The purpose of the study is to provide a descriptive analysis of food insecurity within the adult First Nations population in Manitoba. A bivariate analysis is used to determine strength of relationships between food insecurity and socio-demographic variables as well as self-reported general health and psycho-social health. This research study also includes a gender-based analysis (GBA), which allows for possible food insecurity prevalence differences between women and men The data obtained for this research study is from the second wave of the Manitoba First Nations Regional Longitudinal Health Survey (MFNRLHS, 2002/2003). Select socio-demographic variables as well as self-reported general health status, ‘life balance,’ and elements of psycho-social health, including self-reported health, ‘life balance,’ depression, intense anxiety, stress level, and domestic dispute were included. A P-value of 0.05 was used to identify significant differences. Significant results from this study include elevated food insecurity in Manitoba First Nations (37.2%). The bivariate analysis reveals that food insecurity is marginally associated with age group, with the highest food insecurity among young and middle-aged women; middle-aged men, and those with lone-parent status. Food insecurity is also significantly associated with total household income, the number of incomes per household, as well as employment versus government support over a two-year period. Food insecurity is elevated in both southern (29.4%) and northern (51.4%) regions of the province.

<p> Obesity is a chronic and debilitating medical condition that results from a complex mix of genetic, physiological, psychological, and social factors. Despite a recognized consensus regarding the complexity of obesity, little is known about how various demographic, medical, and cognitive performance variables interact in this population, especially in relation to factors which may contribute to the maintenance of obesity over time. Research has supported that one key aspect of this process is eating in response to psychological rather than physiological cues. Given the increased prevalence of psychopathology, particularly mood disorders, in obese individuals, the question arises as to whether there exists an underlying impairment in emotion recognition. </p><p> The current study sought to examine the associations among demographic and medical variables as well as performance on cognitive tests of memory, attention, executive function, sensory-motor, and verbal skills. Contrary to the hypothesis that BMI would be inversely related to performance on tests of emotion recognition, results indicated that as BMI increases, reaction time to complete these tasks decreases. This finding was noted even after the effects of age, gender, estimated pre-morbid IQ, pre-existing medical conditions, and performance in all neurocognitive domains was removed. In addition, when examined across BMI categories, it was observed that participants with BMIs greater than 40 kg/m2 showed the fastest reaction times. Overall, these findings provide support for contemporary theories of emotion which generally agree that emotions evolved to facilitate adaptation to environmental threat.</p>

<p> Although there is an extensive literature on women who are overweight, obese, or suffer from eating disorders, less is known about women who are at a healthy weight yet who are attempting to lose weight. To learn more about the psychological characteristics and behavioral patterns of such women, this study analyzed data from the American College Health Association's National College Health Assessment (ACHA-NCHA-II). We compared these women with two groups of women: (a) those who are at a healthy weight but who are not attempting to lose weight and (b) overweight women who are attempting to lose weight. We employed numerous variables including BMI, depression, anxiety, academic performance, exercise, and diet strategies in these comparisons. In terms of psychological health and weight-related behavior, healthy women attempting weight loss are more similar to overweight women who are attempting weight loss than they are to healthy women who are not attempting to lose weight. We found comparatively high rates of depression, anxiety, and academic difficulty among our target population. Based on our findings and the relevant literature, we recommend that university health officials provide weight-related educational information to female students in an effort to promote psychological well-being and healthy weight practices.</p>

<p> The present study examined the influence of UV photography (seeing an image of one's skin damage) and receiving choice-promoting sun protection information on college men's sun protection cognitions. In particular, the aim of this dissertation was to study whether promoting personal choice (by providing information on sun protection behaviors that emphasizes choices and options) enhanced the impact of UV photography on men's sun protection cognitions. The cognitions assessed in this study were informed by the Prototype Willingness Model: conditional perceived vulnerability to skin cancer and photoaging, attitudes toward sun protection, prototypes of the typical young adult male who does and does not protect his skin from the sun, willingness to engage in sun protection and risk behaviors, and intentions to engage in sun protection behaviors, sun-risk behaviors, and skin examinations. An additional goal of the study was to examine whether the promotion of choice in the context of UV photography would be particularly influential among men who report high levels of conformity to masculine norms. Therefore, masculinity was explored as a moderator of experimental effects on cognitions. Male young adults completed an initial online survey assessing background information, baseline cognitions, and masculinity, before participating in the experimental portion of the study. During the experiment, participants were randomly assigned to one of six conditions that varied on two variables: (1) whether or not they received their UV photograph (yes versus no), and (2) the type of sun protection information that they received (no information, information that framed sun protection behaviors as recommendations to follow, or information that framed these behaviors as individual choices to make). Following the experimental manipulations, participants completed a second computer-based survey assessing sun protection cognitions. Results showed several significant main effects of UV photography, thus partially supporting results of prior studies that have found this intervention approach to be effective. Perceptions of choice correlated with several cognitions. However, the information condition manipulation checks, main effects, and interactions with UV photography provided only limited evidence for the hypothesis that receiving choice-promoting information would enhance the impact of UV photography, and no evidence that choice information is an effective standalone intervention. A significant three-way interaction between masculinity, UV photography, and the information conditions revealed a pattern similar to one found in a prior study - that the conditional perceived vulnerability of high masculine men was more affected by the interventions than was the conditional perceived vulnerability of less masculine men. There was a similar UV photography effect among high masculine men on protective prototypes, although additional moderation analyses showed inconsistent patterns. Overall, the results involving the information condition and masculinity were inconsistent; however, they suggest future directions for research on sun protection and risk cognitions, as well as strategies for informing young men about sun protection. </p>

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, 1995. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 57-04, Section: B, page: 2900. Adviser: Anita L. Greene.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, 1999. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 60-01, Section: B, page: 0367. Chair: Laurie Roehrich.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, 1999. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 60-06, Section: B, page: 2947. Adviser: Anita L. Greene.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Lehigh University, 2006. / Adviser: April Metzler.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Fairleigh Dickinson University, 2001. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 62-06, Section: B, page: 2948. Co-Chairpersons: Christopher A. Capuano; Robert E. McGrath. Available also in print.

Although many studies have examined patient barriers to care, few studies have examined mental health therapist biases toward prospective patients. The purpose of this study is to address this gap in the literature by examining therapist biases toward simulated-patients’ race, ability to pay for treatment, and diagnosis. A total of 725 therapists (176 male, 549 female) practicing in Chicago, Illinois were sent emails from simulated-patients requesting a therapy appointment. Therapists were stratified and randomized into different simulated-patient conditions, including race (i.e., White, African American, or Latino/a American), gender (i.e., male or female), ability to pay (i.e., able to pay full fee out of pocket for treatment or unable to pay full fee out of pocket for treatment and asked if the therapist took a sliding scale), and diagnosis (i.e., depression, schizophrenia, or borderline personality disorder (BPD)). Therapist email return rates were determined after a 2-week window, and the responsiveness of their messages was coded. The overall email return rate was 78.76% (n = 571). Results indicate that race and diagnosis are significant predictors of receiving an email response, such that non-White patients are less likely to receive a response than White patients, and patients diagnosed with schizophrenia or BPD are less likely to receive a response than those with depression. Further analyses conclude non-White patients, patients unable to pay full fee for treatment, and patients with schizophrenia or BPD are more likely to be declined for services and not receive a response than White patients, patients able to pay full fee for treatment, and patients with depression.