Psychology

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The Department of Psychology will provide a collaborative environment for innovation and scientific discovery in psychological science and for attainment of psychological literacy.

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Absent autonomy: Relational competence and gendered paths to faculty self-determination in the promotion and tenure process
(2018-09) Skewes, Monica C.; Shanahan, Elizabeth A.; Smith, Jessi L.; Honea, Joy C.; Belou, Rebecca M.; Rushing, Sara; Intemann, Kristen; Handley, Ian M.
This research examines ways in which men and women university faculty sought self-determination in the promotion and tenure (P&T) process. Self-Determination Theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 2012) research tends to view autonomy as the central factor in self-determination, taking priority over other psychological needs of relatedness and competence. The P&T process occurs within a context that inherently limits autonomy, providing a unique opportunity to examine experiences of relatedness and competence when autonomy is constrained. We used a qualitative research strategy with a matched case study design to explore how individuals experience the constructs of SDT (i.e., autonomy, competence, and relatedness) within the P&T process. Our project focuses on faculty in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) departments undergoing P&T review at one university. Women faculty in STEM were compared with men faculty at the same rank and in similar departments concurrently going through P&T review. Findings showed that men reported experiencing self-determination via informational competence whereas women approached self-determination through relational competence. Creating a level playing field for faculty navigating the P&T process requires being attuned to different paths to self-determination, fostering relationships between faculty, and clarifying policies and procedures.
ADVANCE Project TRACS
(Montana State University, Bozeman, 2013) Smith, Jessi L.; Rushing, Sara
This poster presents the objectives, initiatives, and research objectives of ADVANCE Project TRACS in 2013.
ADVANCE Project TRACS Charrette Posters
(Montana State University, Bozeman, 2013) Smith, Jessi L.; Rushing, Sara
These posters, presented on April 9, 2013, show data on recruiting new female faculty hires, job satisfaction, baseline indicators, and opinions on existing programs.
ADVANCE Project TRACS Charrette Posters 2013
(2013) Smith, Jessi L.; Rushing, Sara
These posters, presented in 2013, show data on recruiting new female faculty hires, job satisfaction, baseline indicators, and opinions on existing programs.
ADVANCE Project TRACS Charrette Posters 2014
(2014-04) Smith, Jessi L.; Burroughs, Beth; Handley, Ian M.; Stoop, Chatanika
These posters, presented in 2014, show data on recruiting new female faculty hires, job satisfaction, baseline indicators, and opinions on existing programs.
ADVANCE Project TRACS Charrette Posters 2015
(2015) Smith, Jessi L.; Handley, Ian M.; Honea, Joy; Shanahan, Elizabeth A.; Skewes, Monica C.; Belou, Rebecca M.
These posters, presented in 2015, show data on recruiting new female faculty hires, job satisfaction, baseline indicators, and opinions on existing programs.
ADVANCE Project TRACS Charrette Posters 2016
(2016-04) Belou, Rebecca M.; Shanahan, Elizabeth A.; Skewes, Monica C.; Handley, Ian M.; Rushing, Sara; Honea, Joy
These posters, presented on April 26, 2016, show data on recruiting new female faculty hires, job satisfaction, baseline indicators, and opinions on existing programs.
American Indian young adults display diminished cardiovascular and cortisol responses to acute psychological stress
(2020-04) John-Henderson, Neha A.; Gruman, Hannah E.; Counts, Cory J.; Ginty, Annie T.
American Indian adults are at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease compared with non-Hispanic white adults. Scant research exists examining the underlying physiological and psychological mechanisms associated with these risks. This study aimed to examine possible psychological and physiological stress-related mechanisms related to cardiovascular disease risk in healthy American Indian and non-Hispanic white adults. Forty American Indian (60% female, Mean age = 19.93, SD = 2.08 years) and 45 non-Hispanic white (70% female, Mean age = 20.18, SD = 2.22 years) participants attended an in-person laboratory session. Salivary cortisol and cardiovascular activity were measured before (baseline), during, and after exposure to a 10-minute mental arithmetic task. Compared to non-Hispanic white participants, American Indian had diminished salivary cortisol (p < .001), blood pressure (p's < .001), and heart rate (p = .041) responses to acute psychological stress. These effects could not be accounted for by differences in task performance or self-reported engagement. Previous research has shown that exaggerated responses to stress are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. However, diminished responses to stress are associated with early childhood stress and future adverse behaviors (e.g., addiction, obesity). Diminished reactivity may influence behaviors that can impact future development of cardiovascular disease in American Indian populations.
American Indian young adults display diminished cardiovascular and cortisol responses to acute psychological stress
(2020-04) John-Henderson, Neha A.; Gruman, Hannah E.; Counts, Cory J.; Ginty, Annie T.
