Graduate Student Journal of Psychology

Resilience and Psychological Distress in Genetic Testing for Alzheimer's Disease

Alicia Burgei — 2024-04-24

The relationship between resilience and psychological distress resulting from genetic testing for Alzheimer’s disease among non-cognitively impaired individuals is examined in this study. Preventative genetic testing determines the likelihood of developing or passing on genetic disorders. However, receiving genetic information, especially regarding incurable diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, can lead to significant psychological distress. Resilience, the ability to cope with adversity and recover quickly, is considered a protective factor against psychological distress. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether higher levels of resilience are associated with lower psychological distress from genetic testing for Alzheimer’s disease and to determine if having a familial history of Alzheimer’s disease influences this relationship. An online cross-sectional survey was conducted among 181 non-cognitively impaired participants (43.6% Male; 54.1% Female; Mage=38.1 [13.9]) using the Impact of Genetic Testing for Alzheimer’s Disease (IGT-AD) scale and the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), along with a question about family history of Alzheimer’s disease. The results indicated a significant negative correlation between resilience and psychological distress, suggesting that individuals with higher resilience experienced lower distress related to genetic testing. However, family history did not mediate the relationship, meaning the protective effect of resilience was consistent regardless of familial risk. These findings have implications for developing targeted support services and resilience-based interventions to help individuals cope with the emotional impact of genetic testing for Alzheimer’s disease. Further research could explore other potential protective factors and examine the long-term impact of genetic testing results on psychological well-being and behavior.

Loneliness During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications for Mental Health and Substance Use

Millie Cordaro — 2024-04-24

Aim: Traumatic stressor events disrupt the normal daily functioning of individuals and groups, and the consequences of collective trauma magnify psychopathology and mental health issues. One overlooked mental health implication of traumatic stress is loneliness. The current study examines loneliness as a result of traumatic stress and its psycho-social correlates, including substance abuse and changes in daily health behaviors. Design: Cross-sectional, nationwide, online survey. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional, nationwide online survey that included 2,530 adults in the United States, 18-83 years old, and examined the associations between loneliness and psychosocial factors and substance use during the initial part of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: Increased loneliness was associated with younger age, single marital status, and lower levels of education. Mental health disorders, including major depression, generalized anxiety, and somatization, were also associated with high levels of loneliness. Further, individuals with high levels of loneliness were more likely to report increased substance use, including alcohol and illicit drugs. Discussion: The findings of this study indicate that during times of collective traumatic events, high levels of loneliness are a risk factor for mental health and substance use. Further initiatives are warranted to create awareness and institute routine screenings for symptoms of loneliness to mitigate mental health distress and increases in substance abuse.

Changes in Undergraduate Students’ Self-Efficacy and Outcome Expectancy in an Introductory Statistics Course

Milushka Elbulok-Charcape — 2024-04-24

The exploration of psychological variables that potentially impact college student performance in challenging academic courses can be useful for understanding success in introductory statistics. Although previous research has examined specific beliefs that students hold about their abilities and future outcomes, the current study is novel in its examination of changes in both self-efficacy (SE) and outcome expectancy (OE) in relation to performance over the course of an undergraduate introductory psychology statistics course. These psychological variables—relating to one’s belief about one’s ability to accomplish a task and the anticipated outcomes—may impact student motivation and performance. Students’ SE, OE, and other variables related to statistics performance were measured through a survey administered at the beginning and end of the course. Multivariate logistic regression and McNemar tests were conducted to examine factors that affected changes in SE and OE as the semester progressed. Students with lower scores on the final exam demonstrated a decrease in both high SE and positive OE. However, higher scores on exams earlier in the course were associated with increased odds for high SE but not for positive OE, suggesting that SE is less resilient to course performance. Based on these findings, the authors recommend that statistics instructors identify students at risk for decreasing SE. Instructors can help foster high SE in students struggling academically by connecting the course content to their everyday lives and suggesting strategies to enhance their confidence in their content knowledge and increase their comfort in navigating such a challenging course.

The Effects of Psychosocial and Traumatic Stressors on MCI Diagnosis

Katherine Goulden — 2024-04-24

Background and Objective: Toxic stress exposure can have effects across the lifespan. Studies of civilians and veterans suggest a connection between psychosocial and traumatic stressor exposure in adulthood and a diagnosis of dementia later in life. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of psychosocial and traumatic stressors on rates of MCI (Mild Cognitive Impairment) diagnosis in Vietnam Era Twin Study of Aging participants. Methods: 1,237 twin participants from the VETSA study were aged 61.72 ± 2.44 years at the time of data collection. Traumatic stress was measured by clinical interviewing, with psychosocial stressors quantified by self-report measures. Neuropsychological assessment determined MCI diagnosis. Previously conducted genotyping determined ApoE genotype. Mixed model analysis was used to determine effects on MCI diagnosis. Results: Our results from the mixed model analysis did not find a significant relationship between psychosocial and traumatic stress exposure and MCI diagnosis. PTSD diagnosis, measured by the DIS-III-R, collected for the Harvard Drug Study in 1996 (F = 0.249, p = 0.618) does not have a significant effect on MCI diagnosis. Life stress exposure, measured by the Holmes and Rahe (1967), (F = 0.249, p = 0.618) does not have a significant effect on MCI diagnosis. Significant associations were determined using the Type III fixed effects. Associations were considered statistically significant at p < 0.05, two-tailed. Implications: Few subjects in Wave 2 of VETSA had MCI (n = 147), due in part to the age of the participants at the time (Mean 61.72 ± (2.44 years)). This led to a lack of power in our analysis. Future studies should examine all available VETSA data.

