Despite widespread agreement about the importance of stress for health and well-being, scholars disagree about the types of variables that matter most. On one side, some argue that stress reactivity depends mostly on person-level variables, such as personality, while others contend that stress reactivity depends mostly on situation-level variables, for example chronicity. Researchers from a more integrative perspective assert that stress reactivity depends on an idiosyncratic interaction between person-level and stressor-level variables, for example the finding that lonely people are especially reactive to interpersonal tension. My dissertation reconciles these perspectives by leveraging crossed random effect modeling to determine the percent of stress reactivity attributable to each of these types of variables; the person, the situation, and the person-by-situation interaction. In Study 1, 368 undergraduate college students reacted to 60 unique situations in the context of normal daily life on two separate occasions. In Study 2, 955 adults from the Midlife in the U.S. study self-reported their reactivity to stressful situations encountered on each of eight days. Results from both studies suggest that these three types of variables account for the bulk, at least 70%, of stress reactivity in daily life. Moreover, all three types of variables emerged as important, as each factor contributed at least 20% of the overall variability in stress reactivity. Interestingly, both studies also found that situation-level variables mattered relatively more than the other two types of variables. I discuss these findings in relation to stress theory, stress-reduction interventions, and methodological innovations.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between two constructs: principled moral judgment and ego identity status. At issue was whether individuals measured to have different ego identity statuses differed systematically in terms of principled moral judgment as had been previously found in the literature. The hypotheses that were tested were a) the use of principled moral judgment is different among individuals having different ego identity statuses, and b) high ego identity individuals are higher in principled moral judgment than low identity individuals. Research regarding gender differences in moral development during the past decade warranted the further study of these two constructs, particularly because earlier research had formed the basis of existing theory. Principled moral judgment was measured by the Defining Issues Test (Rest, 1979), and ego identity status was measured by the Revised Extended Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status (Bennion & Adams, 1986). Analysis of variance was used to analyze the data. The sample was drawn from a population of residential senior-status men and women at a small, four-year public college in the southeastern United States. Instruments were distributed and collected in the residence halls through the efforts of a peer student group over a three and one-half week period. The findings revealed that there were no differences in principled moral judgment among individuals having different ego identity statuses. There were no differences in principled moral judgment between men and women with different ego identity statuses. High ego identity individuals did not have higher principled moral judgment scores than low ego identity individuals. / Ed. D.

goals of this study were to modify efficacy and outcome expectancies related to moderate alcohol consumption through written communications and determine subsequent changes in behavioral intentions to consume alcohol. Furthermore, two theoretical models which have attempted to conceptualize the relationships between efficacy and outcome expectancies with regards to their predictive utility were evaluated. The results indicated that outcome and efficacy expectancies related to moderate alcohol use were affected by information specifically targeting them. The results did not find support for the hypothesis that negative and positive outcome information would significantly effect perceived efficacy. Nor were main effects found for efficacy information on either positive or negative outcome expectancies. However, a two-way interaction of negative outcome by efficacy on negative interpersonal outcome expectancies were observed. Subjects who were exposed to low efficacy and low negative outcome information indicated higher expectations that negative outcomes would happen to them if they drank in moderation relative to individuals exposed to high efficacy and low negative outcome information. The study found no support for effects of expectancy information on any of the intentions to drink indices. However, post hoc analyses indicated partial support for the hypothesis that past alcohol use moderates the effects of expectancy information on intentions to consume alcohol. In testing the relative utility of outcome and efficacy expectancies in predicting different indices of alcohol use it was found that efficacy expectancies consistently predicted a significant proportion of variance in subject's future drinks per occasion and future frequency of heavy drinking occasions. outcome expectancies were unable to add to the prediction of future drinks per occasion or future frequency of heavy drinking occasions. Several of the drinking indices assessed in this study were individualized for each subject. The utility of this approach is discussed in the paper. The study's results are interpreted in relation to different theorists conceptualizations of the relationship between outcome and efficacy expectancies and directions for future research are discussed. / Master of Science

