2024-03-28T09:13:40Zhttps://ir.vanderbilt.edu/oai/requestoai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/2402020-04-22T06:18:41Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Parents and Children Coping with Pediatric Cancer
Shears, Angela Rebecca
Compas, Bruce E.
Parents
Children
Pediatric cancer
Coping
Anxiety
Cancer in children -- Psychological aspects
Cancer in adolescence -- Psychological aspects
Adjustment (Psychology) in adolescence
Adjustment (Psychology) in children
Interpersonal communication in adolescence
Interpersonal communication in children
Children who are diagnosed with cancer and their families must learn to cope with and communicate about the cancer diagnosis, treatment and its side effects, and hospital stays. Parents are their primary support; they are there to help them cope with and understand this new experience. Mothers and adolescents reported on emotional distress, coping, and communication. Results showed that secondary control coping is related to less emotional distress in pediatric cancer patients and that parents are more likely to communicate about information if they think it is important. Open communication is important in reducing emotional distress, but if problems in communication are already present, they override the impact of open communication. Implications, limitations, and areas of future research are discussed.
Psychological Sciences
College of Arts & Science
Bruce E. Compas
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences
2007-04-06
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/240
en_US
application/pdf
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/52702013-05-19T18:13:25Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Similarity between Parent’s and Children’s Coping with Childhood Cancer
Williams, Ellen K.
Kirby, Leslie D. (Leslie Deneen)
Compas, Bruce E.
cancer
parents
socialization of coping
coping
children
Stress (Psychology)
Adjustment (Psychology)
Cancer in children -- Psychological aspects
Mother and child
Psy 296b - Honors Seminar - Bruce Compas and Leslie Kirby
The current study will examine the degree of similarity in ways of coping in a sample of children with newly diagnosed cancer and their parents. There is a relationship between mother’s coping and children’s coping, which suggests that there may be benefit in teaching parents coping strategies in interventions to improve children’s coping with cancer.
Vanderbilt University
Psychological Sciences
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences under the Direction of Prof. Bruce E. Compas
2013-04-02
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/5270
en_US
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/170842022-04-02T00:57:23Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
The Social Networks of Parents with Children with Complex Communication Needs During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Rankin, Zoe
Social Network
AAC
Parents of Children With Disabilities
Stress (Psychology)
Adjustment (Psychology)
Thank you to my mentor, Dr. Elizabeth Biggs, for your guidance throughout this process.
Parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities who have complex communication needs experience unique stressors, particularly due to the COVID-19 pandemic with changes to children’s educational and therapeutic services. In the broader literature, research suggests that both formal and informal social supports reduce parent stress and are critical predictors of parent involvement at home and in the school. This study used egocentric social network analysis to examine (a) the nature of the size and composition of parents' social networks related to their child's learning and (b) how informational, tangible, emotional, and esteem-related supports are exchanged in these networks.
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences course number PSY-4999.
2022-03-29
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/17084
en_US
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/2142016-04-28T19:49:05Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Chronic Pain and Anxiety in Children: Physiological and Emotional Factors in Stress Responses
Jackson, Madeleine E.
Compas, Bruce E.
Dufton, Lynette Marie
Stress response
Chronic pain
Anxiety
Physiological reactivity
Recurrent abdominal pain
Stress reactivity
Pain perception
Abdominal pain in children
Stress in children
Anxiety in children
Pain in children
Powerpoint poster "Stress responses in children with chronic pain and anxiety" by Madeleine Jackson, Lynette Dufton, Bruce E. Compas accompanies thesis dated April 2007.
Winner, Jum C. Nunnally Honors Thesis Award (the A&S thesis award)
College of Arts & Science
The current study examined physiological and emotional factors in stress responses of 21 children with recurrent abdominal pain (RAP), 21 children with anxiety disorders, and 21 gender- and age-matched healthy controls. Children's heart rates were monitored as they performed two psychological stress tasks and one physical stress task. Pain intensity and tolerance were measured during the cold pressor task. Parents and children completed questionnaires to assess children's psychological and somatic symptoms and responses to social stress. Findings indicate that children with RAP and anxious children report different levels of stress reactivity and provide different pain assessments of the cold pressor task. Findings also demonstrate a positive association between physiological stress reactivity and self-reported stress reactivity and psychological symptoms. Psychological and somatic symptoms were incrementally accounted for by physiological and self-reported stress reactivity.
Psychological Sciences
College of Arts & Science
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the
Honors Program in Psychological Sciences
Under the Direction of Professor Bruce E. Compas, Ph.D.
2007-05-08T15:07:19Z
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/214
en_US
application/vnd.ms-powerpoint
application/msword
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/170762022-03-29T01:44:35Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Associations of Caretaking with Internalizing Symptoms in Offspring of Huntington's Disease Patients
Quam, Annika
Huntington's Disease
Stress
Caretaking
Stress (Psychology)
Adjustment (Psychology)
PSY 4999-01 Honors Thesis; Dr. Bruce Compas
This study examines Huntington’s Disease in the context of patients and their children. Huntington’s Disease is a progressive, autosomal dominant, neurodegenerative disorder, meaning that children of parents with the disease have a 50% chance of having the disease themselves. The children have a unique role in taking care of their parents physically and emotionally throughout their parent’s disease progression. The purpose of this study is to examine the associations among caregiving, offspring and patient characteristics, and internalizing behavior problems in offspring of Huntington’s Disease patients. Caregiving behaviors were negatively associated with internalizing behaviors in offspring of Huntington’s Disease patients. Patient emotional well-being was found to be negatively correlated with offspring internalizing symptoms. Patient CAP scores and offspring age were positively correlated with caretaking behaviors. Implications of the findings and future directions for research are explored.
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences
2022-03-28
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/17076
en_US
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/171022022-04-20T16:08:48Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Investigating Factors Associated With Offspring’s Coping with Huntington’s Disease-related stress.
Pillai, Arnav
Stress (Psychology)
Adjustment (Psychology)
This article describes research on coping with stress related to Huntington's-Disease.
Abstract: Objective: In this study, I investigated (1) how age is related to reported levels of coping with Huntington’s Disease-related stress in offspring; (2) how measures of disease progression in parents are directly related to use of coping in offspring; (3) how use of coping in parents is directly related to coping in offspring; and (4) if there is an indirect association of disease progression in parents with the ways that offspring cope with HD-related stress through perceived levels of offspring HD-related stress. Method: Adolescent (ages 10 –19) and young adult (ages 20 –29) offspring and their parents with HD (n=40) were recruited from the Vanderbilt University Medical Center Huntington Disease Society of America Level 1 Center of Excellence. Offspring participants in the study completed self-report measures of coping and neuropsychiatric symptoms, and parents completed measures of coping and had their genetic status measured. Results: Age was found to have a significant negative correlation with disengagement coping. CAP scores were found to be significantly negatively associated with secondary control coping. Number of CAG repeats was also found to be significantly negatively associated with secondary control coping and was found to be significantly positively associated with disengagement coping. Parents’ primary control coping was significantly positively associated with offspring’s primary control coping. Parents’ disengagement coping was found to be significantly negatively associated with offspring’s primary control coping. Perceived levels of offspring’s HD-related stress were found to be significantly negatively associated with offspring’s secondary control coping. Discussion: Results of the study can offer some understanding of factors that influence how offspring cope and can be further explored in the future in order to assess what interventions can be used to improve coping in offspring.
