2023 Publications
You Can't Pick Your Family: Parental Differential Treatment and Attachment
Tiffany D. Russell
University of North Dakota
Alicia Limke-McLean
University of Central Oklahoma
The goal of the current project was to investigate the effect of perceived parental differential treatment (affection and control) and insecure parental attachment on adult sibling attachment. University students with siblings completed measures of attachment to fathers, mothers, and siblings as well as perceived parental differential treatment in childhood. We expected that path analyses would show that attachment to parents would mediate the link between perceived differential treatment and adult attachment to siblings and found mixed support for this hypothesis. Specifically, avoidant attachment to father mediated the link between differential paternal affection and avoidant attachment to sibling whereas anxious attachment to mother mediated the link between differential maternal affection and anxious attachment to sibling. These findings add adult parental and sibling attachment to consequences associated with unequal emotional treatment in childhood, emphasize the role of fathers in the family system, and demonstrate the need for continued research into sibling relationships.
Tiffany D. Russell
University of North Dakota
Alicia Limke-McLean
University of Central Oklahoma
The goal of the current project was to investigate the effect of perceived parental differential treatment (affection and control) and insecure parental attachment on adult sibling attachment. University students with siblings completed measures of attachment to fathers, mothers, and siblings as well as perceived parental differential treatment in childhood. We expected that path analyses would show that attachment to parents would mediate the link between perceived differential treatment and adult attachment to siblings and found mixed support for this hypothesis. Specifically, avoidant attachment to father mediated the link between differential paternal affection and avoidant attachment to sibling whereas anxious attachment to mother mediated the link between differential maternal affection and anxious attachment to sibling. These findings add adult parental and sibling attachment to consequences associated with unequal emotional treatment in childhood, emphasize the role of fathers in the family system, and demonstrate the need for continued research into sibling relationships.
| You Can't Pick Your Family |
Predictors of Liking Pineapple on Pizza: Implications for Food Choices
Lynne N. Kennette
Clayton Rhodes
Cara Coulson
Durham College
The following investigation explores the reasons for individual food choices. Specifically, we investigate the perceptions of adults regarding pineapple as a pizza topping. Study 1 analysed interview transcripts of faculty’s and staff’s responses to whether they like pineapple on pizza and identified themes in their responses, including social relationships, Canadian identity, and creativity. These themes were then used to create a questionnaire to look into this food choice more granularly in the same population (Study 2). Results showed that gender and age were the two primary predictors for the pizza on pineapple choice in questionnaire responses, with a tendency for younger females to prefer pineapple on pizza and older males to dislike it (though the relationship with age was not linear). These findings are interpreted in relation to the mechanisms involved in food-related decisions and health behaviours.
Lynne N. Kennette
Clayton Rhodes
Cara Coulson
Durham College
The following investigation explores the reasons for individual food choices. Specifically, we investigate the perceptions of adults regarding pineapple as a pizza topping. Study 1 analysed interview transcripts of faculty’s and staff’s responses to whether they like pineapple on pizza and identified themes in their responses, including social relationships, Canadian identity, and creativity. These themes were then used to create a questionnaire to look into this food choice more granularly in the same population (Study 2). Results showed that gender and age were the two primary predictors for the pizza on pineapple choice in questionnaire responses, with a tendency for younger females to prefer pineapple on pizza and older males to dislike it (though the relationship with age was not linear). These findings are interpreted in relation to the mechanisms involved in food-related decisions and health behaviours.
| Predictors of Liking Pineapple on Pizza |
There is Nothing Certain but Uncertainty: Manipulation of Uncertainty and its Association with Worry and Intolerance of Uncertainty
Casey Brugh, M.S.
Central Michigan University
Amanda Joyce, Ph.D.
