Browsing by Subject "Psychological Phenomena and Processes"
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Item A Path Analysis of Body Mass Index, Body Image, and Unhealthy Dietary Behavior as Contributors to Suicidal Behavior in Female Adolescents(2004-05-01) Rorie, Michele Taylor; Balcazar, Hector; Lurie, Sue; ReneRorie, Michele Taylor, A Path Analysis of Body Mass Index, Body Image and Unhealthy Dietary Behavior as Contributors to Suicidal Behavior in Female Adolescents. Doctor of Public Health (Social and Behavioral Sciences), May 2004, 120 pp., 17 tables, 6 illustrations, references, 106 titles. Objectives- This study examined the pattern and magnitude of relationships between body mass index, body image, unhealthy dietary behaviors, and suicidal behavior among a sample of White, African American, and Hispanic adolescent females. Methods-This study employed secondary analysis of the 2001 Youth Risk Behavior Survey public-use dataset to provide quantitative estimates of the causal connections between body mass index, body image, dietary behaviors, and suicidal behavior. A sample (n=5,218) of White, African American, and Hispanic adolescent females aged 14-17 were selected for analysis. This cross-sectional study involved public high school students in grades 9-12. The variables/constructs BMI, Body Image, and Dietary Behavior were examined using a path analysis to determine the magnitude of effects on Suicidal Behavior in adolescent females. Results- The path coefficients were obtained for the path model using multiple regression equations, which took direct and indirect effects into account. The Female Adolescent Model (n= 5,218) yielded an R2 = .27. This meant that 27% of the variance in Suicidal Behavior was explained by BMI, Body Image, and Dietary Behavior. When race/ethnicity was analyzed separately, different values were observed. The White Adolescent Female Model (n=2,768) had an R2=.32. The Black or African American Model (n=1,206) had an R2=.23, and the Hispanic or Latino Model (n=1,224) had an R2=.27. Conclusion- The basic state of what is an actual fact about a person (i.e. weight) does not cause an increase of harmful or destructive behavior. The person’s beliefs drive intention as it was demonstrated through the immergence of significant indirect pathways from BMI through Body Image and Dietary Behavior to Suicidal Behavior. The path analyses for the three racial groups suggest that there are varying degrees of influence among BMI, Body Image, Dietary Behaviors, and Suicidal Behaviors.Item Corticotropin-Releasing Factor and Corticosterone Modulate the Anxiogenic-Like Effects of mCPP(1998-06-01) Jenkins, Jennifer A.; Michael Forster; Robert Luedtke; Patricia GwirtzJenkins, Jennifer A., Corticotropin-Releasing Factor and Corticosterone Modulate the Anxiogenic-Like Effects of mCPP. Doctor of Philosophy (Pharmacology), June 1998, 119 pp., 2 tables, 29 figures, bibliography, 100 titles. The administration of PTZ or mCPP produces anxiety-like behavior as measured by an increase in the percentage of entries into the open arms and the time spent on the open arms of the elevated plus maze (Prunell et al., 1994). Reportedly, PTZ and mCPP substitute for each other in the drug discrimination paradigm (Wallis and Laz, 1998). It is therefore suggested that commonality exists among anxiogenic drugs as perceived by trained animals. Andrews and Stephen (1990) suggested that this overall parallelism is an indication that anxiogenic agents may possess similar properties. Therefore, the question posed is as follows: Is there a common denominator anxiety? The global hypothesis is that the core component of anxiety produced by anxiogenic agents or processes involves stimulation of the HPA axis to release CRF, ACTH and/or CORT. Long Evans rats were trained to discriminate either mCPP (1.4 mg/kg) or PTZ (16mg/kg) from saline in a two-lever choice procedure (FR10) which is food reinforced. Animals were pretreated with CRF, α-helical CRF (a CRF antagonist), two steroid synthesis inhibitors (ketoconazole, KETZ and aminoglutethimide, AMG), CORT or underwent an adrenalectomy prior to behavioral testing in order to test the hypothesis that the release of CRF and/or CORT are components of the discriminate stimulus of the mCPP and/or PTZ. Pretreatment with CRF, KETZ, AMG and an adrenalectomy facilitated mCPP level selection. However in the absence of mCPP neither drug nor adrenalectomy produced drug lever selection. In addition CORT did not alter the mCPP dose response curve. However, CORT replacement therapy returned the does response curve to baseline in adrenalectomized animals. Alpha-helical CRF did not block mCPP discrimination. Unlike mCPP-trained animals, KETZ and AMG decreased PTZ-lever selection in PTZ-trained animals. In addition, CORT enhanced and partially substituted for the discriminative stimulus of PTZ. However, adrenalectomy completely