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences
2022-03-25
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/17102
en_US
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/165672021-05-20T13:39:03Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Interpersonal Stress and Coping in First Year Undergraduate Students: Insights from Behavioral, Self-Report, and Neural Data
Pramberger, Alexis
Event Related Potential
Cognitive Reappraisal
Interpersonal Stress
Coping
Stress (Psychology)
Adjustment (Psychology)
Thesis examining at the intersection of self reported coping, interpersonal stress, neural indicators of reappraisal, and depressive symptoms in first year college students. Completed under the supervision of Autumn Kujawa PhD. and Linsday Dickey as part of the FYRE project in the Mood Emotion and Development Lab at Vanderbilt University and the Honors Program for Child Development and Psychological Sciences at Vanderbilt University, PSY-PC 4999 Honors Thesis (2021S).
The transition to college exacerbates stress, and coping strategies like cognitive reappraisal can moderate how interpersonal stress affects psychological well-being, with individual differences in reappraisal being measurable at the neural level using the late positive potential (LPP) component. The present study sought to understand A) where and when there is a significant modulation in the LPP with implementation of cognitive reappraisal and B) the relationship between self-reported coping with interpersonal stress and modulation of the LPP using cognitive reappraisal, and C) the relationships of self-reported coping and LPP modulation with interpersonal stress and depression and anxiety symptoms. First-year Vanderbilt students were recruited within their first 6 months of college to complete self-reported stress and coping questionnaires and complete tasks using electroencephalogram. For the early time window over centroparietal region, cognitive reappraisal significantly reduced the amplitude of the LPP, but effects of reappraisal were not significant in later time windows or over frontal region. There was not a significant relationship between self-reported and neurophysiological indicators of coping, although there was a relationship between self-reported coping and depression, as well as LPP and depression.
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences under Dr. Autumn Kujawa PhD. and Linsday Dickey in the Mood Emotion and Development Lab.
2021-04
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/16567
en_US
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/50952020-04-22T08:11:44Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Neurocognitive Effects of Radiation Therapy in Pediatric Brain Tumor Survivors
Smith, Samantha E.
Compas, Bruce E.
Stress (Psychology)
Adjustment (Psychology)
Cancer in children -- Treatment -- Complications
Brain -- Cancer -- Treatment -- Complications
Cognition disorders -- Etiology
This study characterizes the neurocognitive late effects of treatment in pediatric
brain tumor survivors by examining patterns of executive function, coping, emotional
outcomes, and brain activation. We examined associations among these variables and their
relationship to prefrontal cortex activation in 20 children and adolescents ages 8 to 16‐
years old who completed treatment for a pediatric brain tumor with 20 healthy controls
matched on age and sex. We found partial support for our hypothesis that survivors
perform worse than healthy controls on these domains and that activation patterns during
executive function tasks differ. No causal relationship among executive function, coping,
and emotional outcome variables was found. Findings suggest that neurocognitive deficits
in survivors may be associated with impairment in prefrontal cortex integrity.
Vanderbilt University
Psychological Sciences
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences under the Direction of Prof. Bruce E. Compas.
2012-03-29
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/5095
en_US
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/50892020-04-22T08:09:07Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
The Effect of Early Family Conflict on Psychological and Biological Processes in Young Women
Venkatraman, Sneha
Stress (Psychology)
Adjustment (Psychology)
Conflict (Psychology)
Hydrocortisone
Women college students -- Mental health
The current study analyzed the association between family conflict, salivary cortisol levels, symptoms of anxiety and depression, and coping methods in young women. We hypothesize that young women with higher rates of conflict in their family background will demonstrate changes from normal levels of cortisol and total cortisol output after exposure to an acute stressor. One-hundred and sixteen female participants were recruited for this study. All were degree-seeking undergraduate students from Vanderbilt University.
Vanderbilt University
Psychological Sciences
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences
2012
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/5089
en_US
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/48032011-04-30T00:05:10Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Associations of Maternal Macro- and Micro-Level Communication Styles and Child Emotions During Parent-Child Discussions About Children’s Cancer
Hughart, Leighann
Compas, Bruce E.
pediatric cancer
child emotion
parent communication style
Stress (Psychology)
Adjustment (Psychology)
Cancer in children -- Patients -- Family relationships
Mother and child
Cancer in children -- Psychological aspects
Stress in children
Emotions in children
Previous research indicates that children with pediatric cancer may be at risk for both short-term and long-term emotional difficulties including anxiety and depression. Parent communication may guide a child in successfully coping with stressful experiences related to the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, which can ultimately influence the child’s ability to cope and adjust to challenges posed by the illness. The current study aims to identify what aspects of maternal parent communication patterns may heighten or relieve child pediatric cancer patients’ anxiety about cancer. Sixty-two mother-child dyads of families with children diagnosed with cancer were recruited to participate in this two-site study. Mothers and children 10 years of age or older were asked to complete questionnaire packets pertaining to their experience with the illness. All families who completed the packets were then recruited to participate in a video-recorded observation including a communication task that involved a cancer-related discussion. Parent communication techniques and child emotions evident in the conversation were coded. Results indicate that mothers’ linguistic structures of their responses were related to their general communication styles and that these ultimately predicted their child’s mood.
Psychological Sciences
Vanderbilt University
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences
2011-04
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/4803
en_US
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/2312016-04-28T19:49:05Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Stress Responses and Worries of Women at Risk for Breast Cancer
Sánchez, Czarina E.
Compas, Bruce E.
Berlin, Kate L.
Stress biology
Breast -- Cancer -- Psychological aspects
Mothers and daughters
Stress (Psychology)
Hydrocortisone
Powerpoint poster: Stress responses and worries of women at risk for breast cancer by Czarina E. Sánchez, Kate Berlin & Bruce E. Compas accompanies thesis.