Murray State University
Intolerance of uncertainty is related to a variety of clinical and nonclinical concepts including clinical and nonclinical levels of worry (Buhr & Dugas, 2002) as well as several disorders, including general anxiety disorder (GAD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and social anxiety disorder (Einstein et al., 2014). Since it has been found to be a transdiagnostic concept, research has suggested that it could be a target of intervention (Dugas & Ladouceur, 2000). However, little research about the manipulation of uncertainty exists. This study sought to examine how manipulation of uncertainty in a vignette-based intervention alters individuals’ levels of global worry, as well as their worry about the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, this study hypothesized that this relationship would be moderated by an individual’s preexisting intolerance of uncertainty. The results of this study support the idea that intolerance of uncertainty is associated with increased worry and GAD symptoms. However, the study failed to find an association between manipulation of uncertainty through a vignette-based intervention and overall levels of worry.
Casey Brugh, M.S.
Central Michigan University
Amanda Joyce, Ph.D.
Murray State University
Intolerance of uncertainty is related to a variety of clinical and nonclinical concepts including clinical and nonclinical levels of worry (Buhr & Dugas, 2002) as well as several disorders, including general anxiety disorder (GAD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and social anxiety disorder (Einstein et al., 2014). Since it has been found to be a transdiagnostic concept, research has suggested that it could be a target of intervention (Dugas & Ladouceur, 2000). However, little research about the manipulation of uncertainty exists. This study sought to examine how manipulation of uncertainty in a vignette-based intervention alters individuals’ levels of global worry, as well as their worry about the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, this study hypothesized that this relationship would be moderated by an individual’s preexisting intolerance of uncertainty. The results of this study support the idea that intolerance of uncertainty is associated with increased worry and GAD symptoms. However, the study failed to find an association between manipulation of uncertainty through a vignette-based intervention and overall levels of worry.
| There is Nothing Certain but Uncertainty |
Insanity Defense Attitudes: The Impact of Biological Sex, Mental Illness, and Jury Instruction
Haley Moon, M.S.
University of Wyoming
Brooke Mann, M.S.
Fort Hays State University
Approximately 20% of incarcerated individuals in jails and 15% of those in state prisons have been diagnosed with a serious mental illness, meaning that there are approximately 356,000 incarcerated persons with serious mental illness in jails and prisons alone (Torrey et al., 2014). Today, mental health stigma is widely prevalent amongst society and particularly there is a strong stigma associated with mental illness and criminality (Mossière & Maeder, 2015). Society typically perceives verdicts associated with insanity/mental illness as an alternative for not wanting to take responsibility for one’s actions and as a “loop-hole” to get out of serving time (Hans & Slater, 1983). These misconceptions can generate biases and stereotypes in regard to the insanity defense and accused individuals diagnosed with mental illness. The present study aimed to address these biases and stereotypes by examining what factors may impact mock-jurors’ attitudes toward the insanity defense. The findings from this study imply that participant demographics and personal experience with mental health does impact perceptions towards the insanity defense as well as mental health in general. Future directions, implications, and limitations are discussed.
Haley Moon, M.S.
University of Wyoming
Brooke Mann, M.S.
Fort Hays State University
Approximately 20% of incarcerated individuals in jails and 15% of those in state prisons have been diagnosed with a serious mental illness, meaning that there are approximately 356,000 incarcerated persons with serious mental illness in jails and prisons alone (Torrey et al., 2014). Today, mental health stigma is widely prevalent amongst society and particularly there is a strong stigma associated with mental illness and criminality (Mossière & Maeder, 2015). Society typically perceives verdicts associated with insanity/mental illness as an alternative for not wanting to take responsibility for one’s actions and as a “loop-hole” to get out of serving time (Hans & Slater, 1983). These misconceptions can generate biases and stereotypes in regard to the insanity defense and accused individuals diagnosed with mental illness. The present study aimed to address these biases and stereotypes by examining what factors may impact mock-jurors’ attitudes toward the insanity defense. The findings from this study imply that participant demographics and personal experience with mental health does impact perceptions towards the insanity defense as well as mental health in general. Future directions, implications, and limitations are discussed.
| There is Nothing Certain but Uncertainty |