American Indian adults are at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease compared with non-Hispanic white adults. Scant research exists examining the underlying physiological and psychological mechanisms associated with these risks. This study aimed to examine possible psychological and physiological stress-related mechanisms related to cardiovascular disease risk in healthy American Indian and non-Hispanic white adults. Forty American Indian (60% female, Mean age = 19.93, SD = 2.08 years) and 45 non-Hispanic white (70% female, Mean age = 20.18, SD = 2.22 years) participants attended an in-person laboratory session. Salivary cortisol and cardiovascular activity were measured before (baseline), during, and after exposure to a 10-minute mental arithmetic task. Compared to non-Hispanic white participants, American Indian had diminished salivary cortisol (p < .001), blood pressure (p’s < .001), and heart rate (p = .041) responses to acute psychological stress. These effects could not be accounted for by differences in task performance or self-reported engagement. Previous research has shown that exaggerated responses to stress are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. However, diminished responses to stress are associated with early childhood stress and future adverse behaviors (e.g., addiction, obesity). Diminished reactivity may influence behaviors that can impact future development of cardiovascular disease in American Indian populations.
Assessment of Unconscious Decision Aids Applied to Complex Patient-Centered Medical Decisions
(2015-02) Manigault, Andrew Wilhelm; Handley, Ian Michael; Whillock, Summer Rain
"Background: To improve patient health, recent research urges for medical decision aids that are designed to enhance the effectiveness of specific medically related decisions. Many such decisions involve complex information, and decision aids that independently use deliberative (analytical and slower) or intuitive (more affective and automatic) cognitive processes for such decisions result in suboptimal decisions. Unconscious thought can arguably use both intuitive and deliberative (slow and analytic) processes, and this combination may further benefit complex patient (or practitioner) decisions as medical decision aids. Indeed, mounting research demonstrates that individuals render better decisions generally if they are distracted from thinking consciously about complex information after it is presented (but can think unconsciously), relative to thinking about that information consciously or not at all. Objective: The current research tested whether the benefits of unconscious thought processes can be replicated using an Internet platform for a patient medical decision involving complex information. This research also explored the possibility that judgments reported after a period of unconscious thought are actually the result of a short period of conscious deliberation occurring during the decision report phase. Methods: A total of 173 participants in a Web-based experiment received information about four medical treatments, the best (worst) associated with mostly positive (negative) side-effects/attributes and the others with equal positive-negative ratios. Next, participants were either distracted for 3 minutes (unconscious thought), instructed to think about the information for 3 minutes (conscious thought), or moved directly to the decision task (immediate decision). Finally, participants reported their choice of, and attitudes toward, the treatments while experiencing high, low, or no cognitive load, which varied their ability to think consciously while reporting judgments. Cognitive load was manipulated by having participants memorize semi-random (high), line structured (low), or no dot patterns and recall these intermittently with their decision reports. Overall then, participants were randomly assigned to the conditions of a 3 (thought condition) by 3 (cognitive-load level) between-subjects design. Results: A logistic regression analysis indicated that the odds of participants choosing the best treatment were 2.25 times higher in the unconscious-thought condition compared to the immediate-decision condition (b=.81, Wald=4.32, P=.04, 95% CI 1.048-4.836), and 2.39 times greater compared to the conscious-thought condition (b=.87, Wald=4.87, P=.027, 95% CI 1.103-5.186). No difference was observed between the conscious-thought condition compared to the immediate-decision condition, and cognitive load manipulations did not affect choices or alter the above finding. Conclusions: This research demonstrates a plausible benefit of unconscious thinking as a decision aid for complex medical decisions, and represents the first use of unconscious thought processes as a patient-centered medical decision aid. Further, the quality of decisions reached unconsciously does not appear to be affected by the amount of cognitive load participants experienced.
Association of belief in the "firewater myth" with strategies to avoid alcohol consequences among American Indian and Alaska Native college students who drink
(2018-05) Gonzalez, Vivian M.; Skewes, Monica C.
Belief in an American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) specific biological vulnerability (BV) to alcohol problems (aka the "firewater myth") is associated with worse alcohol outcomes among AI/AN college students who drink, despite also being associated with greater attempts to reduce drinking. The current study examined how belief in a BV may have affected how 157 AI/AN college students who drink (a) attempted to moderate their alcohol use and avoid alcohol-related problems using abstinence-based and harm reduction strategies, and (b) attitudes toward these strategies as a means of addressing alcohol problems. Contrary to our hypotheses, belief in a BV was not found to be associated with use of harm reduction strategies or with how effective students believed these strategies to be. However, greater belief in a BV was associated with lower self-efficacy for the use of harm reduction strategies among more frequent heavy episodic drinkers. This is concerning, as the use of harm reduction strategies was associated with less frequent heavy episodic drinking in this sample. In contrast, belief in a BV was positively associated with the use of abstinence-based strategies and with how effective these strategies were perceived to be. However, for individuals with average or greater belief in a BV, abstinence-based strategies were associated with greater alcohol consequences. The results suggest that for AI/AN students who drink, belief in a BV may be influencing the strategies used to moderate alcohol use and avoid alcohol-related harm, as well as attitudes toward these strategies, in ways that do not appear helpful.