The physiological impact of a breast cancer discussion between mothers and their daughters was analyzed in relation to other anxiety and concern measures. Fifty-eight mothers with varied breast cancer histories participated. Measures of general anxiety (BAI), concern about breast cancer (IES), perceived risk, and observational data were correlated to salivary cortisol and norepinephrine measured by alpha-amylase. Analysis revealed that cancer specific worries but not general anxiety were positively correlated to cortisol levels, specifically IES-intrusion subscale scores, but not IES-avoidance. Observed behavioral anxiety and avoidance during the interaction did not show significant correlations. However, exploratory analyses revealed whine/complain behavior to be positively correlated with cortisol levels.
Psychological Sciences
College of Arts & Science
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences
2007-05
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/231
en_US
application/vnd.ms-powerpoint
application/msword
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/48192020-04-22T07:18:43Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Economic Disadvantage and Parental Depression: An Analysis of Race and Children’s Coping Skills
Okoro, Nkechinyere
Compas, Bruce E.
race
parental depression
economic disadvantage
Stress (Psychology)
Children of depressed persons
Adjustment (Psychology) in children
Children of minorities -- Mental health
Poverty -- Psychological aspects
Depression currently affects approximately 16% of the current United States population
and the numbers are steadily rising. The prevalence of the mood disorder has significant effects, especially for children of depressed parents. Additional, contributing factors such as economic disadvantage and financial strain within the same household leads to a multitude of behavioral and developmental risks for children and adolescents. A variety of factors such as negative parenting and lack of communication can directly contribute to behavioral problems, a lack of coping skills, and decreased family functioning for children and adolescents. In examining race and ethnic background for a child experiencing the pressures of parental depression and economic strain, there are substantial group differences for minority children in comparison to
Euro-American children. Relevant research and findings for this difference have implications
towards underlying factors between the groups, with a distinctive focus on varying levels of
economic disadvantage.
PSY.2990.01 Honors Research: Craig Smith
Vanderbilt University
Psychological Sciences
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences
2011-04-06
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/4819
en_US
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/47992011-04-25T17:03:52Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Children’s Optimism and Coping with Stress When Living with a Parent with Depression
Crowell, Susanna
Compas, Bruce E.
optimism
coping
children
parental depression
Stress (Psychology)
Adjustment (Psychology)
Children of depressed persons
Optimism in children
Adjustment (Psychology) in children
Cognitive Studies Honors Research Thesis under the direction of Dr. Bruce Compas, PSY 2990
In the U.S. approximately 16% of people are affected by depression in their lifetime and it is estimated that depression will become the leading cause of disability worldwide by 2020 (Monroe & Reid, 2009). In order to help prevent depression in children who live with parents with depression, Compas et al. (2009) created and tested an intervention that involved family group cognitive behavioral therapy. Within this intervention the children were taught coping skills to deal with stress associated with their parents’ depression in order to help reduce depressive symptoms in these children. The current study found that optimism is positively correlated with positive coping strategies in children. Further, the findings show that optimism plays a role in lowering children’s affective and anxiety problems on its own, separate from coping. Implications for interventions to enhance children’s coping with the stress of living with a depressed parent are highlighted.
Psychological Sciences
Vanderbilt University
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences
2011-04-06
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/4799
en_US
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/50582020-04-22T08:08:55Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Effects of Treatment on Neurocognitive and Psychosocial Development in Adolescent Brain Tumor Survivors
Wymer, Kevin M.
Saylor, Megan
Functional Neuroimaging
Brain Tumor
Executive Function
Psychosocial Functioning
Adjustment (Psychology)
Cancer in children -- Treatment -- Complications
Brain -- Cancer -- Treatment -- Complications
Cognition disorders in adolescence
This paper serves as a thesis for partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences. It was completed as part of the PSY 296B Honors Thesis, with Dr. Megan Saylor.
Research on the cognitive and psychosocial effects of treatment for childhood brain tumors has consistently found deficits in these areas. However, the connections between these deficits, as well as their biological basis, are largely unidentified. This study used cognitive tests, parent questionnaires, and functional neuroimaging to further examine possible deficits in these areas of functioning. Brain tumor survivors had increased levels of neurocognitive and psychosocial problems, as well as decreased brain activation during working memory tasks as compared with healthy controls. Additionally, brain activation and social problems were found to be the best predictors of internalizing problems. These results further clarify the deficits observed in brain tumor survivors and support the hypothesis that brain tumor treatment is associated with inhibited brain activation.
Vanderbilt University
Psychology
Arts and Sciences
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences
2012-03-28
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/5058
en_US
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/8102020-04-22T06:33:41Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Parental syntactic complexity and children's observed behavior in communication about children's recent cancer diagnoses
Rector, Miranda
Saylor, Megan
Compas, Bruce E.
Syntactic complexity
Pediatric cancer
Parent-child communication
Children -- Language
Cancer -- Psychological aspects
Communication in medicine
Cancer in children
Parent and child
Honors thesis completed under the direction of Profs. Bruce Compas and Megan Saylor
The current study addresses the relationship between the parent's ability to speak about
cancer related issues in a syntactically appropriate level for the child's age on the child's distress and coping as seen in the child's exhibited behaviors of anxiety, positive mood, and hostility.
Psychological Sciences
Peabody College of Education & Human Development
2008-05-20T22:33:01Z
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/810
en_US
application/pdf
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/45272011-02-11T18:48:39Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Association of Maternal Anxiety, Perceptions of Child Prognosis, and Coping with Maternal Supportiveness for Children with Cancer
Barnwell, Anna S.
Compas, Bruce E.
Prognosis
Pediatric Cancer
Parenting
Coping
Cancer in children -- Psychological aspects
Mother and child
Adjustment (Psychology)
Stress (Psychology)
Over 12,400 children in the United States are diagnosed with cancer annually. The diagnosis and treatment of cancer can create significant amounts of stress for the mothers of these children. While facing this stress, mothers are traditionally expected to serve as primary sources of emotional support to assist their children in dealing with the illness. A variety of factors may hinder the ability to provide emotional support, including psychological distress (anxiety), perceptions of cancer prognosis, and the specific coping mechanisms employed to deal with the stress of having a child with cancer. This paper explores how maternal anxiety, perception of prognosis, and coping may independently or jointly affect maternal emotional supportiveness for children with cancer.
Vanderbilt University
Psychological Sciences
College of Arts & Science
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences
2010-04
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/4527
en_US
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/72822015-11-19T20:52:08Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Siblings Coping with Parental Depression: Similarities and Differences
Austin, Grace
Compas, Bruce E.
Parental depression
Coping
Siblings
Symptoms
Stress (Psychology)
Adjustment (Psychology)
Children of depressed persons
Brothers and sisters
PSY 296B Honors Thesis with Dr. Bruce Compas
This study investigated similarities and differences in levels of internalizing and externalizing symptoms and strategies used to cope with stress in a sample of sibling pairs of 9-15 year-old children of depressed parents. The sample of 52 sibling pairs (104 children) was selected from the family cognitive-behavioral intervention described by Compas et al. (2015). Children were assessed on measures of primary control coping, secondary control coping, disengagement coping, and internalizing and externalizing symptoms based on parent and child self-reports. It was expected that siblings would not differ in their experience of internalizing and externalizing problems or in their use of coping strategies. The findings supported the hypotheses that siblings would not differ across these three measures. Researchers also found that the younger siblings’ scores were not dependent on their older siblings’ experience.
