Students at Western Kentucky University were asked to participate in a three week relaxation training program. The program focused upon relaxation as a coping skill and employed the Lazarus series of relaxation tapes, bio-feedback mediated relaxation training, and presentation of a relevant hierarchy in the form of an abbreviated systematic desensitization procedure. Subjects were measured prior to and following the relaxation program. It was hypothesized that subjects undergoing such a training procedure would experience gains as demonstrated by a measure of self-actualization when compared to individuals receiving no such treatment. A multivariate discriminant analysis indicated that the training program had an effect upon the global index of psychological functioning. Four out of the twelve scales on this index were found to be significant; those being Inner-Directed, Synergy, Acceptance of Aggression, and Capacity for Intimate Contact. Potential relationships of these subscales to the relaxation process were discussed and suggestions were offered for additional research.

An attempt was made to produce an animal model for the study of alcoholism. It was hypothesized that the laboratory rat could be brought to physical dependency and maintained in that state under a free-choice circumstance. Two groups of 60-day-old Max hooded rats, consisting of 8 males and 8 females per group, were established to serve as experimental and control subjects. Two experiments were conducted. The intention of the first experiment was to install physical alcohol dependency in the experimental subjects with the use of a totally liquid diet. After the first experiment a 6-hr. period of total abstinence was used for all subjects to determine the severity of withdrawal reactions in the experimental subjects. The second experiment attempted to determine the free-choice consumption rates of alcohol by physically dependent and non-dependent of alcohol-choice liquid was used for the presentation of alcohol during the free-choice situation. Alcohol preference was determined by an analyses of variance of a mixed-design with repeated measures on consumption across days. A measure of the gram of ethanol per kilogram of body weight was used as the dependent variable. The results indicated a significant difference in alcohol consumption between alcohol exposed and naive subjects. Sex proved to be non-significant in regard to either group. The daily increase in the ethanol concentration of the alcohol-choice liquid during free-choice proved to be a significant factor in alcohol preference by both the experimental and the control subjects. Based on the observations between the two groups during free-choice, an attempt was made to equate alcohol preference with earlier state dependent learning variables.

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between mindful eating and eating pathology. This was accomplished by using two measures, the Eating Disorder Inventory, Third Edition (EDI-3), and the Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ). Participants included in this study were 134 students from a midsized mid-south university who were asked to complete a demographics measure, EDI-3, and MEQ. Only three scales from the EDI-3 were considered; Drive for Thinness, Bulimia, and Body Dissatisfaction. Combined they provide an Eating Disorder Risk Composite (EDRC) score. Results indicated that there was no significant relationship between the MEQ overall score and the EDRC score, which implies that there is no relationship between mindful eating and eating pathology, specifically eating disorder risk. Additional analyses revealed significant negative correlations between the Awareness, Disinhibition, and Emotional Response subscales of the MEQ and the EDRC score. This study contributes to the limited research on the relationship between mindful eating and eating pathology. Results from this study indicate that the specific aforementioned factors have a greater impact on eating pathology when compared to the overall concept of mindfulness.

This study evaluated two distinct aspects of social functioning (specifically, social support and social constraint) in an attempt to increase understanding of its bidirectional relationship with distress after cancer diagnosis. Participants in this intensive longitudinal study were all recently diagnosed, first primary cervical or head/neck cancer survivors (n=47). Data collection involved a comprehensive baseline assessment and 30-day period of daily assessment (n=37) of key variables (i.e., social support, social constraint, and distress). Data were analyzed using unconditional and conditional multilevel linear models. None of the variables changed significantly over the 30-day period. On a typical day, social constraint and distress were predictive of one another (ps < .001). Social support and distress did not demonstrate a bidirectional relationship (ps > .05). In the context of cancer adjustment and survivorship, future interventions for distress should consider targeting social constraint and interventions for social constraint should consider targeting distress.

This cross-sectional, mixed-methods study examined the nature of, and association between, causal attributions and current smoking behavior in cervical cancer survivors who were smokers at cancer diagnosis (n=50). As a whole, participants’ beliefs about smoking as a risk factor or cause of cervical cancer in general (i.e., global attribution) and/or their own cervical cancer (i.e., personal attribution) reflected far greater endorsement of global than personal attributions. Data collection involved a quantitative survey and an optional semi-structured interview to assess key variables (i.e., smoking behavior and causal attributions). Data were analyzed via descriptive statistics and inferential tests, all of which illustrated greater endorsement of global smoking-related causal attributions versus personal attributions within the sample. In conclusion, the results of this formative study highlights the potential role of causal attributions in understanding the smoking behavior of cervical cancer survivors, the results of which aids understanding of how cancer survivors think about, and make changes in, their smoking behavior.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) are ailments that have a social and political impact in the U.S. Since their discovery more than three decades ago, there has been an intense focus on eradicating these deadly diseases. Although there has been a lot of progress in the fight against HIV and AIDS, there are communities still disproportionately affected by it. Based on data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one such community is young adults age 20 to 24 (CDC, 2016a). These young adults are at the focal center of the HIV/AIDS epidemic for various reasons; yet, this group is often overlooked in HIV literature and prevention/intervention strategies. Additionally, this community is known for inconsistent condom use, although there have been countless public service announcements (PSAs) and interventions promoting the use of condoms as a means of preventing not only unwanted pregnancy but the contraction of sexual transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV/AIDS. The aim of the current study was to test a comprehensive moderated mediation model and assess factors associated with condom use among early young adults age 18 to 24 above and beyond known variables such as age, gender, and ethnicity/race. These variables included participants’ age of sexual debut, number of lifetime sexual partners, perceived threat of contracting STIs and HIV/AIDS, and exposure to cues to action as predictors of condom use. The decision to expand the study to assess condom use among early young adults (18 -24) as opposed to focusing exclusively on young adults (20 -24) was based on early young adults being less likely to be tested for HIV compared to other age groups (CDC, 2008). For the moderated mediation model, I drew on the health belief model (HBM) and tested whether 1) the relationship between sexual debut and condom use was mediated by number of lifetime sexual partnerships, and 2) the relationships between sexual debut and the mediator were moderated by perceived threat, and whether the relationships between the mediator and condom use was moderated by perceived threat and cues to action. The full model was not supported. The implication of this study is that more current research is needed to understand early young adults and their condom use, as they are a community that is most vulnerable to HIV/AIDS and a key component in the fight against this disease.