Can Induced Awe Reduce Anti-Gay Prejudice in Heterosexual Adults and Does the Need for Closure Moderate this Effect?

Pankaj Gupta — 2024-04-24

With sexual prejudice continuing to be widely prevalent and seriously harmful, there is a need to find ways to reduce anti-gay prejudice (AGP). This online experimental study examined if a novel intervention, induced awe, can reduce AGP; if those high in need for closure (NFC) show higher AGP; and if NFC moderates the effect of awe on AGP. In total, 154 heterosexual adults completed the Need for Closure Scale (Roets & Van Hiel, 2011) before being randomly assigned to one of three emotion inducement interventions – 1) watching a 4.43 min long video of the target emotion, awe, 2) watching the comparison emotion, amusement, or 3) watching a neutral emotion as a control. Post intervention, the participants completed the explicit measures Homosexuality Attitudes Scale (HAS; Kite & Deaux, 1986). Data were analysed using a 2 (NFC) x 3 (emotion type) independent factorial ANOVA. None of the three hypotheses were supported since there were no main effects of awe or NFC on AGP, and no interaction effect of awe and NFC on AGP. Key implications of these results were 1) awe inducement does not change prejudicial attitudes at an explicit level (Dale et al., 2020), 2) factors beyond NFC, like Right Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) and Social Dominance Orientation (SDO), may influence the effectiveness of awe in reducing prejudice, and 3) questions were raised about certain boundaries for awe’s effectiveness. Methodological modifications suggested for future research include using implicit measures or veiled elicitation methods for authentic measurement of AGP, employing more potent awe elicitors, and assessing the mediating role of RWA and SDO on the effect of NFC on AGP.

Examining Coping Skills, Anxiety, and Depression Dynamics Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic

Lauren Moment — 2024-04-24

This cross-sectional study, conducted amid the COVID-19 pandemic, delves into the intricate connections between coping strategies and levels of anxiety and depression, presenting vital implications for medical, clinical, and broader societal contexts. As crises like the pandemic highlight the importance of adaptive coping, this investigation underscores the imperative to comprehend and address maladaptive coping strategies. The study utilized a diverse sample of 386 participants during the pandemic's peak, employing online platforms for recruitment and ensuring broad demographic representation. Data were collected through self-report measures, including the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) for depression and anxiety symptoms and the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (COPE) inventory to assess coping skills across various domains. The coping skills assessment measured strategies such as Self-Distraction, Active Coping, Denial, Substance Use, Emotional and Instrumental Support, Behavioral Disengagement, Venting, Positive Reframing, Planning, Humor, Acceptance, Religion, and Self-Blame. The Colorado Multiple Institutional Review Board prioritized and approved ethical considerations, and participants provided informed consent. Data analysis involved rigorous cleaning, recoding, and quantitative analysis using SPSS. Descriptive statistics, regression analyses, and correlation analyses were employed to uncover nuanced relationships between coping strategies and mental health outcomes, contributing to understanding the phenomena under investigation within the context of the pandemic. The findings highlight the pivotal role of individualized approaches and the potential of humor as an essential coping mechanism, emphasizing the need for tailored interventions during crises.

Decoding Factors Influencing Mental Health Help-Seeking in Asian International Students: A Correlational Survey Study

Yuanruo Xu — 2024-04-24

This study investigates the effects of gender, age, perceived socioeconomic status, and attitudes toward mental health treatment, alongside the awareness and accessibility of mental health services, on the propensity of Asian international undergraduate and graduate students in U.S. colleges to seek mental health support. Utilizing an online survey, responses from a diverse group of 116 participants, aged 18 and above, from universities across the nation were examined through correlation analysis. Findings indicated no significant gender differences in attitudes toward mental health treatment. However, factors such as higher educational level, superior socioeconomic background, longer U.S. residency, and increased awareness and accessibility of mental health services positively influenced attitudes. This quantitative study extends previous qualitative research addressing similar questions, filling a gap by offering broader empirical insights into this population’s mental health service utilization. The outcome underscores the need for university counseling centers to develop targeted interventions that acknowledge the needs of Asian international students. Future research should explore the longitudinal impacts of these factors on mental health help-seeking behaviors to inform ongoing service improvement.