Vanderbilt University
Psychology and Human Development
Peabody College
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences
2015
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/7282
en_US
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/40412016-04-28T19:49:10Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
The Impact of Stress on Autonomic Functioning in Chronic Abdominal Pain Patients
Tillman, Davlyn M.
Walker, Lynn S.
chronic abdominal pain
social stress
autonomic functioning
positive and negative affect
Stress (Psychology)
Adjustment (Psychology)
Stress in children
Abdominal pain in children -- Psychological aspects
This paper looks at the effect of laboratory social stress on both autonomic functioning (blood pressure) and positive/negative affect in chronic abdominal pain patients. Thesis completed in fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences under the direction of Craig Smith, Ph.D in course PSY 296: Honors Thesis.
This study examined the effect of social stress on chronic abdominal pain patients. Chronic abdominal pain (CAP) is a type of chronic pain common in children, experienced by 10-15 % of young children. Stress has been noted to influence the experience of CAP by increasing emotional distress and physical problems. Increased reaction to stress can be assessed by measuring physiological changes, including changes in blood pressure, and also by comparing changes in positive and negative affect. Study participants were subjected to laboratory social stress while their blood pressures were measured. Participants' levels of positive and negative affect in response to the stress were also assessed through self-report surveys. The study tested the hypothesis that non-recovered CAP patients would show greater changes in blood pressure, lower positive affect, and higher negative affect in response to the stress than recovered CAP patients and well subjects. The results found no significance difference in blood pressure changes and self-reports of affect between the non-recovered CAP, recovered CAP, and well participants.
Psychological Sciences
College of Arts & Science
2010-04-07
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/4041
en_US
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/50752020-04-22T06:37:50Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Resilient Individuals Reform Their Assumptive Worlds after Stressful Life Events
Kramer, Lindsay B.
Smith, Craig (Craig Alexander)
Kirby, Leslie D. (Leslie Deneen)
Saylor, Megan
Resilience
Coping
Assumptive World
Stress (Psychology)
Adjustment (Psychology)
Resilience (Personality trait)
Individuals develop core attitudes and beliefs that bring a sense of reality and purpose to their lives. After a stressful life event, these attitudes and beliefs are questioned. One is forced to learn to cope and reevaluate these assumptions. By using a survey, I looked at specifically at how individuals determined resilient coped with the event and achieved positive growth and transformation. This thesis was completed for PSY 296B, Honors Seminar, with Professor Megan Saylor.
Individuals develop core attitudes and beliefs that bring a sense of reality and purpose to
their lives. They make up one’s assumptive world. After a particular trauma or stressful life
event, one’s assumptive world is disrupted because individuals are confronted with inconsistent
data that cannot be readily assimilated with their preexisting assumptions. Thus, he or she is
forced to learn to cope with the situation and reappraise, or reevaluate, his or her core attitudes
and beliefs. Successful coping and flexible adaption to changing demands of stressful
experiences is referred to as psychological resilience. By using a survey that questioned
participants about a stressful event, I hypothesized that resilient individuals would utilize
accommodative-focused coping to maintain their assumptions and be able to achieve positive
growth and transformation. It was found that resilient individuals maintained all assumptions,
except in believing that the world is still meaningful. In addition, resilience was found to be
predictive of using accommodative-focused coping and of experiencing positive growth after a
stressful event. Thus, this research implies that a resilient individual is unable to justify why the
event occurred to a decent and worthy person.
Vanderbilt University
Psychological Sciences
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences
2012-04-11
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/5075
en_US
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/8252020-04-22T06:38:47Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Parents' expectations of their children's physicians and uncertainty regarding their children's health
Franks, Lindsey Diane
Walker, Lynn S.
Medical Model
Parent-Physician Communication
Communication in pediatrics
Abdominal pain in children
Chronic abdominal pain
Biopsychosocial Model
Honors Thesis in Child Development,
Peabody College of Vanderbilt University, conducted under the direction of Prof. Lynn S. Walker
Functional symptoms, defined as symptoms in the absence of organic disease, are common among pediatric patients. Parents of functional pain patients often experience great uncertainty regarding their children's health status and have several expectations of physicians in their quest for answers. In terms of expectations, research suggests that parents expect that psychosocial concerns will be addressed and discussed and that symptoms will be acknowledged and explained -- all in the context of an emotionally supportive encounter with the physician. As for uncertainty, research suggests that parental uncertainty is comprised of illness ambiguity, lack of illness information, lack of clarity (in the context of systems of care and relationships between parents and providers), and unpredictability. The current study assesses how type of diagnosis (organic versus functional) and presentation of medical information (biomedical versus biopsychosocial) influences parents' uncertainty and the extent to which their expectations of the medical encounter are met. Mothers of school-age children were presented with a vignette describing a child with abdominal pain symptoms and completed a baseline questionnaire assessing their expectations about the information to be received from the physician following his evaluation of the child. Mothers then viewed one of four video vignettes that presented a medical evaluation of the child in the vignette that varied in its combination of presentation (biopsychosocial versus biomedical) and diagnosis (organic versus functional). After viewing the medical evaluation vignette, mothers then completed response questionnaires assessing the degree to which their expectations were or were not met as well as their uncertainty about the child's illness in light of the medical information just provided. Among all conditions, it was expected that mothers who received a biomedical explanation and a functional diagnosis would perceive their expectations as met to a lesser degree and would experience greater uncertainty. This study extends the literature by examining parent expectations and uncertainty with respect to the manner in which physicians communicate information to parents.
Psychological Sciences
Peabody College of Education & Human Development
2008-04
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/825
en_US
application/pdf
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/175432022-07-18T17:44:02Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Examining Correlates of Intrusive Parenting
Azuka, Ekene
Humphreys, Kathryn L.
empathy
parental empathy
trauma
childhood maltreatment
intrusive
intrusiveness
intrusive parenting
Stress (Psychology)
Adjustment (Psychology)
Intrusive parenting behavior is associated with a variety of poor child outcomes. Given this, it is important to understand predictors of negative parenting behavior so that we might identify parents who are at risk of exhibiting intrusive parenting behaviors. Current literature regarding intrusive parenting rarely investigates predictors of or pathways to the presentation of this particular form of parenting behavior. The current study aims to address this gap by examining potential predictors of intrusive parenting behavior: childhood maltreatment history and empathy toward one’s child. Further, we investigated parental empathy as a possible mediator in the relation between childhood maltreatment history and intrusive parenting behaviors. We found that there was no association between childhood maltreatment severity and levels of intrusiveness; there was no association between childhood maltreatment severity own-child empathy; there was no association between own-child empathy and levels of intrusiveness.
