and social sciences includes:

• An introduction to your topic
• A literature review that surveys relevant sources
• An explanation of your methodology
• An overview of the results of your research
• A discussion of the results and their implications
• A conclusion that shows what your research has contributed

Dissertations in the humanities are often structured more like a long essay , building an argument by analysing primary and secondary sources . Instead of the standard structure outlined here, you might organise your chapters around different themes or case studies.

Other important elements of the dissertation include the title page , abstract , and reference list . If in doubt about how your dissertation should be structured, always check your department’s guidelines and consult with your supervisor.

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Table of contents

Acknowledgements, table of contents, list of figures and tables, list of abbreviations, introduction, literature review / theoretical framework, methodology, reference list.

The very first page of your document contains your dissertation’s title, your name, department, institution, degree program, and submission date. Sometimes it also includes your student number, your supervisor’s name, and the university’s logo. Many programs have strict requirements for formatting the dissertation title page .

The title page is often used as cover when printing and binding your dissertation .

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The acknowledgements section is usually optional, and gives space for you to thank everyone who helped you in writing your dissertation. This might include your supervisors, participants in your research, and friends or family who supported you.

The abstract is a short summary of your dissertation, usually about 150-300 words long. You should write it at the very end, when you’ve completed the rest of the dissertation. In the abstract, make sure to:

• State the main topic and aims of your research
• Describe the methods you used
• Summarise the main results
• State your conclusions

Although the abstract is very short, it’s the first part (and sometimes the only part) of your dissertation that people will read, so it’s important that you get it right. If you’re struggling to write a strong abstract, read our guide on how to write an abstract .

In the table of contents, list all of your chapters and subheadings and their page numbers. The dissertation contents page gives the reader an overview of your structure and helps easily navigate the document.

All parts of your dissertation should be included in the table of contents, including the appendices. You can generate a table of contents automatically in Word.

If you have used a lot of tables and figures in your dissertation, you should itemise them in a numbered list . You can automatically generate this list using the Insert Caption feature in Word.

If you have used a lot of abbreviations in your dissertation, you can include them in an alphabetised list of abbreviations so that the reader can easily look up their meanings.

If you have used a lot of highly specialised terms that will not be familiar to your reader, it might be a good idea to include a glossary . List the terms alphabetically and explain each term with a brief description or definition.

In the introduction, you set up your dissertation’s topic, purpose, and relevance, and tell the reader what to expect in the rest of the dissertation. The introduction should:

• Establish your research topic , giving necessary background information to contextualise your work
• Narrow down the focus and define the scope of the research
• Discuss the state of existing research on the topic, showing your work’s relevance to a broader problem or debate
• Clearly state your objectives and research questions , and indicate how you will answer them
• Give an overview of your dissertation’s structure

Everything in the introduction should be clear, engaging, and relevant to your research. By the end, the reader should understand the what , why and how of your research. Not sure how? Read our guide on how to write a dissertation introduction .

Before you start on your research, you should have conducted a literature review to gain a thorough understanding of the academic work that already exists on your topic. This means:

• Collecting sources (e.g. books and journal articles) and selecting the most relevant ones
• Critically evaluating and analysing each source
• Drawing connections between them (e.g. themes, patterns, conflicts, gaps) to make an overall point

In the dissertation literature review chapter or section, you shouldn’t just summarise existing studies, but develop a coherent structure and argument that leads to a clear basis or justification for your own research. For example, it might aim to show how your research:

• Addresses a gap in the literature
• Takes a new theoretical or methodological approach to the topic
• Proposes a solution to an unresolved problem
• Advances a theoretical debate
• Builds on and strengthens existing knowledge with new data

The literature review often becomes the basis for a theoretical framework , in which you define and analyse the key theories, concepts and models that frame your research. In this section you can answer descriptive research questions about the relationship between concepts or variables.

The methodology chapter or section describes how you conducted your research, allowing your reader to assess its validity. You should generally include:

• The overall approach and type of research (e.g. qualitative, quantitative, experimental, ethnographic)
• Your methods of collecting data (e.g. interviews, surveys, archives)
• Details of where, when, and with whom the research took place
• Your methods of analysing data (e.g. statistical analysis, discourse analysis)
• Tools and materials you used (e.g. computer programs, lab equipment)
• A discussion of any obstacles you faced in conducting the research and how you overcame them
• An evaluation or justification of your methods

Your aim in the methodology is to accurately report what you did, as well as convincing the reader that this was the best approach to answering your research questions or objectives.

