Master of Science in Psychology Student Thesis Collection

Permanent URI for this collection

Students completing the Master of Science in Psychology program at Purdue Global may elect to complete a thesis as the program's culminating experience. Select students are invited to submit their thesis for inclusion in the University Archive.

Browse

Recent Submissions

Now showing 1 - 20 of 62
  • Item
    Building Effective Work Relationships: How employees are Building and Maintaining Relationships in the Office and Remote Environment By Generation
    (2023) Wisniewski, Bethanie
    This study looks at how employees build and maintain work relationships in a remote environment compared to in-person and by generation. The study takes from research by Vangelisti and Caughlin (1997), Lubben et al. (2006), and Golden et al. (2006) to measure the quality of the coworker relationship by work location and generation. Additionally, the study includes an original survey to measure the methods, actions, and use of technology that the participants employ to build and maintain these relationships by work location and generation. The results show no significant difference in the coworker relationship quality by location. However, there was a significant difference in the psychological closeness of the coworker relationships between the different generations, with older generations rating higher quality relationships with their colleagues. There was also a significant difference in the use of technology by work location and generation, with remote workers and older employees (Baby Boomers) using more forms of technology to build relationships with their colleagues.
  • Item
    Recidivism Among Adult Criminal Populations: A Systematic Review of Methods for Reducing Adult Criminal Recidivism
    (2023) Tanner, Kailee
    This systematic literature review examines psychological interventions to reduce recidivism among adult criminal populations. The review assesses empirical studies published within the last five years, focusing on interventions targeting reoffending rates among incarcerated or formerly incarcerated adults. The study drew from established databases, including the Purdue Global Library, Google Scholar, PsychArticles, ProQuest, and Academic Search Complete . The selected articles undergo meticulous evaluation, considering interventions ranging from cognitive-behavioral therapies (CBT) such as Reasoning and Rehabilitation 2 (R&R2), Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT), Aggression Replacement Training (ART), and alternative approaches like Forensic Peer Support (FPS), Bridges to Life (BTL), and Mental Health Courts (MHC). Analysis of the aggregated findings demonstrates a nuanced landscape of intervention effectiveness, with some programs showcasing reduced recidivism rates while others yield inconclusive or ineffective outcomes. The review highlights the alignment between successful interventions and psychological theories, emphasizing the importance of tailored, evidence-based strategies rooted in cognitive-behavioral and restorative justice principles. Additionally, the study identifies ethical, legal, individual, and socio-cultural implications of effective interventions, illuminating the broader impact beyond recidivism reduction. Acknowledging study design and methodology limitations, the review proposes future research directions, advocating for standardized intervention protocols, integrated multimodal approaches, and post-release community transition programs. These strategies offer promising avenues to develop comprehensive and adaptable interventions aimed at addressing recidivism within adult criminal populations.
  • Item
    North Carolina Mental Health Courts: Recidivism Rates of Program Graduates vs. Non-graduates
    (2024) Lassiter, Angela D.
    This study investigates the disparities in recidivism rates between graduates and non-graduates of Mental Health Courts (MHCs) in North Carolina, drawing data from Durham and Mecklenburg Counties. The research aimed to assess the impact of MHC program completion on reducing reoffending among individuals with mental health diagnoses. While Mecklenburg County's MHC program exhibited promising outcomes, the study underscores the necessity for improved data collection methodologies and comprehensive record maintenance to ascertain the full impact of MHC program completion on reducing recidivism rates among individuals with mental health diagnoses in North Carolina.
  • Item
    Impact of Opioid Use Disorder on Family
    (2024) Arnold, Rachel
    Background and Aims: Despite a large body of research correlating SUD and caregivers, solidifying the research on the effects on family members, FMs, with young adults with OUD. This study aims to see the effects being a FM of a young adult with OUD with the hypothesis that there will be negative effects from the FMs. Methods: The survey included 18 family members, aged 18-65, of those with a young adult, age 16-36, with OUD with 4 exclusions due to inaccurate data within the survey. Participants were recruited through social media of Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter along with a communication app of Slack. Participants were assessed with mean and standard deviation along with a t-test. Results: Of the 14 participants, a majority were White females. The results showed equal amounts of positive and negative effects on the different domains of mental, physical, emotional, and QoL. Major findings show no statistical significance between the negative and positive effects. The two-tailed p-value was found to be 0.9379. Conclusion: Positive and negative effects are present when researching FMs and their young adults with OUD. The sample size can cause the lack of generalizations towards this population.