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences
2021-05
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/17543
en_US
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/88532020-04-22T09:19:22Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Children Coping with Cancer: Associations with Stress Reactivity, Age and Gender
Hodges, Keli
Children
Cancer
Stress (Psychology)
Adjustment (Psychology)
This paper presents data collected in Dr. Compas's Stress and Coping Lab. It focuses on how gender, age, and stress reactivity are associated with the ways that children cope with cancer.
The present study focuses on how gender, age, and stress reactivity are associated with the ways that children cope with cancer. The sample consisted of 336 families; parents and children completed questionnaires near the time of the child’s cancer diagnosis. Bivariate correlations, independent samples t-tests and linear multiple regression analyses were performed. The results showed that stress reactivity, but not age or gender, was associated with the type of coping a child used. Children who reported less reactivity to stress used more primary control and secondary control coping, while children who were more stress reactive used more disengagement coping.
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences
2018-04-23
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/8853
en_US
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/5562020-04-22T06:44:40Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Religion, coping and marital satisfaction
Nelson, Nina
Kirby, Leslie D. (Leslie Deneen)
Religiosity
Marital satisfaction
Coping
Spouses -- Psychology
Adjustment (Psychology) -- Religious aspects
Satisfaction
Marriage -- Religious aspects
Senior Honors Thesis conducted under the direction of Professor Leslie D. Kirby
College of Arts & Science
The aim of this study was to unpack the relationship between religious discrepancies among spouses and marital satisfaction. Specifically, we focused on ways in which coping- both adaptive and maladaptive- affected that marital relationship. Vignettes were used as analogs to real life stressor situations and questions were asked to assess appraisal, coping, and emotions in response to these situations. Along with demographic and religious background information, we assessed intrinsic versus extrinsic religious
orientation, perceived stress, depressive symptoms, as well as life and marital satisfaction questionnaires and a few other religious measures. We hypothesized that those with greater religious discrepancies would exhibit more maladaptive coping and in turn, lower marital satisfaction. Our results supported this hypothesis in that the religious discrepancy was strongly correlated with both maladaptive coping and lower marital satisfaction, and path analyses indicated that the data were consistent with a mediational model in which the maladaptive coping, prompted by the discrepancy, was at least partially responsible for the lower marital satisfaction.
Psychological Sciences
College of Arts & Science
2008-04-04
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/556
en_US
application/pdf
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/88312020-04-22T08:59:12Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Parenting Behaviors and Children's Coping with Stress: Socialization of Coping Methods and Messages
Watkins, Elizabeth
Compas, Bruce
Watson, Kelly
Socialization of Coping
Positive Parenting
Coping with Stress
Coping
Stress and coping
This paper was written for my undergraduate Honors thesis in Psychology (PSY 4999). I worked with Dr. Bruce Compas and Dr. Kelly Watson.
In a follow up to Watson (2015), the current study examined the potential association of the
methods that parents use to communicate coping strategies to their children, the messages that parents communicate, the impact of positive parenting, and how their children cope with stress. In a sample of 111 children (9 – 15 years old) and their mothers, reports of children’s ways of coping with interpersonal stress were obtained from children and mothers, and mothers reported on the messages they used to coach their children’s coping. Parent and child interactions, in which parents were given the opportunity to coach their child through a stressful situation, were observationally coded based on methods of socialization, positive parenting, and type of coping message communicated. Findings indicated that positive parenting was negatively correlated with maternal socialization of disengagement coping, suggesting that mothers who typically display positive parenting qualities are less likely to suggest disengagement coping strategies to their children. There were no statistically significant correlations between positive parenting and socialization of primary control or secondary control coping. Additional bivariate correlational analyses revealed that parents who exhibited more positive parenting characteristics were more likely to utilize either Questions in Service of Advisement or Modeling as methods of coping socialization. Linear regression analyses showed that maternal socialization of secondary control coping predicted child use of secondary control coping. Child age also predicted child use of secondary control coping strategies. There were no direct associations between maternal socialization of primary control coping or disengagement coping with children’s use of these specific coping strategies.
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences
2018-04-18
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/8831
en_US
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/52682020-04-22T08:20:39Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Disordered Eating, Coping, and Perfectionism in a College Sample
Reiff, Anna E.
Kirby, Leslie D. (Leslie Deneen)
disordered eating
perfectionism
coping
Stress (Psychology)
Adjustment (Psychology)
Eating disorders
College students -- Psychology
College students -- Health and hygiene
Perfectionism (Personality trait)
Survey: Lifestyle health and coping (pdf) is included. Thesis completed for PSY 296B Honors Thesis with Professor Leslie D. Kirby.
Perfectionistic tendencies and coping strategies have been implicated as important factors in both the onset and maintenance of eating disorders but have not been widely researched in conjunction with each other. Given the elevated levels of eating disorders and subclinical manifestations among college student populations, this study surveyed 180 undergraduate students about multiple aspects of health and well-being, in addition to disordered eating attitudes and behaviors, coping strategies, and trait perfectionism. Results showed that avoidant coping strategies are positively associated with measures of disordered eating. In addition, certain dimensions of perfectionism correlated with avoidant coping and other dimensions correlated with problem-focused coping. Implications for treatments targeted at improving coping strategies in individuals with disordered eating are discussed.
Vanderbilt University
Psychological Sciences
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences
2013-04-03
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/5268
en_US
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/99242020-04-22T06:03:06Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Relations among Childhood Trauma, Executive Control, and Induced Stress
Harvey, Elizabeth
Dr. Judy Garber
Stress
Childhood trauma
Executive control
Stress (Psychology)
Adjustment (Psychology)
PSY-4999 Honors Thesis, Dr. Judy Garber
The present study examined the relation of childhood trauma to executive control and executive control under stress. Participants (N=104) were students, ages 18-22 (Mage=18.97, SD=1.078), at Vanderbilt University. In the first session, participants completed a questionnaire about their experience of childhood trauma and a measure of executive control (the emotional n-back task). In the second session conducted a week later, participants were randomized to either a high or low stress induction. They again completed the executive control task. We hypothesized that: (a) greater levels of early trauma would be associated with worse executive control; and (b) the relation between stress and executive control would be stronger for individuals with high levels of childhood trauma. Results of the study were not consistent with the hypotheses, although post hoc exploratory analyses were in the expected direction. Limitations of the study included the small sample size and possible limited variability on the measures of trauma and executive control. Suggestions for future research are discussed.