Master of Science

Bulimia has recently emerged as an increasing threat to the health of young women in Western society. Though thought by some to be primarily prompted by psychological and physiological instabilities, this research attempts to explore the association between bulimic symptoms and the external pressures to conform to accepted standards of excessive thinness. It is noted that the bulimia trend primarily appears among the population which is overwhelmingly targeted by messages promoting the ideals of success through excessive beauty and thinness. Therefore, this study explores the relationships among several variables: the level of pressure felt by young, achievement-oriented women to control their weight in order to accomplish their goals; the level of difficulty experienced in achieving weight control; and the presence of bulimic symptoms. The sample for this study was taken from five undergraduate sociology courses at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The research found that among women who held career, social, and family relationships to be of high priority, the pressure to be thin in order to succeed in these areas, along with the difficulty experienced by the respondent in achieving weight loss, was positively associated with the appearance of bulimic attitudes and behaviors. Analysis of responses of males in the study did not produce significant findings with regard to the relationships between bulimic symptoms, the pressure to lose weight to achieve goals, and the difficulty in controlling one's weight. This study concludes that the unrealistic expectations imposed on young women in Western culture regarding their bodily appearance, and the difficulty in adhering to these expectations, have a direct impact on the appearance of bulimia in young achievement-oriented women. / Master of Science

The purposes of this study are as follows: 1. To measure, compare, and evaluate the level of self-esteem of college women in two colleges. 2. To show the relationship of certain background factors to dominance-feeling in college women.

Deciding to exercise requires trade-offs between immediate and delayed benefits. These momentary decisions may be moderated by personality such that patterns of individual behavior emerge. The aim of the current study was to determine if higher levels of optimism and lower levels of delay discounting were related to exercise frequency. A sample of 360 undergraduate students completed a survey study related to understanding the choices made by undergraduates and how other factors relate to their decision-making. The survey included measures of optimism, delayed discounting, and self-reported exercise frequency in four domains: cardiovascular, resistance, sports, active lifestyle. Hierarchical linear regression was used to examine optimism and delay discounting as predictors of exercise frequency. Optimism and delay discounting were negatively correlated, but neither was related to exercise frequency. Furthermore, optimism and delay discounting were not significantly related to frequency spent in cardiovascular, resistance, or active lifestyle exercise. However, women scoring higher in delay discounting were more likely to participate in physical sports. The present study helps inform future research by showing potentially important psychosocial variables related to optimism, delay discounting, and exercise.

Many college students have reported struggling with mental health problems while dealing with challenging demands of college. The initial theoretical framework for this research was Pearlin's stress process model (SPM). Building on the SPM, the three additional mediating variables of perceived control, meaninglessness, and financial worries were added to create a composite model for the research. Mental health outcomes in the model were measured by a comprehensive range of factors, which included: psychological distress, suicide, substance abuse, and anger. Data were collected from a non-probability convenience sample of 463 undergraduate students attending a large state supported university in the southwestern region of the United States. Among the social status variables measured, being married, female, and white were significant predictors of poor mental health in the sampled college students. Poor self-image, feeling of meaninglessness, and worrying about current and future finances were significant mediating variables. Poor mental health could make individuals overwhelmed and discouraged. This is a formula for failure in college. The results of this study contribute to a better understanding of the correlates of mental health problems among college students. A greater understanding means that families and college administrations will have better ideas about how to intervene to reduce the stress of students and to focus the available and often limited resources to help young adults in their college experience.

The problem of this study is to determine the stability of interest of male and female students at the various age levels in the School of Education of North Texas State Collage, Denton, Texas. To be more specific, the problem is to determine the relationship of age, sex, or both upon stability of interest.

The purpose of this study was to explore how supportive functions of parent-child relationships influence young adult dating motivations and involvement. Theoretical literature suggests that emotionally supportive homes provide a secure base for children to depend on as they explore themselves and other relationships. However, problematic family ties could be expected to inhibit relationship involvement due to negative past experiences or to encourage involvement as a search for intimacy. A sample of 206 single, female undergraduates completed questionnaires assessing relationships with parents and aspects of romantic involvement and development. The set of Parent-Child Relationship variables included Support, Conflict, Depth, and Affective Quality in relationships with mother and father. The Attachment Related Dating Motivation variables included measures of Anxiety, Dependency, and Closeness in relationships, Attachment Motivation, Sexual Expression, Dating Exploration, Behavioral Indicators of Romantic Involvement, Sexual Involvement, and Level, Satisfaction, and Importance of Romantic Involvement.