Next, you report the results of your research . You can structure this section around sub-questions, hypotheses, or topics. Only report results that are relevant to your objectives and research questions. In some disciplines, the results section is strictly separated from the discussion, while in others the two are combined.

For example, for qualitative methods like in-depth interviews, the presentation of the data will often be woven together with discussion and analysis, while in quantitative and experimental research, the results should be presented separately before you discuss their meaning. If you’re unsure, consult with your supervisor and look at sample dissertations to find out the best structure for your research.

In the results section it can often be helpful to include tables, graphs and charts. Think carefully about how best to present your data, and don’t include tables or figures that just repeat what you have written  –  they should provide extra information or usefully visualise the results in a way that adds value to your text.

Full versions of your data (such as interview transcripts) can be included as an appendix .

The discussion  is where you explore the meaning and implications of your results in relation to your research questions. Here you should interpret the results in detail, discussing whether they met your expectations and how well they fit with the framework that you built in earlier chapters. If any of the results were unexpected, offer explanations for why this might be. It’s a good idea to consider alternative interpretations of your data and discuss any limitations that might have influenced the results.

The discussion should reference other scholarly work to show how your results fit with existing knowledge. You can also make recommendations for future research or practical action.

The dissertation conclusion should concisely answer the main research question, leaving the reader with a clear understanding of your central argument. Wrap up your dissertation with a final reflection on what you did and how you did it. The conclusion often also includes recommendations for research or practice.

In this section, it’s important to show how your findings contribute to knowledge in the field and why your research matters. What have you added to what was already known?

You must include full details of all sources that you have cited in a reference list (sometimes also called a works cited list or bibliography). It’s important to follow a consistent reference style . Each style has strict and specific requirements for how to format your sources in the reference list.

The most common styles used in UK universities are Harvard referencing and Vancouver referencing . Your department will often specify which referencing style you should use – for example, psychology students tend to use APA style , humanities students often use MHRA , and law students always use OSCOLA . M ake sure to check the requirements, and ask your supervisor if you’re unsure.

To save time creating the reference list and make sure your citations are correctly and consistently formatted, you can use our free APA Citation Generator .

Your dissertation itself should contain only essential information that directly contributes to answering your research question. Documents you have used that do not fit into the main body of your dissertation (such as interview transcripts, survey questions or tables with full figures) can be added as appendices .

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• Schools & departments

Dissertation archive

Student dissertations held by the library.

Undergraduate dissertations

PPLS Library holds undergraduate Psychology dissertations submitted from 1947 to 2019. These are available on request from the librarian.  If you are unable to visit the library, the librarian can make a search on your behalf.  Since 2006 dissertations were submitted online to the Edinburgh Research Archive.  EASE login is required to see full-text.

Undergraduate dissertations are not publicly available until one academic year after their original submission.

Edinburgh Research Archive

Postgraduate theses and dissertations

Doctoral and MPhil  theses are held in the Centre for Research Collections at the University Library.

Centre for Research Collections

Most can be found by searching DiscoverEd and are now usually available online.

PPLS Masters dissertations were submitted electronically from 2006 onwards and are held online in the Edinburgh Reseseach Archive (ERA).  Psychology Masters dissertations from 1998 to 2004 are held in the PPLS library. They are available on request from the librarian.

Masters dissertations are not available publicly until one academic year after their original submission.

  Edinburgh Research Archive

Find theses on your subject

The library also subscribes to useful resources for accessing  dissertations and theses worldwide.

Information about finding theses

Psych Careers

A graduation message for psychology students, personal perspective: lessons on purpose, persistence, and community..

Posted May 9, 2024 | Reviewed by Monica Vilhauer

Last year, I delivered the graduation speech for Oregon State University's School of Psychological Science, and I think the message is even more relevant today.

Three lessons on purpose , persistence , and community can help you navigate life's next chapter. From psychological research, we know that facts and figures are less impactful than personal stories, so I’ll pepper in examples from my own experiences along the way.

Think back to why you decided to become a psychology major. Was it because of a desire to help people? An insatiable curiosity about human nature? To make a difference in people’s lives? For me, it was all of the above.

I have been interested in psychology ever since I was born. I was born with Moebius syndrome , a disability characterized by facial paralysis and the inability to move my eyes from side to side. At an early age, I understood that the way I communicated was unusual, that people were confused by my lack of facial expression. I became fascinated with communication and social interaction.