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences
2020
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/9924
en_US
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/164772021-04-20T21:28:25Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Executive Function and Communication in Children Who Have Experienced Adverse Childhood Experiences
Nichols, Haley
Adverse Childhood Experiences
Executive Function
Communication
Stress and Coping
Stress (Psychology)
Adjustment (Psychology)
This was an honor's thesis done through Dr. Bruce Compas's Stress and Coping lab as part of the Stress and Emotion in the Lives of Families study. This was done for the course PSY-4999 Honor's Thesis.
As research surrounding adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) has moved past evaluating long term effects and is now progressing towards developing interventions, viable targets for intervention must be found. This research project examined the relationships between executive functioning skills, aspects of communication, and verbal comprehension and vocabulary with ACEs and with coping. In this study, data from 56 parent-child dyads surrounding experience of ACEs, executive functioning. verbal comprehension, communication, and coping were analyzed. Correlations between these variables were analyzed, and several significant correlations were found. These include the relationship between domestic violence and digit span (r = -.40, p < .01), working memory (r = -.31, p < .05), and auditory working memory (r = -.37, p <.05), and the relationship between parental Positive Mood and physical abuse (r = -.29, p < .05), emotional neglect (r = -.29, p < .05) and domestic violence (r = -.36, p < .01). After future research, these could potentially be avenues for future interventions.
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences
2021-03-29
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/16477
en_US
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/40242013-08-07T16:36:39Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
The Relation of Negative Life Events to Symptoms and Functioning in Adolescents and Young Adults with a Childhood History of Chronic Abdominal Pain
Kneeland, Gerianna
Compas, Craig A.
negative life events
chronic abdominal pain
Competence
Life stress
Stress (Psychology)
Adjustment (Psychology)
Abdominal pain in children -- Psychological aspects
Stress in youth
This thesis was completed in the honors program at Vanderbilt University under the direction of Craig Smith, Ph.D in course 2990: Honors Research.
This paper looks at the effects of life stress on predicting health outcomes in chronic abdominal pain patients. It also looks at whether competence moderates the effects of life stress.
Vanderbilt University
Psychology and Human Development
Peabody College
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences
2010-04-07
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/4024
en_US
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/84022020-04-22T09:43:58Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Executive Function, Coping, and Depressive Symptoms in Children of Depressed and non-Depressed Mothers
Howe, Meghan M
Compas, Bruce E.
executive function
coping
depression
adolescent
Adjustment (Psychology)
Stress (Psychology)
Depression in adolescence
Children of depressed persons
Mother and child
This study examines the associations among executive function, coping, and depressive symptoms in a sample of adolescents.
The present study examined the concurrent associations among executive functioning, coping, maternal depression history, and depressive symptoms in adolescents. The sample included 82 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 15 and their mothers, recruited to represent a range of maternal depression history. Results indicated that adolescents of mothers with a history of depression were more depressed than adolescents of mothers without a history. In the full sample, significant relations were found between measures of coping and depressive symptoms, executive function and depressive symptoms, and executive function and coping. The association between executive function and depressive symptoms was accounted for secondary control coping. Findings suggest that better EFs, coupled with increased secondary control coping, may protect against depressive symptoms in adolescents with and without a history of exposure to maternal depression.
Vanderbilt University
Psychology
Arts & Sciences
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences
2017
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/8402
en_US
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/170732022-03-29T01:39:45Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Coping as a Mediator of the Association Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Symptoms of Anxiety/Depression in Adolescence
Adverse Childhood Experiences
Psychopathology
Coping / Emotion Regulation
Stress (Psychology)
Adjustment (Psychology)
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences (PSY-PC 4999 Honors Thesis)
Dr. Bruce Compas - Vanderbilt University Stress and Coping Lab
Objectives. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) refer to childhood traumatic events and are significant predictors of psychopathology. ACEs include abuse (physical, emotional, sexual) and neglect (physical, emotional). Coping and emotion regulation involve controlled responses to stress and may mediate the association between ACEs and psychopathology, however, little research has studied the relations between maltreatment and specific coping and emotion regulation strategies. The present study investigated ACEs, symptoms of anxiety/depression in adolescents, and coping with stress as reflected in three types of coping – primary control coping, secondary control coping, and disengagement coping. Method. Ninety-seven adolescents with a variety of ACE exposure completed self-report measures of ACE exposure, coping, and symptoms of anxiety/depression, while their caregivers completed these same measures about the adolescents. Pearson correlations, linear multiple regression, and path analyses were used to test associations. Results ACE exposure, coping, and symptoms of anxiety/depression were significantly correlated. The total indirect effect of ACE exposure on symptoms of anxiety/depression through all types of coping (primary control, secondary control, and disengagement) was significant (β = 0.04, 0.16, 0.08). Conclusion All types of coping are essential factors in understanding the association between ACE exposure and symptoms of anxiety/depression. Coping skills exist as potential targets for intervention to reduce the risk of anxiety/depression in adolescents exposed to ACEs.
2022-04-12
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/17073
en_US
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/10562011-02-11T17:45:08Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Correlates of Coping Styles in Children of Depressed Parents: Observations of Positive and Negative Emotions in Parent-Child Interactions
Williamson, J. Austin
Parental Depression
Coping
Children of depressed persons
Adjustment (Psychology) in children
Parent and child
This study examined the role of coping style in predicting positive and negative affect observed in interactions between children and parents with a history of depression. The anxious and depressive symptoms of the children were also examined in relation to both reports of coping and observed measures of affect. Correlational analyses indicated that primary and secondary control coping as measured by the child-report were positively correlated with observed positive mood and negatively correlated with observed sadness. Disengagement coping was negatively correlated with observed positive mood. In predicting anxious/depressed symptoms measured by the YSR, positive mood was more informative than sadness and primary and secondary control coping were more predictive than disengagement coping. Implications of these finding are discussed.
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences, under the direction of Dr. Bruce Compas
2008-04-08
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/1056
en_US
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/48002016-04-28T19:49:09Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Parental Influence on Children Coping with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD)
Hampton, Joya
Smith, Craig (Craig Alexander)
Lesane-Brown, Chase
Coping
Stress
Chronic Illness
Sickle Cell Disease
Stress (Psychology)
Adjustment (Psychology)
Sickle cell anemia in children -- Psychological aspects
Sickle cell anemia in children -- Patients -- Family relationships
Pain in children -- Psychological aspects
PSY 296B-Honors Thesis/Instructor: Craig Smith/Advisor: Dr. Chase Lesane-Brown. This study explores the role of coping as it relates to Sickle Cell Disease and discusses the importance of parent coping in families that have children with Sickle Cell Disease.
Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a chronic illness that disproportionately affects African Americans in the U.S. at a rate of 1 to 500. Proper management of this blood disorder is key in ensuring that those affected lead productive lives with as few life-disrupting symptoms as possible. Research suggests that the ability to cope with a chronic disease can affect disease outcome. When it comes to children dealing with SCD, parents play an integral role in ensuring that their children learn the proper coping skills to manage their illness. This study sought to find out if parent’s ability to cope with stress related to SCD affected their child’s ability to cope with stress related to SCD. It was predicted that the parents’ coping style would be positively and significantly associated with their child’s coping. The Response to Stress Questionnaire (RSQ; Connor-Smith, Compas, Wadsworth, Thomsen, and Saltman (2000)) was used to measure level of coping for both parent and child, and the Sickle Cell Pain Index (Walker, et al., 2001) was used to measure child pain. Our hypothesis was supported in that parent level of coping did have an effect on their child’s coping. For example, high levels of parent avoidance, denial, wishful thinking, and distraction related to SCD stress was associated with the increase in frequency of their child’s pain. Also, the less parents used coping strategies such as denial, avoidance, and rumination as coping mechanisms, the more children engaged in coping strategies such as positive thinking, acceptance, and cognitive.
Psychological Sciences
Vanderbilt University
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences
2011-04-21
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/4800
en_US
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/72852020-04-22T06:33:06Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Executive Function, Coping, and Psychological Adjustment in Pediatric Brain Tumor Survivors
Kobritz, Molly
Compas, Bruce E.
stress
coping
chronic illness
executive function
pediatric brain tumor
Brain -- Tumors
Adjustment (Psychology)
Tumors in children -- Psychological aspects
Cognition in children
Tumors in children -- Treatment -- Complications
Stress in children
This study investigates the association between cognitive function and how children cope with the stress of treatment of a brain tumor. This study used cognitive assessments and questionnaires to measure cognitive function, coping strategies, and emotional and behavioral problems in children aged 6 to 16 years near the time of diagnosis of a brain tumor and at four follow-up time-points up to 2 years post-diagnosis. The associations between domains of cognitive function, coping strategies (primary control coping, secondary control coping, disengagement coping) and emotional and behavioral problems were examined using correlational analyses.
While new treatments have increased the survival rate of pediatric patients with brain
tumors, they have also left this population with many adverse cognitive, emotional, and
behavioral outcomes. Prior research provides evidence to support an association between
cognitive function and use of complex secondary control coping strategies (e.g., acceptance and cognitive reappraisal). In children with brain tumors and other populations of children with chronic illness, these coping strategies have been associated with fewer adjustment problems.The present study used cognitive assessments and questionnaires to measure cognitive function, coping strategies, and emotional and behavioral problems in children aged 6 to 16 years near the time of diagnosis of a brain tumor and at four follow-up time-points up to 2 years post-diagnosis.The associations between domains of cognitive function, coping strategies (primary control coping, secondary control coping, disengagement coping) and emotional and behavioral
problems were examined using correlational analyses. Significant correlations were found
between working memory and secondary control coping across all time-points. Correlations between secondary control coping and adjustment (including attention problems and symptoms of anxiety and depression) were also significant. There was no significant association between working memory and adjustment. Future directions and implications are discussed.
Vanderbilt University
Psychology and Human Development
Peabody College
2015-03-30
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/7285
en_US
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/62912014-04-12T18:49:31Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Children Coping with Cancer: Cross-Sectional and Prospective Relations between Parenting Behaviors and Children’s Coping
Ragan, Jennifer
Compas, Bruce E.
pediatric cancer
parenting
stress and coping
Stress (Psychology)
Adjustment (Psychology)
Cancer in children -- Psychological aspects
Adjustment (Psychology) in children
Mother and child
Child development honors research thesis about the impact of parenting behaviors on children coping with cancer.
Course #: PSY-PC 2990 (Honors Research). Title: Children Coping with Cancer: Cross-Sectional and Prospective Relations between Parenting Behaviors and Children’s Coping. Advisor: Dr. Bruce Compas
Objective. Children diagnosed with cancer face numerous sources of stress and are at risk for emotional problems such as anxiety and depression. Parenting behavior and children’s coping are two important factors that may impact children’s adjustment to cancer. The purpose of the current study is to examine cross-sectional and prospective relations between mothers’ parenting behaviors and children’s coping in a sample of childhood cancer patients. Methods. Children ages 5-17 who had recently been diagnosed with new or relapsed cancer (n=108) and their parents were recruited from two hospitals in the Southern and Midwestern United States. Child and parent reports of parenting behaviors and child’s coping were obtained at two time points: near diagnosis (T1) and 12 months after diagnosis (T2). Results. Significant cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of parental warmth and parental psychological control with children’s coping were found near the time of child’s cancer diagnosis and one year later. These findings have the potential to guide future intervention studies to enhance adjustment outcomes for children with cancer by using parenting as an avenue to improve children’s coping.
Vanderbilt University
Psychology and Human Development
Peabody College
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences
2014
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/6291
en_US
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/45262010-11-14T01:09:02Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Parents and Children Coping with Pediatric Cancer: Associations Between Parent and Child Anxiety, and Parent-Child Communication
Hus, Anna Maria
Compas, Bruce E.
pediatric cancer
anxiety
communication
parent-child
Stress (Psychology)
Adjustment (Psychology)
Mother and child.
Cancer in children -- Psychological aspects.
Questionnaire and observational measures were used to examine psychological anxiety in mothers of children coping with pediatric cancer and its association with child anxiety and mother-child communication. Ninety-seven mothers completed measures assessing mothers’ generalized anxiety, posttraumatic stress symptoms, avoidance, and children’s distress. Adolescents also provided data on their anxiety. Of these 97 mothers and their child, 33 participated in a parent-child observation task assessing maternal anxiety, avoidance, warmth, communication, and child anxiety. Mothers’ symptoms of posttraumatic stress, rather than generalized anxiety, were elevated above normative levels. Observed maternal anxiety and avoidance were significantly associated. In both samples, maternal and child anxiety as reported by the mother was positively and significantly correlated. Implications, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.
Vanderbilt University
Psychological Sciences
College of Arts & Science
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences
2009-04-03
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/4526
en_US
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/29592016-04-28T19:49:06Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Exploring Emotional Intelligence as a mediator for coping styles and nicotine dependence
Wilhelm, Alison
Kirby, Leslie D. (Leslie Deneen)
nicotine dependence
emotional intelligence
Coping styles
Emotional intelligence
Adjustment (Psychology)
Nicotine addiction
Undergraduate Students were evaluated for nicotine dependence, on measures of coping styles, and emotional intelligence. The key aim for the study was to correlated emotional intelligence measures to levels of nicotine dependence. Final results showed no significant correlations to nicotine dependence, but showed other significant findings in reference to smoking and coping styles.