  • Item
    Mental Health and Recidivism Rates in Idaho
    (2023) Shetler, Ynez
    There has been extensive research done nationwide on the effects of mental health treatment in regards to recidivism rates, but very little in Idaho. The goal of this research study was to change that, and to learn if introducing mental health treatment has a positive impact on Idaho’s recidivism rates. The hypothesis is those that spent time in an Idaho Department of Corrections facility who received mental health treatment either while in custody or immediately after would have lower recidivism rates. A short survey was created that asked questions about if the participant had been diagnosed with a co-occurring mental health and substance use disorder, if they received mental health treatment while in custody or immediately following released and if they were convicted of new crimes within 90 days, 1 year and 3 years. The survey was sent to 2,000 potential participants via email and had 19 responses, limiting the research in depth. With the limited number of responses, it was determined that over the course of three years, those with mental health treatment did have an improvement in recidivism. However, due to the limited number of responses, there are no major implications from this research.
  • Item
    Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration and Victimization: Influence of Childhood Maltreatment on Intimate Partner Violence Among Young Adults
    (2023) Kirk, Ashley
    Intimate partner violence is a growing concern. It has been shown to cause long lasting psychological and physical effects for those who experience IPV. Additionally, those who experience childhood victimization have been seen to be more likely to continue being victimized or perpetuate the violence later in life. It was hypothesized that the more childhood maltreatment a person experienced, the more likely they would be to face IPV victimization or perpetration in young adulthood. An anonymous questionnaire was given to college students using the Adverse Childhood Experiences International Questionnaire (ACE-IQ) and the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS2) for couples. This asked about their childhood home life and current or most recent relationships. Two sample t-tests were then done to determine significance. Statistical significance was found when testing both IPV perpetration and victimization against childhood maltreatment. When graphed, it could be seen that events of both IPV perpetration and victimization rose as the events of childhood maltreatment rose. This type of research is essential for early intervention in preventing the perpetuation of the cycle of violence. More research will also bring much needed attention to this difficult topic.
  • Item
    Serial Homicide: Forensic Psychological Perspective on Nature versus Nurture
    (2024) Rybicki, Michelle
    This thesis examines the role of nature and nurture as it pertains to serial sexual homicide perpetrators through the lens of forensic psychology related professionals. Pre-existing literature looks at antisocial personality disorder, the Dark Triad, adverse childhood experiences (ACE), brain development, sex, and testosterone as contributing factors to violence. A survey distributed to social media groups and businesses labeled as having forensic psychologists was utilized to analyze the general perception of the variables for general violence and serial violence to ascertain whether there was a perceived difference on the impact of nature and nurture. The impact of ACEs (nurture) was anticipated as being perceived as being more impactful by forensic psychologists. Welch’s T-test analyses were conducted to ascertain the common beliefs of forensic psychology professionals regarding such variables. The study found that there is a consensus towards nurture related variables being more impactful. However, male serial sexual homicide offenders saw a consensus of nature being more impactful for Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer, while the female serial offender, Aileen Wuornos, saw nurture as being more impactful. The research largely confirms pre-existing literature while expanding the serial homicide population pool to include Aileen Wuornos, a female serial sexual homicide perpetrator.
  • Item
    Intergenerational Traumas Effect on Next-Generation Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on Marginalized Populations
    (2023) Johnson, Crystal
    This literature review explores how the transmission of intergenerational trauma can affect the next generations' adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) within marginalized populations. The research question for the abstract was to evaluate intergenerational trauma transmission's role more clearly in next-generation ACE formulation. To answer the proposed research question, a review of current psychological articles was conducted to find gaps in knowledge. The synthesized review consisting of twenty-four articles on intergenerational trauma and next-generation ACEs for marginalized populations began from October to December 2023. Study outcomes included an increase in child development of ACEs through internal and external factors (21%) such as poverty, health equity, housing stability, racism, state-perpetuated violence, and immigration. Findings spoke to understanding ACEs and combating those effects with resilience interventions and strategies to offset later-life physical, behavioral, and mental health disorders. Results confirmed that there is evidence to support a causal inference to the claim that maternal ACEs impact children's development and poor social and emotional outcomes that potentially cause mental health symptoms (such as depression and anxiety). Further empirical research is required to understand intergenerational trauma in marginalized families better, as well as the different types and levels of trauma experienced and how it manifests from generation to generation. Furthermore, a more comprehensive ACE evaluation should consider individual and community ACE indicators. This will help to improve public health initiatives for adversity at the community level by providing a more accurate explanation of the mechanisms by which ACE effects are transmitted to public health at the population level.