abolished drug lever selection in PTZ animals. To compare the discriminative stimulus effects of mCPP and PTZ, PTZ-trained animals were injected with cumulative doses of mCPP. mCPP-trained animals were injected with cumulative doses of PTZ. mCPP and PTZ minimally substituted for each other. The results suggested that neither CRF nor CORT are components of the discriminative stimulus of mCCP and that the role of the HPA axis in mCPP discrimination maybe be a modulator of the stress response. However, CORT is a component of the discriminative stimulus of PTZ such that CORT is necessary for drug lever selection in PTZ trained animals.Item Differences in Risk of Injury Between Stimulant-Treated and Untreated ADHD Patients(2006-08-01) Segars, Larry W.; Raghbir Sandhu; Krisine LykensSegars, Larry W., Differences in Risk of Injury between Stimulant-Treated and Untreated ADHD Patients. Doctor of Public Health (Epidemiology), August 2006, 63 pp, 7 tables, 0 illustrations, references, 78 titles. ADHD is a common psychiatric disorder of childhood and adolescence that also occurs in adults and spans the life of the patient. ADHD is characterized by lack of focus, distractibility, and poor concentration. Limited data have been generated focusing on ADHD patients and the association with an increased risk of injury. Unfortunately, no study has been published evaluating the effect of stimulant treatment for ADHD on the risk of injury requiring ambulatory medical care. This research utilized four concatenated years, specifically 1998-2001, of the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS). This dissertation is comprised of five chapters beginning with a description of ADHD, its characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment. This overview chapter is followed by a complete review of the literature describing the publication’s which assessed the association between ADHD and the risk of injury. The next chapter is a thorough review of the NAMCS and its methodology. The concatenated dataset captured 889 office visits associated with a diagnosis of ADHD, 666 of which were also related to the prescription of a stimulant for the management of ADHD. Using NAMCS’s weight variable these values produced a national estimate of 21,223,391 office visits associated with the ADHD diagnosis and 15,604,329 office visits associated with the prescription of a stimulant for ADHD. This research determined that there was a borderline statistically significant increased association with the prescription of a stimulant for the treatment of ADHD and the risk of injury requiring treatment in an ambulatory medical care setting. Interestingly, compared to patient’s who recorded their race as Caucasian, patients who recorded their race as “Other”; representing the races of Asian, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, or American Indian/Alaska Native, and individuals indicating more than one race, had a statistically significant increased risk of injury necessitating treatment in an ambulatory medical care setting. Potential theories for this unique finding, along with the limitations of this research, are provided in the final discussion chapter.Item Establishing the Effects of Exercise Schema and Self-Schema on Emotional Distress(2003-08-01) Rodriguez, Leslie R.; Claudia Coggin; Joseph Doster; Daisha CipherRodriguez, Leslie R., BSN, RN, Establishing the Effects of Exercise Schema and Self-Schema on Emotional Distress. Masters of Public Health (Health Behavior), August 2003, 78 pp., 4 tables, references, 81 titles. Chronic diseases’ resulting from anger and depression represents a significant problem. Vast amounts of resources and dollars are expended and utilized. Their link to the development of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and diabetes is recognized. Physical activity produces improvements in self-esteem, increased alertness, and decreased anxiety. The purpose of this study was determining the effect exercise and exercise schema has on mood states. College age students (N=198) of a large North Texas University were recruited. Data collection included States of change, the Exerciser self-schema questionnaire, Clinical Analysis Questionnaire, and the State Trait Anger Expression Inventory. Significance in some mood states of those who were exercising and exercise schematic were found.Item Sensitization to Cocaine: Behavioral and Genetic Characterization(1998-04-01) Odom, Linda Ann; Michael Forster; Glenn Dillon; Harbans LalOdom, Linda Ann, Sensitization to Cocaine: Behavioral and Genetic Characterization. Doctor of Philosophy (Pharmacology). April 1998, 141 pages, 2 tables, 23 figures, 89 references. Conditioned associations between environmental context and cocaine effects may play a significant role in acquisition and maintenance of cocaine dependence. Conditioning may also contribute significantly to cocaine sensitization, a