Arts & Science
Psychology
Vanderbilt University
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences
2009
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/2959
en_US
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/5572020-04-22T06:38:47Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
The relation of family and neighborhood socioeconomic status to symptoms and disability in pediatric patients with chronic abdominal pain
Bayer, Brooke
Walker, Lynn S.
Chronic abdominal pain
Socioeconomic status
Disability
Abdominal pain in children -- Psychological aspects
Children -- Social conditions
Adjustment (Psychology) in children
Stress in children
Senior Honors Thesis conducted under the direction of Professor Lynn S. Walker
Objective Investigated the relation of family and neighborhood socioeconomic status to
symptoms and disability in pediatric patients with chronic abdominal pain. Hypothesis This study tested the hypothesis that measures of family and neighborhood SES would be highly correlated and that SES would be highly correlated with child symptoms and disability. Thus, lower SES would be associated with higher symptoms and disability. In addition, the study tested the hypothesis that the significant relation between socioeconomic status and child health would be mediated by children's passive coping with pain. Methods Census data was used to obtain measures of neighborhood SES of 566 pediatric patients, ages 8-17 years old. Measures of family SES were obtained from patients' parents. Patients completed
questionnaires regarding their symptoms and disability. Results Family and neighborhood SES were highly correlated. There was no significant correlation between neighborhood or family SES and health. Because there was no relationship between SES and child health, we were unable to test whether the relation between SES and child health was mediated by passive coping. In an exploratory analysis, we examined the relation between parent-reported family stress and child health. This relation was significant and was partially mediated by children's passive coping with pain. Conclusions Low socioeconomic status is not correlated with child symptoms or disability. Instead, high levels of child symptoms and disability are related to high levels of family stress, with passive coping acting as a partial mediator between stress and children's health.
Psychological Sciences
Peabody College of Education & Human Development
2008-04-04
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/557
en_US
application/pdf
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/72802015-11-19T19:57:39Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
African American and Euro-American Mother-Child Communication within the Context of Maternal Depressive Symptoms
Royster, Quela Nile
Parenting behaviors
Maternal depression
Communication
African-American
Stress (Psychology)
Adjustment (Psychology)
African American mothers
Mother and child
Depressed persons
Children of depressed persons
Undergraduate thesis on how race/ethnicity and maternal depression symptoms relate to parenting behaviors. This research was completed in the Stress and Coping Lab at Vanderbilt University under Dr.Bruce Compas.
Past research has shown that depressive symptoms and race/ethnicity separately impact parenting behaviors, although the latter is often confounded with other contextual variables. This study examined the association of depressive symptoms and race/ethnicity with the parenting behaviors of African American and Euro-American mothers while controlling for demographic variables. Mother-child dyads were recorded discussing recent peer stressors and mothers’ verbal and nonverbal behaviors and emotions were coded using the Iowa Family Interaction Rating Scales (IFIRS). Maternal depressive symptoms did not significantly predict any of the parenting behaviors. African American mothers were significantly higher in structure, authoritarian parenting, and psychological control, significantly lower in engagement, and similar to Euro-American mothers in warmth and overall communication. However, race/ethnicity only significantly predicted structure and authoritarian parenting. Implications for parenting style research and familial depression preventions are discussed.
Vanderbilt University
Psychology and Human Development
Peabody College
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences
2015-04-15
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/7280
en_US
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/47232020-04-22T06:47:18Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
Parent-Child Communication and Child Distress In Response to a Child’s Diagnosis of Cancer
McWilliam, Sonny
Compas, Bruce E.
Stress (Psychology)
Adjustment (Psychology)
Cancer in children -- Patients -- Family relationships
Parent and child
Stress in children
Children and death -- Psychological aspects
Cancer in children -- Psychological aspects
Childhood cancer is a disease that affects a relatively small number of children and families in the US each year, but those families who are affected are often devastated. The stress and heartbreak of childhood cancer affects not only the patient’s emotions but also deeply affects the parents and other family members. Unfortunately, the problem does not end with the family having higher stress levels, but these higher stress levels can lead to an entirely new set of problems for the child and the family in the form of significant emotional distress, psychopathology or psychopathological symptoms, developmental problems, and social deficiencies. Despite the good news that childhood cancer is becoming increasingly more curable, there are lasting negative effects from the cancer called “late effects” that continue to adversely effect the patients for decades to come (Gloeker, Percy & Bunin, 1995). So, not only are childhood cancer victims prone to developing problems during treatment, but these problems are not quickly resolved once the child has completed treatment and gone into remission.
Vanderbilt University
Psychological Sciences
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences. Under the direction of Dr. Bruce Compas.
2007-04-16
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/4723
en_US
Vanderbilt University
oai:ir.vanderbilt.edu:1803/170852022-04-02T00:59:51Zcom_1803_205com_1803_66col_1803_209
An Investigation of the Associations Among Adverse Childhood Experiences, Coping, Psychopathology, and Parental Communication in Adolescents
ACEs
coping
adolescents
parental communication
Stress (Psychology)
Adjustment (Psychology)
PSY 4999 - Honors Thesis. Faculty mentor: Dr. Bruce Compas
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) predispose adolescents to a variety of physical and mental health problems and place them at an increased risk of experiencing additional major stressors later in life (Anda et al., 2006; Felitti et al., 1998). Coping strategies have been shown to help reduce the negative effects of stress on adolescents’ physical and mental health (Compas et al., 2017). Further, affectively positive parental communication with adolescents has been shown to support and improve adolescents’ coping skills as well as reduce internalizing and externalizing problems (Anderson et al., 2020; Eisenberg, Fabes, & Murphy, 1996; Thompson & Meyer, 2007; Watson et al., 2014, 2020). Using data from parent and child reports and video recorded adolescent-caregiver interactions, the present study explored the relationships between adolescent ACE exposure, primary and secondary control coping, anxious/depressed symptoms, aggressive behaviors, affectively positive, and hostile/intrusive parental communication. ACE exposure predicted higher levels of psychological symptoms and lower levels of coping. Higher levels of coping were associated with lower levels of psychological symptoms, and both types of coping accounted for significant variance in the development of psychological symptoms. The indirect pathway between ACE exposure and psychological symptoms through both types of coping also proved significant. Affectively positive parenting accounted for significant variance in the development of anxious/depressed symptoms and approached significance in the development of aggressive behaviors but was not found to moderate the indirect effect of coping on the relationship between ACE exposure and psychological symptoms. The findings of this study underscore the importance of coping in the prevention of psychopathology and highlight parental communication as a variable for further exploration in the development and prevention of psychopathology in adolescents with a history of ACE exposure.
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences. Faculty Mentor: Dr. Bruce Compas
2022-03-28
Thesis
http://hdl.handle.net/1803/17085
en_US
Vanderbilt University