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The present dissertation applied the theoretical assumptions of Psychological Reactance Theory into a model depicting how individuals cognitively process reactanceinducing print messages utilizing a communication framework, the Reactance Processing Model (RPM). Specifically, the RPM conceptualizes reactance as a motivational state, investigates the degree of reactance arousal elicited by threat-tochoice, vivid, and explicit language (along with an additive effect of the aforementioned message features), empirically measures reactance restoration, and explores the role of issue involvement on message processing of reactance-inducing print messages advocating exercise and sunscreen usage by college students (N = 550). The RPM was tested using an experimental 2 (implicit vs. explicit) X 2 (non-vivid vs. vivid) X 2 (lowthreat- to-choice language vs. high-threat-to-choice language) posttest only design. Four general conclusions are drawn from this investigation. First, results support operationalizing reactance as a latent construct comprised of unfavorable cognitions and state anger. Second, of the three message features examined, high threat-to-choice and vivid language, along with a combination of both were found to elicit reactance. Explicit language did not trigger reactance in this study. Third, perceived high threat-tochoice language was positively associated with reactance whereas perceived vivid and explicit language was either negatively or not associated with reactance. Fourth, reactance was positively related to three types of restoration including ??Boomerang,?? ??Related Boomerang,?? and ??Vicarious Boomerang.?? Specifically, ??Boomerang?? restoration appears to be triggered regardless of threat attractiveness whereas ??Related Boomerang?? and ??Vicarious Boomerang?? require an attractive threat before being set into motion. Results from this investigation along with the limitations and heuristic value of the RPM are provided.

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No description available.

The aim of this work is to describe cognitive processing of a child with autistic spectrum disorder, to pause on its mechanisms and causes. The first part of the work presents a theoretical background for following interpretation of the data acquired in the research. Firstly it briefly defines autistic spectrum disorders, cognitive functioning of individuals with the disorder and above all two main psychological theories of autism: Theory of Mind (S. B. Cohen) and Weak Central Coherence Theory (U. Frith). The second part of the work recounts a process of the research. Its focus lies in a long-lasting work with a girl with autistic spectrum disorder and a girl from intact population. The both girls went through standard theory of mind tests, reading exams aimed at apprehension and mathematic written exercises. Research data come mainly from following interviews with the girls and observation of their procedure of thinking. Gained data were confronted with the mentioned psychological theories of autism. Final analysis shows typical characteristics of cognitive processing of the particular child with autism: detail focusing, physical thinking and perseverance.

Case Study research was conducted to investigate how participation in the Learning Disabilities Association of Saskatchewan (LDAS) Arrowsmith program affected the cognitive, academic, emotional, and interpersonal functioning of five students who attended this program for two to three years. Learning disabilities involve consistent cognitive processing and academic difficulties that are present in individuals who have average or higher functioning in other cognitive processing areas. The average adult with a learning disability has less education, lower employment success, and higher rates of emotional and interpersonal difficulties. The Arrowsmith program is a cognitive training program based on neuroplasticity that claims to reduce or remove cognitive functioning deficits in persons with learning disabilities. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five students and one or both of their parents. Standardized test results and information from the school cumulative folders of the students were also reviewed. Four of the five students experienced large and significant increases in cognitive, academic, emotional, and/or interpersonal functioning following their participation in the LDAS Arrowsmith program. One of the five students had much smaller gains in cognitive and academic functioning and experienced difficulties with emotional and interpersonal functioning following participation in the program. Several themes related to participation in the LDAS Arrowsmith program are identified for the student, parent, school record perspectives and themes common to these perspectives are also identified. Possible reasons why the students had different outcomes following their participation in the LDAS Arrowsmith program are discussed. Recommendations for parents, school psychologists, teachers, schools/school divisions, the Arrowsmith program, and future research are given.

abstract: Concussion, a subset of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), has recently been brought to the forefront of the media due to a large lawsuit filed against the National Football League. Concussion resulting from injury varies in severity, duration, and type, based on many characteristics about the individual that research does not presently understand. Chronic fatigue, poor working memory, impaired self-awareness, and lack of attention to task are symptoms commonly present post-concussion. Currently, there is not a standard method of assessing concussion, nor is there a way to track an individual's recovery, resulting in misguided treatment for better prognosis. The aim of the following study was to determine patient specific higher-order cognitive processing deficits for clinical diagnosis and prognosis of concussion. Six individuals (N=6) were seen during the acute phase of concussion, two of whom were seen subsequently when their symptoms were deemed clinically resolved. Subjective information was collected from both the patient and from neurology testing. Each individual completed a task, in which they were presented with degraded speech, taxing their higher-order cognitive processing. Patient specific behavioral patterns are noted, creating a unique paradigm for mapping subjective and objective data for each patient's strategy to compensate for deficits and understand speech in a difficult listening situation. Keywords: concussion, cognitive processing / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Speech and Hearing Science 2013

There are substantial data exploring the link between religiosity and health, yet there is no consensus regarding the appropriate measurement tool for assessing religiosity in health psychology settings. The purpose of this study was to identify a set of items that could serve as a reliable and valid proxy measure of religiosity. Participants included 251 (M=19.02; range = 17-25) young adults who completed self-report measures of religiosity (Intrinsic-Extrinsic/Revised, Quest Scale, Faith Maturity Scale), psychological distress (SCL-90-R), and personality (NEOPI-R). Individual item pools for religiosity were developed by identifying significant correlations between each of the religiosity measures and the SCL-90-R items. Exploratory factor analyses and item-level analyses were conducted and convergent and discriminant validity were examined for each proposed measure. A group of items were identified that were associated with previously validated measures of religiosity. These religiosity measures were also associated with the personality domains of Openness to Experience and Agreeableness but were not associated with Neuroticism. There was insufficient evidence, however, to conclude that the proposed measures could serve as true proxy measures of religiosity as they were more strongly associated with Neuroticism than the religiosity measures from which they were derived. The results of this study underscore the importance of the religiosity construct to health-related outcomes, yet much work remains to delineate the optimal means of measuring the construct and the specific pathways by which religiosity may exert its influence on both mental and physical health.

This study considers and explores the relationship between eating disorders and the cognitive processes of attentional bias and cognitive avoidance. These processes are also considered in terms of their contribution to the current theoretical conceptualisations of eating disorders and how this may potentially inform treatment. Previous research in the field is limited yet indicates that attentional biases exist in eating disorders, at least for disorder-specific stimuli using well recognised experimental paradigms. The research into cognitive avoidance is scarce yet has indicated that those with bulimic tendencies may use this cognitive strategy. A modified emotional Stroop task and an anagram solution task were used to evaluate experimental hypotheses postulating that attentional bias to and cognitive avoidance of disorder relevant and self-esteem threat stimuli would be present in a group of patients with an eating disorder (N=23) in comparison with a control group (N=34). Using the emotional Stroop, the results showed limited support for the presence of attentional biases in eating disorders. For the anagram solution task, some limited evidence was found for the presence of cognitive avoidance in the clinical eating disorder sample. The limitations of the study were considered and discussed, with an emphasis on improvements for future research using these experimental paradigms. The findings of the study were also discussed in relation to the implications for eating disorder theory and treatment.