Applications of locus of control theory to weight loss programs have yielded inconsistent results. This study attempts to clarify "control" by looking at two different factors. Maximum control is the degree of perceived control inherent in the event itself, and personal control is the degree to which the event is perceived controllable by the individual. These two factors were also examined in two types of situations to determine whether individuals have one global outlook on control, or if they make a distinction between control in some situations as opposed to control in other situations. Seventy-four female subjects completed a 16 item questionnaire on their perceived control in weight-related and non-weight-related situations. Subjects demonstrated that attitudes of control are situation specific. The two separate attitudes, maximum control and personal control, operate independently. Some individuals who felt that events were highly controllable, still felt they had very little control. Converse perceptions were also demonstrated.

Social jetlag refers to the chronic shift in sleep timing between work and free days and has been associated with a variety of negative physical and psychological outcomes. Existing research on social jetlag has relied heavily on cross-sectional studies, preventing researchers and practitioners from assessing the effects of social jetlag over time. The current study used longitudinal data to explore the directionality of the association between social jetlag and depressive symptoms as well as the longitudinal associations between social jetlag, academic performance, and wellbeing in college students. Gender and race were also assessed as potential moderators of these associations. Cross-lagged panel analysis using Amos for SPSS revealed that social jetlag predicted depressive symptoms both concurrently adjusting for covariates and longitudinally in unadjusted models. This finding suggests that sleep disturbances may precede mood concerns, although causality cannot be proven due to the design of the current study. PROCESS moderation analyses indicated that social jetlag did not significantly predict academic performance or wellbeing over time, and neither gender nor race moderated these associations. Future research is needed to further assess the short- and long-term outcomes of social jetlag using prospective, well-controlled studies and objective measures of sleep timing.

Electronic cigarette (ECIG) users can manipulate several device features including liquid nicotine concentration (mg/ml) and heating coil resistance (Ohms). One class of ECIG models, called “sub-Ohm” devices, use coils with a resistance of < 1 Ohms, lower than those observed in conventional ECIGs (e.g., ≥ 1.5 Ohms). Increasing voltage or decreasing coil resistance increases device power. Given that ECIG coil resistance and liquid nicotine concentration have not been manipulated systematically and simultaneously in clinical laboratory studies, the influence of these factors on ECIG acute effects remain unclear. The primary purpose of this study was to examine the influence of coil resistance and liquid nicotine concentration on nicotine delivery, heart rate (HR), subjective effects, puff topography, and liquid consumption. Thirty-two experienced ECIG users completed four independent laboratory sessions that differed by coil resistance (0.5Ohm or 1.5Ohm ) and liquid nicotine concentration (3 or 8 mg/ml). In each session, participants used a 4.5 V “Kanger SUBOX” loaded with 3.5 ml ECIG liquid in a 10-puff directed and 60-minute ad libitum bout. Nicotine delivery was greatest when using 8 mg+0.5Ohm combination and lowest when using the 3 mg/ml+1.5Ohm combination and HR followed a similar pattern. Abstinence symptom suppression was most pronounced for the 8 mg+0.5Ohm combination and least pronounced for the 3 mg/ml+1.5Ohm combination. Participants provided the highest ratings for pleasantness, satisfaction, and liking of harshness/irritancy and throat hit sensations for the 3 mg+0.5Ohm combination. Overall, use of ECIGs filled with 3 mg/ml nicotine concentration resulted in longer/larger puffs, increased puff frequency, and greater consumption of ECIG liquid. ECIG coil resistance, liquid nicotine concentration, and user puff topography, all of which influence ECIG nicotine delivery, should be considered together when making regulatory decisions aimed at protecting public health.

This study examined measures of disease specific quality of life (DSQOL), coping, and benefit finding for differences between ethnic groups in a diverse sample of men treated for localized prostate cancer. The relationship between DSQOL and benefit finding was also evaluated, along with the relationship between coping and benefit finding. Ethnicity was evaluated as a possible moderator of the relationship between DSQOL and benefit finding, and coping was examined as a possible mediator. Results demonstrated that while minority men did show decrements in urinary function, sexual function scores were similar between groups. Furthermore, minority men reported higher levels of benefit finding as well as more frequent use of active and passive coping strategies. DSQOL was not associated with benefit finding, and the relationship was not moderated by ethnicity or mediated by coping. However, benefit finding was associated with ethnic minority status, religious group identification and less yearly income. Both active and passive coping composites were also related to benefit finding. These findings contribute to current literature on factors related to benefit finding in prostate cancer survivors. Limitations of the current study, as well as future directions are explored in the discussion.