  • Item
    Problematic Online Behaviors and the Possible Links to Psychopathic Personality Traits Among Online Users
    (2024) Lamar, Rebecca Maria
    Problematic online behaviors can range from online trolling behavior, cyber-bullying, publishing of fake news to internet addiction in which it can negatively affect the individual’s/victim’s daily functioning. In recent research, personality traits have been studied to discover possible links between it and problematic online behaviors. In particular, the Dark Triad has been the cluster of personality traits used. To further examine problematic online behaviors of the Dark Triad, the psychopathic personality trait was highlighted to gain a thorough understanding of its association with the problematic online behavior of internet addiction. The methodology that was applied involved surveying 80 internet users ages 18 years old and older to measure their internet usage and to screen for psychopathic personality traits, along with collecting demographic background information. Additionally, the participants were recruited via several Facebook groups. Consequently, the results of the study showed that there was a significant positive correlation between internet addiction and psychopathic personality traits of online users. Thus, stakeholders of the online arena and practitioners may gain an essential understanding of the relationship between internet addiction and psychopathic personality traits.
  • Item
    Exploring Job Satisfaction among Secondary School Educators: Uncovering Influential Factors
    (2023) Lohman, Nicole
    This study investigated factors influencing job satisfaction among high school teachers in the United States. Specifically, it was hypothesized that higher levels of perceived respect for the teacher profession, pay, safety, communication, parent involvement, and consequences for student behavior have a significant positive association with higher levels of job satisfaction. It was also hypothesized that factors such as the lack of respect for the teaching profession, pay, safety, communication, perceived parent involvement, and consequences for students’ misbehavior are negatively associated with job satisfaction. The study used a quantitative research design, utilizing a survey and statistical analysis to investigate and measure the relationship between these variables. All questions were in Likert-scale format ranging from 0 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree). A final sample size consisted of 121 active public high school educators. Of the participants, 84 successfully completed the survey, concluding with a response rate of 69%. The findings revealed a mean job satisfaction of 1.89, indicating that there is a general dissatisfaction among public high school teachers in the United States. Factors such as perceived respect for the teacher profession, and perceived parent involvement emerged as significant predictors of job satisfaction. This research also showed concerns for adequate pay, safety, consequences for student misbehavior, and issues in communication with administration. Results underscored the importance of the need for educational institutions and policymakers to address the identified areas of concern.
  • Item
    Motivations of Non-tenured Collegiate Professors of Music Performance Intrinsic Versus Extrinsic Factors of Motivation On the Desire to Perform Live Music
    (2023) Geiser, Konrad
    This study aimed to understand what motivates non-tenured professors of music to perform. By better understanding what motivates this particular group, it might be more apparent what is at the heart of the various mental and physical health-related issues that are unique to musicians. Methodology and Participants: The study was conducted through an online survey with a total of 76 participants of various backgrounds all working at a university within the United States. The survey questions focused on intrinsic versus extrinsic forms of motivation, items dealing with identity, and opportunities to make a choice given a situation. There were also two short answer questions that provided room to explore missed opportunities in terms of how the participants describe their motivation. The short answer question also provided space for additional or overlooked considerations to contextualize the findings to some degree. The participants were gathered mainly by direct emails based on titles listed on university websites, a total of 2503 emails were sent, to 189 universities, resulting in 76 total participant responses. Results and Implications: The study results highlight several areas that indicate how this population’s motivation to perform could provide insights on the group’s mental health. Of the implications present from the results of this study, it is clear that a personal sense of identity linked to one’s role as a musician is one of the main driving motivations to perform. In turn, it also indicates inherent risk to motivation that stems from identity, in fields like performing arts when a day will inevitably come when the individual is no longer able to perform at the same level as they once did, if at all.