Association of racism and substance use treatment with belief in the myth of an American Indian/Alaska Native biological vulnerability to alcohol problems
(American Psychological Association, 2023-06) Gonzalez, Vivian M.; Skewes, Monica C.
Objectives: Belief in an American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) specific biological vulnerability (BV) to alcohol problems is associated with worse alcohol outcomes among AIANs. Despite a notable lack of evidence that biogenetic factors play a greater role in the development of alcohol problems among AIANs than other groups, many people still believe this myth. Consistent with theory and evidence that greater experiences with discrimination leads to the internalization of stereotypes and oppression, we hypothesized that greater perceived racial discrimination (racism) would be associated with greater BV belief, but that having a stronger ethnic identity would weaken this association. We also examined whether previous substance use treatment as well as participation in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA) was associated with BV belief. Method: Participants were 198 reservation-dwelling AI adults with a substance use problem who completed a survey as part of a larger community-based participatory study. Results: A multiple regression analysis revealed that greater systemic racism was associated with greater belief in a BV; this association was not moderated by ethnic identity. Greater interpersonal racism was also associated with greater BV belief—but only among those low in ethnic identity. A regression analysis revealed that previous treatment, AA, and NA participation were not associated with BV belief. Conclusions: Greater systemic and interpersonal racism were associated with belief in a BV, and greater ethnic identity buffered the association between interpersonal racism and BV belief. This suggests that both combatting racism and fostering positive ethnic identity may help to lessen BV belief. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
Associations Between Childhood Abuse and COVID-19 Hyperarousal in Adulthood: The Role of Social Environment
(Frontiers Media SA, 2021-02) John-Henderson, Neha; Counts, Cory J.; Ginty, Annie T.
Background: Childhood abuse increases risk for high levels of distress in response to future stressors. Interpersonal social support is protective for health, particularly during stress, and may be particularly beneficial for individuals who experienced childhood abuse. Objective: Investigate whether childhood abuse predicts levels of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and test whether the perceived availability of social companionship preceding the pandemic moderates this relationship. Methods: During Phase 1, adults (N = 120; Age M[SD] = 19.4 [0.94]) completed a retrospective measure of childhood adversity along with a measure of perceived availability of opportunities for social engagement immediately preceding the pandemic. Two weeks after the COVID-19 pandemic declaration, participants completed the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) with respect to the pandemic. Hierarchical linear regression analyses examined the interaction between childhood abuse and the perceived availability of social companionship preceding the pandemic as a predictor of PTSD symptoms. Results: Adjusting for covariates, the interaction between childhood abuse and perceived availability of others to engage with before the onset of the pandemic was a significant predictor of IES-hyperarousal (β = −0.19, t = −2.06, p = 0.04, ΔR2 = 0.032, CI: [−0.31 to −0.01]). Conclusion: Levels of perceived opportunities for social companionship before the pandemic associates with levels of hyperarousal related to the pandemic, particularly for individuals who experienced high levels of childhood abuse. More research is needed to understand how to mitigate the higher levels of distress related to the pandemic for these individuals in order to reduce risk for future psychiatric disorders.
Associations Between Infant Negative Affect and Parent Anxiety Symptoms are Bidirectional: Evidence from Mothers and Fathers
(2015-12) Brooker, Rebecca J.; Neiderhiser, Jenae M.; Leve, Leslie D.; Shaw, Daniel S.; Scaramella, Laura V.; Reiss, David
Little is known about child-based effects on parents' anxiety symptoms early in life despite the possibility that child characteristics may contribute to the quality of the early environment and children's own long-term risk for psychological disorder. We examined bidirectional effects between parent anxiety symptoms and infant negative affect using a prospective adoption design. Infant negative affect and adoptive parent anxiety symptoms were assessed at child ages 9, 18, and 27 months. Birth parent negative affect was assessed at child age 18 months. More anxiety symptoms in adoptive parents at child age 9 months predicted more negative affect in infants 9 months later. More infant negative affect at child age 9 months predicted more anxiety symptoms in adoptive parents 18 months later. Patterns of results did not differ for adoptive mothers and adoptive fathers. Birth parent negative affect was unrelated to infant or adoptive parent measures. Consistent with expectations, associations between infant negative affect and rearing parents' anxiety symptoms appear to be bidirectional. In addition to traditional parent-to-child effects, our results suggest that infants' characteristics may contribute to parent qualities that are known to impact childhood outcomes.
