Research Presentation Awards:
First -- Tracey Gunter
Second -- Laura Castro-Schilo
Third -- Ellen-ge Denton
Abstracts and links to ppt presentations (click each name)
Title: The AX-Continuous Performance Task Across Event Boundaries
List of Authors and co-authors: Armendarez, J.J., CSU San Bernardino; Reimer, J.F., CSU San Bernardino; Lorsbach, T.C., University of Nebraska at Omaha; & Radvansky, G.A., University of Notre Dame.
Abstract: According to Braver et al., cognitive control is based on one’s ability to represent and maintain goal information in working memory. The AX-Continuous Performance Task (AX-CPT) was designed to test the representation and maintenance (R/M) of goal information in working memory. Braver has demonstrated that good goal R/M leads to better performance on BX trials than AY trials. According to Event Segmentation Theory (EST), event boundaries (i.e., shift in spatial location) correspond to the updating or resetting of event models. With this in mind, these 3 studies aim to provide evidence that event boundaries facilitate memory in the AX-CPT. Experiment 1 (5 second cue-probe delay): For BX trials, performance was better for shift than no-shift trials in the response time data. For AY trials, performance was better with no-shift than shift trials for error rate data. Experiment 2 (1 second cue-probe delay was used): For BX trials, performance was better for shift than no-shift trials in the RT data. For AY trials, performance was better for no-shift than shift trials in the error rate data. Experiment 3 (spatial task was used): The spatial task eliminated the shift effect for target and non-target trials; with the general context processing effect remained.
Katia M. Canenguez Ed.M., M.A.
Title: The impact of mental health on young children’s academic development: What we can learn from national sample of at-risk Chilean children
List of Author and co-authors: Katia M. Canenguez Ed.M, M.A., Abbey Eisenhower Ph.D., & J. Michael Murphy, Child Ed.D.
Abstract: The objective of the study will be to evaluate how mental health problems, identified through parent and teacher screens administered in first and third grade, relate to academic achievement test scores in the fourth grade. The government of Chile currently uses brief teacher and parent measures to screen for mental health problems in about one-fifth of the country’s elementary schools. This study will evaluate whether mental health problems identified through either or both screens in the first and third grades, predict academic achievement in the fourth grade – even after controlling for student and family risk factors. Over 20,000 students have completed first and third grade teacher and parent forms and these will be matched with fourth year grades. Statistical analysis (utilizing SEM) will be conducted to evaluate whether mental health in the first grade matters over and above mental health in the third grade in predicting academic achievement. Because at risk children in this program participate in one of three different 10-week workshops in the second grade, each group will be analyzed separately. This study is still in progress. At QTUG I would present preliminary analysis and I would plan on raising questions regarding next steps for the audience’s consideration.
Title: Neglect the Structure of Multitrait-Multimethod Data At Your Peril: Implications for Associations with External Variables
List of Author and co-authors: Laura Castro-Schilo, Keith F. Widaman, and Kevin J. Grimm
Abstract: In 1959, Campbell and Fiske introduced the use of multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) matrices in psychology, and for the past 4 decades confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) has commonly been used to analyze MTMM data. However, researchers do not always fit CFA models when MTMM data are available. In this paper, we used a Monte Carlo simulation approach to investigate the drawbacks of partially or completely ignoring the MTMM structure of data when the research goal is to uncover associations of trait constructs with external variables. We compared results from three popular MTMM CFA models and two path models; some of the former partially neglect the MTMM structure of data and the latter completely ignore the data structure. Results suggest that the collection of MTMM data is crucial to capture more accurately the associations among traits and external variables. MTMM CFA models performed well only when manifest variables were specified as trait-method units. Researchers should be discouraged from creating averages of observed variables when MTMM data are available. Instead, alternative MTMM CFA models can be fit, and when implications differ from model to model, these should be reported. Furthermore, we encourage researchers to think about the validity and structure of their data.
Title Living in a Hispanic Enclave after Acute Coronary Syndrome: the Mental Health Implications.
List of Author and co-authors: Denton, E., Brondolo, E., Edmondson, D., and Davidson, KW.
Abstract: The U.S. census projects that Hispanics will be the majority population in 2042, and coronary heart disease is a major cause of morbidity in the Hispanic community. Both Hispanic ethnicity and depression appear to increase risk for adverse outcome after acute coronary syndrome (ACS), though living in a neighborhood with high Hispanic ethnic concentration may be protective against depression for Hispanics. We examine the relationship of ethnic density to depression among CHD patients and examine modifiers of this relationship. We hypothesize a negative association between ethnic density and depression symptoms, this negative association will be more pronounced for men and foreign born patients (versus native born). Patients (N = 472) completed the Beck Depression Inventory and demographic measures. Geographic Information Software was used for demography mapping of patients residence. Neighborhood variables were extracted from American Community Survey Census (2005 – 2009) using patient geocoded addresses. In an adjusted regression analysis neighborhood ethnic density was associated with greater, and not lower depressive symptoms (Beta = 2.08, p = .04). While previous research suggests ethnic density to be protective against depression, these data suggest that living in an ethnically concentrated Hispanic community is associated with worse depression. These data highlight the effects of racial or ethnic segregation and health.