  • Item
    Relationship Between Personality and Repetitive Negative Thinking: Impact on the Ability to Practice Self-Compassion
    (2023) Moore, Kevin
    Repetitive negative thinking can impact the individual’s ability to develop mental illnesses like depression and anxiety. Most of our thoughts are considered negative and could impact everyday life. If the individual is struggling with these thoughts and cannot break out of this thought cycle, then their life could be severely impacted. This study investigated if personality traits (agreeableness, conscientiousness, and emotional stability/reverse neuroticism) could be a factor for repetitive negative thinking and their ability to practice self-compassion. This current study hypothesized that high levels of neuroticism, as well as low levels of conscientiousness and agreeableness, will lead to higher levels of repetitive negative thinking and hurt their ability to practice self-compassion. 32 participants completed surveys online measuring personality (IPIP), repetitive negative thinking (PTQ), and self-compassion (SCS). Individuals were over the age of 18 without certain mental health diagnoses. Data was analyzed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and ANOVA. The results of this study found a significant relationship between emotional stability/reverse neuroticism and overall PTQ scores as well as overall SCS scores. Significant results were also found when comparing overall PTQ scores to overall SCS scores. However, there was inconclusive evidence to predict if agreeableness and conscientiousness impacted repetitive negative thinking and the ability to practice self-compassion.
  • Item
    Generalized Anxiety: The Role of Socio-Demographics in Association with Psychological Risk Factors in Middle-Aged Adults in the U.S.
    (2023) Grawe, Isabel
    This research paper demonstrates the role that socio-demographics plays in relation to Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and psychological risk factors using a quantitative design approach through a purposive sample. Existing measures that were used in this study were the demographic questionnaire, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale-7 (GAD-7), and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Participants of 103 U.S. citizens, with no specific gender, ethnicity, diagnoses, marital status, educational level, profession, and income but with a specific age, were derived through the survey platform, SurveyMonkey. The study yielded results that indicate that the number of diagnoses, female gender, lower reported salary, and part-time employment had a slightly higher total of GAD-7, PHQ-9 and PSS score that is highlighted through the use of a regression analysis. The results of this research provides supporting evidence that the data partially supports and aligns with the initial hypothesis because the socio-demographics of gender, the number of self-reported psychological diagnoses, and salary shows a slightly positive correlation with the data. The data did not provide a strong positive correlation, but it is a generalizable study that can provide insights into other or future studies. These results contribute to the large discussion of GAD’s relationship between psychological risk factors and socio-demographics, because the examination of the factors associated with depression, anxiety, and stress through a sex-sensitive lens can help clinicians diagnose and plan the best preventative and therapeutic approach.
  • Item
    The Relationship Between Cumulative Stress, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Implicit Racial Bias, and Police Abuse of Power and the Resulting Lethal Force Incidents in Encounters with African American Subjects
    (2023) Warner-Butler, Khalia
    The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between cumulative stress, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), implicit racial bias, and police abuse of power and their impact on law enforcement officers’ ability to accurately perceive threats, resulting in lethal force incidents in interactions with African American subjects. Stock et al. (1998) defines lethal force as “force which is likely to cause death or great bodily harm… (pg. 4).” Further, this study sought to determine how the four variables individually and collectively affect lethal force incidents. The hypothesis was implicit racial bias alone would not account for lethal force outcomes, further PTSD and/or cumulative stress must also be a part of the equation. One hundred and fifteen current or former law enforcement officers were surveyed to answer this question. Binary logistic regression was used to determine the existence of and strength of the relationship between variables. The analysis found the relationship between cumulative stress, police abuse of power, and lethal force incidents was statistically significant and both variables could reliably predict lethal force incidents. The study did not demonstrate a strong relationship between implicit racial bias and lethal force incidents, resulting in the need for further research to understand the role of race in these incidents when African American subjects are over 3x as likely to be killed in a lethal force incident than their Caucasian counterparts.
  • Item
    Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on Mental Wellbeing in 4-Year College Students: The Role of Resilience, Physical activity, and Social Support
    (2023) Richards, Rebekah
    The objective of this study was to examine the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on mental well-being in college students, taking a holistic approach to mental well-being to account for the social, physical, and emotional impacts. Data was gathered from 42 students enrolled in 4-year universities in the United States via an online survey using the Impact of Covid-19 Scale, the Short-Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale, the Brief Resilience Scale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form. The results of the study found that there is a significant positive relationship between mental wellbeing and social support. Alternatively, no statistical significance in the relationship between mental wellbeing and resilience and physical activity was found. Additionally, the study found a significant relationship between Impact of Covid-19 and the year in university. Community efforts promoting resilience, physical activity, and social support may help provide hope to college students struggling with their mental wellbeing throughout Covid-19. Further research is needed to assess the long-term impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • Item
    Authoritarian Leadership Style and Psychological Safety: Differences Between In-person and Remote Workers
    (2023) Wilson, Andre
    This study systematically reviews the literature on the relationship between authoritarian leadership and psychological safety in remote and in-person work. The study delves into the dynamics of leadership style and work setting, aiming to explain how authoritarian leadership can affect psychological safety across these two work settings. Further, it explores how authoritarian leaders can impact psychological safety by thoroughly analyzing the differences and similarities between remote and in-person workers. The review did show that authoritarian leadership is consistently associated with lower psychological safety in the workplace, and employees under this type of leadership tend to report increased levels of fear, stress, and apprehension about expressing their opinions or concerns. The effects may increase in remote work, where the dependency on virtual communication can amplify perceptions of control and dominance. Overall, this review aims to highlight leadership's role in fostering communication, trust, and a sense of belonging, which are crucial for building an environment of psychological safety in any work setting. The implications of this empirical review provide a thorough understanding of the challenges posed by authoritarianism on psychological safety, offering a clear understanding that organizations can provide support and help improve the well-being and performance of employees.