leftward shift in the cocaine dose-response curve that is attributable to cocaine pre-exposure. Both studies examined the sensitization of cocaine’s behavioral effects after one or four prior exposures to cocaine in two distinct environments, allowing evaluation of the acquisition and magnitude of sensitization to cocaine and the contribution of conditioning to sensitization. An extinction component was added to the second study to allow determination of persistence of context-dependent sensitization in C57BL/6 and DBA/2 mice. The purpose of the first study was to fully characterize the quantity and quality of the sensitized behavioral response to cocaine in Swiss Webster mice and to determine parameters for sensitization in the second study. Results of this study indicated that pairing cocaine to the testing environment resulted in a leftward shift of the dose-response curves for both horizontal and stereotypy measures and a concurrent decrease in maximal effect of cocaine on horizontal distance and an increase in maximal effect of cocaine on horizontal distance and an increase in maximal effect of cocaine on stereotypy. The multivariate behavior profile indicated that the sensitized response to cocaine was best observed in response to 1 to 5 mg/kg cocaine, and that the conditioned response elicited by saline following cocaine pre-exposure closely resembled the 10 mg/kg acute cocaine response. The overall purpose of the second study was to determine if genetic differences in various aspects of such conditioned associations could contribute to individual differences in cocaine dependence. It was determined that, although DBA/2 mice had a faster rate of acquisition of context-dependent sensitization to cocaine than C57/BL6 mice, the multivariate behavior profile of the conditioned response of C57BL/6 mice resembled the behavior observed with a higher dose of acute cocaine and had greater magnitude and greater persistence than that of DBA/2 mice, which may explain in part the susceptibility of the C57BL/6 mice to cocaine dependence.Item The Effects of Media Exposure on Alcohol Consumption Patters within the African American Population(2005-05-01) Miller, Vanessa G.; Lykens, Kristine; Quinn, James; Cipher, DaishaMiller, Vanessa G., The Effects of Media Exposure on Alcohol Consumption Patterns within the African American Population. Doctor of Public Health (Health Management and Policy), May 2005, 206 pp., 62 tables, 8 illustrations, references, 77 titles. Objectives- The study examined the role of media exposure on alcohol consumption patterns in the African American population. In studying the role of media exposure, the study also examined the role of ethnicity, mood/affect, socio-demographic factors and religion on alcohol consumption patterns in this population. Methods- Secondary analysis of the General Social Survey (GSS), 1972-2002 cumulative data file was used to provide quantitative estimates of the relationship between media exposure, ethnicity, mood/affect, socio-demographic factors, and religiosity as predictors of alcohol consumption. Path analysis was used to determine the direct and indirect effects of these concepts on alcohol consumption patterns. Results- Watching television and reading the newspaper were significant predictors of alcohol use. Watching television had a positive effect on alcohol use; but only in the absence of religiosity. When religiosity was present, as indicated by religious affiliation and attendance at religious services, watching television had a significant negative effect on alcohol use. Reading the newspaper had a negative effect on alcohol use; but this effect was not very significant. Watching TV also had a significant positive effect on alcohol abuse. Reading the newspaper had an effect on alcohol abuse but this effect was not significant. IN the presence of religiosity, neither watching TV nor reading the newspaper had a significant effect on alcohol abuse. The effects of religiosity could also be seen on the relationships between alcohol consumption and socializing patterns, age, sex, ethnicity, and income. The year of the GSS survey had a significant positive effect of television viewing and a significant negative effect on reading the newspaper. Race did not have a significant effect on alcohol use or abuse. Conclusion- This research has significant policy implications, as it indicates that exposure to media, thus exposure to advertising, had an effect on alcohol consumption. Religiosity appeared to act as a protective mechanism against the adverse effects of media exposure, as they relate to alcohol consumption. This research provides support for the implementation of more faith-based initiatives to combat substance abuse (especially alcohol abuse). It also sets the foundation for additional research on the effects of advertising on alcohol consumption, looking at the media revolution of the 21st century.