These interests led me to study psychology as a college student. Toward the end of my bachelor’s I set out to do my very first college term paper on Moebius syndrome. I showed up at the library expecting to find pages and pages of answers, but I discovered there was only a handful of psych papers published on it! This was bad news for two reasons: First, I didn’t have enough sources to write my term paper. Second, my chosen field had not included people like me.

I realized I was at a crossroads. I could give up and choose another path, or I could start developing the psychological knowledge in this area.

I chose the latter. I knew that I had the unique motivation and insight to grow this field. So I applied to graduate school—but the first time I applied, I was rejected from every single program.

Graduate training in psychology research follows a mentorship model, and because there were few psychologists studying disability, and few psychologists who had disabilities themselves, I struggled to find an advisor who was interested in this topic. Eventually, I found supportive allies to be my mentors. I was the speaker at my own PhD graduation ceremony, when my mentor Dr. Linda Tickle-Degnen hooded me. Just over 10 years later, I spoke at the graduation ceremony, where I am now a faculty member, and hooded my first disabled PhD student.

I've spent more than 15 years studying ableism, or prejudice toward people with disability. Nearly 20% of Americans have a disability, making it one of the largest minority groups in the U.S. And one that is now a little less underrepresented in psychology.

My experience made me acutely aware of the importance of finding purpose to live a fulfilling life. Personally, my work provides meaning by helping others with similar conditions and teaching students about a broader and more diverse swath of humanity.

I encourage you to find meaning in your work. It doesn’t have to be as entrenched in your identity as mine, and it doesn’t even have to be connected to you job. But find a field, a project, or a hobby in which you feel an intense curiosity, an excitement for learning, a passion for change, and it will drive you to persevere. Success will follow. Studies consistently show that individuals who find meaning and purpose in their work are more engaged, fulfilled, and resilient.

Purpose is your own personal mission statement. What is yours? It could be to love your fellow humans, it could be to help others. Prioritize actions that align with your mission.

Mine is to make the world a more inclusive place, using psychology!

Persistence

The quote from Thomas Edison that "genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration" rings true to me. My successes are due to simple perseverance, as well as a lot of support (see lesson on community below). What keeps me going is that I find great personal meaning in my work.

My day-to-day work is not glamorous. I spend my time working with students or sitting alone in a room and writing. I make a commitment to write around the same time every day. Disabled advocate Cassie Winter calls this type of work “butt in chair time.” This simply means creating a consistent schedule to work on your priorities. Sometimes this means staring blankly and thinking through ideas; other times it means writing furiously in a flow state. My butt in chair time creates a sustainable pace, instead of falling into boom or bust cycles, and prevents burnout .

Your work and hobbies may look different from mine. Swap butt in chair time to boots on the ground time, or whatever resonates with you. The point is, prioritize time to work on the things that matter to you.

Research links persistence with a growth mindset . It is important to note that the healthy kind of persistence involves flexibility, not ridged stubbornness. Albert Einstein said it well when he said “insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” Failure is feedback that we can learn and grow from. Change your approach and try again.

For example, when I didn’t get into any graduate schools the first time around, I realized I needed to change my strategy. I studied for the GRE using a different approach and retook it. I also broadened my search to other areas of the country and applied to masters programs. I first got into a masters program, which gave me the opportunity to hone my skills. Then I was ready to move into my goal, a PhD program.

In college and graduate school, I ached for friends and role models who identified as disabled but found none. My experience made me acutely aware of the need for better representation of marginalized people in higher education .

Now, I teach a class at OSU on the Psychology of Disability, where I give students with and without disabilities an opportunity to see representation of this important minority group and its intersections. I also co-founded the Disability Advocacy Research Network ( DARN ), an organization for disabled psychologists and students to find the community that I didn’t have earlier in my career . Last year, I delivered the speech at OSU's first disability graduation ceremony. I am so heartened that the next generation will be better able to find community.

That brings me to my last piece of advice. Find your community, or create it: a place where you can be authentically you.

As you enter a new stage in life, community will become all the more important. Seek out mentors who can guide you. Likewise, you are now in a position where you could mentor people who are just entering college. Studies have shown that strong social connections contribute to resilience and overall life satisfaction. In creating them, we not only enrich our own lives but also create a ripple effect of support in the lives of those around us.

Kathleen Bogart, Ph.D. , is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Oregon State University. She researches the implications of living with disability, rare disorders, or facial differences.

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