Title: Investigating the Relationship between Building Condition and Students’ Academic Achievement: Meta-Analysis
List of Author and co-authors: Tracey Gunter; Jing Shao, Dr. Betsy Becker
Abstract: Since the late 1970s, researchers have examined the relationship between school building condition and student performance. Researchers believe that where students spend the majority of their time learning does influence how well they learn. In an education system that has begun to place accountability on principals and teachers, the need to understand the relationship between school building condition and student performance is imperative. Though many literature reviews have claimed that a relationship exists, until now no meta-analysis has examined this literature. The purpose of this review was to synthesize the existing literature on the relationship between building condition and student performance. Seven multiple regression studies were included, from which 25 effect sizes were obtained. Twelve bivariate correlation studies were included, from which 500 effect sizes were extracted for analysis. Although results for the semi-partial ( =.07) and bivariate ( =.09) mean correlation were relatively small, it was significantly different from zero which supports that the school building condition is related to student performance. Furthermore, results revealed the correlation varied as a function of the rater who assessed school building condition, academic measure outcome and building condition component.
Title: Initial Validation of a Combined Behavioral and Emotional Avoidance Scale in a Clinical Sample of Adolescents with Anxiety and Depressive Disorders
List of Author and co-authors: Juventino Hernandez Rodriguez, B.A., Alexander H. Queen, M.S., Christopher P. Fairholme, M.A., David H. Barlow, Ph.D., & Jill Ehrenreich-May, Ph.D.
Abstract: This presentation will review preliminary psychometric data for a 54-item, self-report measure of behavioral and emotional avoidance strategies in a clinical sample of adolescents with anxiety and/or unipolar depressive disorders. This sample consisted of 62 adolescents between ages 12-18 years (M = 15.50; 53.4% male; 63.6% Hispanic/Latino) assigned a principal anxiety disorder diagnosis using a semi-structured diagnostic interview, 57.1% of whom were diagnosed with a comorbid depressive disorder.
Initial inter-item correlation and factor analyses yielded a final 54-item measure with excellent internal consistency for the total scale (α = .94). Principal components analyses with varimax rotation yielded a three-factor structure (“behavioral avoidance”, “emotional suppression”, and “disengagement”) that accounted for 45.70% of the variance. Internal consistencies within each factor were strong, ranging from α = .85 - .94. Validity analyses revealed that factors were significantly correlated with well-established measures of youths’ negative and positive affect, emotional expression, emotion regulation, and internalizing symptoms.
Hierarchical linear regression analyses revealed that the behavioral avoidance factor independently predicted separation anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, and generalized anxiety symptoms among adolescents. The emotional suppression factor independently predicted social anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, generalized anxiety, and depressive symptoms. And, only the emotional suppression factor predicted the presence of a comorbid depressive disorder.
Title: Timing and Gender Determine if Acute Stress Impairs Working Memory Performance
List of Author and co-authors: Anna Hood B.A., Kim Pulvers, Ph.D., M.P.H., Thomas Spady, Ph.D.
Abstract: The effects of stress on memory are complex and little is known about the vulnerability of working memory performance (WM) when people complete a WM test during exposure to acute stress. Here, we subjected 78 healthy non-smoking participants to either acute stress or a control condition while administering a WM test. In this context, we also tested WM 20 minutes post acute stress and assessed objective and subjective measures of acute stress. We hypothesized that the acute stressor would impair WM performance. Further, females’ WM performance would be impaired more than males. Supporting hypotheses, participant’s WM performance during acute stress was significantly worse than post stressor (p < .01). There were no significant differences between stressed and control either during or post stressor (p > .05). However, stressed females did have significantly worse WM performance during stress than stressed males and controls (p < .01). Our data imply that timing and gender are critically important in whether acute stress is costly to WM performance. Our findings have interesting clinical, professional and educational implications, and understanding the influence of stress could help to improve the interpretation of working memory tests in these diverse settings.
Title: Religiosity, spirituality, and Latino mental health services: an initial examination of mediation
List of Author and co-authors: Oswaldo Moreno, MA, & Esteban Cardemil, PhD
Abstract: In this study, we examined the relationships between religiosity, spirituality, and attitudes towards professional mental health services. We further examined whether private religious coping and social religious coping mediated both relationships. Results suggest that participants with higher levels of religiosity and spirituality held significantly less positive attitudes towards seeking professional psychological help than participants with lower levels of religiosity. Further, although higher levels of religiosity were associated with both internal religious coping and social religious coping, only social religious coping met criteria as a mediator of the relationship between religiosity and less positive attitudes towards seeking professional psychological help. These findings suggest that religious counseling and seeking advice from a religious leader and church members play a vital role in the relationship model. Continuing research in the area is needed to inform mental health care for Latinos.
Title: Differential Item Functioning in the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure: A focus on Mixed Ancestry Samples
List of Author and co-authors: Walker, L. H. M., & Syed, M.
Abstract: Ethnic identity is an important domain for ethnic minority individuals to explore and think about (Phinney, 1992; Syed & Azmitia, 2009). For people identifying with more than a single ethnic or racial group, current strategies for measuring ethnic identity exploration and commitment may not be valid. Specifically, items in these assessments that assume membership with a single ethnic group may not accurately portray mixed-ancestry exploration and commitment processes. This project tests the validity of a common measure of ethnic identity by examining data from more than 300 college students who reported mixed-ancestry background or membership with a single ethnic group (mono-ethnic). Participants are of various racial and ethnic backgrounds, including African American, Latino(a), Asian American, and White. Specifically, the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM) items from two subscales (exploration, 5 items; commitment, 7 items) reflecting levels of ethnic identity are evaluated with item response theory (IRT) models and examined for differential item functioning (DIF) by group membership. Items functioning differently for mixed-ancestry individuals and their mono-ethnic peers will be reported and examined. Implications for measurement and theory development will be discussed.