  • Item
    Examining the Relationship Between Feedback and Employee Communication
    (2023) Chandler, Veronica
    Organizational behavior management considers several factors that may impact organizational success, such as frequency of employee communication. Frequent communication can be indicative of effective communication and is a critical contributor toward organizational success. Feedback and communication has been proven to improve employee engagement, satisfaction, and commitment. Previous studies conducted consider the impact of communication on employee satisfaction and performance, but fail to consider the effect of feedback on communication frequency. This study aimed to investigate the impact frequent feedback can have on employee communication. It was hypothesized that increased feedback would result in a change in frequency of employee communication. 9 participants were recruited from a legal office to evaluate changes of communication after increased feedback. Statistical analysis included conducting a paired samples t-test to compare the mean frequency of communication in these 9 employees both before and after increased feedback. The study determined that increased feedback did not result in a change in frequency of communication. These results can be used by employers seeking to increase employee communication, engagement, or commitment. Additional research with more participants may be needed to identify behavioral patterns in communication as it relates to feedback.
  • Item
    The Impact of Childhood Abuse on Bipolar Disorder
    (2023) Jarosz, Victoria
    This systematic literature review highlights the impact of childhood abuse on bipolar disorder. It serves to question whether child abuse plays a role in the development of bipolar disorder and the severity of its symptoms. I hypothesized that it does play a role and may worsen the symptoms. 75 articles on the topic were carefully selected and analyzed to help answer this question using various search engines. The study shows that child abuse does worsen some symptoms of bipolar disorder, and can cause a higher chance of developing it in the first place. It increases suicidality and can make someone more likely to attempt suicide. Manic and depressive symptoms were also impacted. The results from this study could be used to further educate doctors, parents, and patients as to precursors for bipolar disorder so treatment can be started earlier. Early treatment intervention can result in a higher chance of success for managing the symptoms.
  • Item
    Relationship Between Employee Development Programs and Employee Satisfaction: Differences Between Managers and Non-managers
    (2023) Ward, Richard
    This article describes the potential relationship between employee satisfaction and developmental opportunities they have through their employers, dividing results by managers and non-managers. The researcher created, implemented, and conducted a survey to investigate this relationship through questions pertaining to satisfaction and developmental opportunities with 259 participants. Results of the survey show a positive relationship between developmental opportunities and employee satisfaction, with non-managers showing higher levels of satisfaction compared to managers, while investigating potential impacts education levels have on this relationship. The researcher concluded that there is a potential positive relationship between developmental opportunities and employee satisfaction, building on the current research and recommending further improvements to future studies.
  • Item
    Gender Differences in Reasoning: Implications for Sentencing in Jury Trials
    (2023) Comella, Casey
    This research investigated potential disparities in reasoning and sentencing outcomes within a jury setting based on the gender of jurors. The central hypothesis suggested that women would deliver heavier sentences than men. The study involved 204 participants who completed the Wason Selection Task via an online survey. The findings of this study were notable as they revealed no statistically significant differences in reasoning and sentencing outcomes between male and female jurors. Regardless of gender, participants consistently responded similarly across various scenarios, challenging prevailing research that often links gender to varying sentencing tendencies, particularly in emotionally charged situations. The implications of this research point to the necessity for more extensive and diverse samples and subgroup analyses of participants. A multifaceted approach, incorporating various factors, is required to gain a more comprehensive understanding of how gender influences jury decision-making. If subsequent studies replicate these findings, they would indicate that, in specific situations, jurors' gender does not substantially impact their decisions. This challenges current research findings that often emphasize gender differences, particularly in emotionally charged cases. Studies like Jones et al. (2021) on child sexual abuse allegations and Bottoms et al. (2014) on adult rape victims have highlighted these gender distinctions.