Belief in the American Indian/Alaska Native biological vulnerability myth and drinking to cope: Does stereotype threat play a role?
(2021-01) Gonzalez, Vivian M.; Burroughs, Adrienne; Skewes, Monica C.
Objectives: The effects of stereotype threat and internalized alcohol stereotypes on negative affect and negative affect-related drinking have not been examined in American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs), despite their frequently being subjected to alcohol stereotypes. The current study examined the association of belief in the myth of an AI/AN specific biological vulnerability (BV) with alcohol consequences through its effect on depression and drinking to cope with negative affect. Method: In this cross-sectional study, a moderated mediation model examined the association of belief in a BV with alcohol consequences via sequential mediators of depression and drinking to cope. It was hypothesized that the positive association of belief in a BV with depression would be stronger among individuals who engaged in more frequent heavy episodic drinking. Participants were 109 female (69.9%) and 47 male (30.1%) AI/AN college students (Mage = 27.1 years, range 18 to 61) who reported having at least 1 drink in the past month. Results: Belief in a BV was positively associated with depression symptoms among participants reporting average or high frequency of heavy episodic drinking. Greater depression symptoms predicted greater drinking to cope, which in turn predicted greater alcohol consequences. Conclusion: Belief in the BV myth may act as a type of stereotype threat, contributing to alcohol consequences by increasing negative affect and drinking to cope. These results suggest that for AI/ANs who drink, there are psychological and behavioral health ramifications of believing in the notion of a BV, and a need to debunk this myth.
Belief in the myth of an American Indian/Alaska Native biological vulnerability to alcohol problems among reservation‐dwelling participants with a substance use problem
(Wiley, 2021-11) Gonzalez, Vivian M.; Skewes, Monica C.
Belief in the myth of an American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) specific biological vulnerability (BV) to alcohol problems is associated with worse alcohol outcomes among AIAN college students who drink, despite also being associated with greater attempts to reduce drinking. This study examined the association of belief in a BV with alcohol use among reservation-dwelling AI adults with a substance use problem. Methods: Participants (n=141) who drank alcohol in the past 90 days were selected from a larger AI sample who self-identified as having a substance use problem. Moderated-mediation analyses examined whether belief in a BV was positively associated with alcohol use and substance use consequences, as well as whether self-efficacy and craving mediated the association of belief in a BV with alcohol use. Results: Among participants who reported using alcohol but not hard drugs (e.g., methamphetamine, opioids), greater belief in a BV was associated with greater drinking days, which in turn was associated with greater consequences. Among participants who used alcohol only, belief in a BV was also significantly associated with greater craving, and in turn with greater drinking days. Among those who used both alcohol and hard drugs, greater belief in a BV was associated with fewer drinking days, but was not significantly associated with consequences. No association was found between belief in a BV and self-efficacy to avoid alcohol or drug use. Conclusions: Among those who use only alcohol, belief in a BV may contribute to greater drinking days and consequences through its association with greater craving. This study provides further evidence of the potential harm of internalizing the belief that being AIAN contributes to risk for alcohol problems, a notion that lacks scientific evidence despite decades of research. The findings highlight the importance of combating societal myths regarding AIAN peoples and the internalization of these stereotypes.
Beliefs about causal factors for suicide in rural Alaska Native communities and recommendations for prevention
(SAGE Publications, 2020-11) Skewes, Monica C.; Gameon, Julie A.; Grubin, Fiona; DeCou, Christopher R.; Whitcomb, Lindsey
Rural Indigenous communities in Alaska suffer staggeringly high rates of suicide. In close-knit Alaska Native villages, each suicide leaves a trail of affected family and community members in its wake. This research aimed to understand community perceptions of what causes suicide in rural Alaska Native villages and generate recommendations for prevention strategies. In-depth interviews were conducted with 25 Alaska Native university students who moved from rural villages to an urban area to attend college. All had been profoundly affected by others’ suicides and shared their beliefs about causal factors and recommendations for prevention efforts. Perceived causes included resistance to seeking help or discussing personal problems, loss of culture, traumatic experiences, geographical and social isolation, lack of opportunity, substance abuse, and exposure to others’ suicides. Participants believed that suicide is preventable and recommended multi-level approaches to address suicide disparities. They provided recommendations for potentially effective and culturally appropriate prevention strategies, including increasing cultural and social connections, educating community members about mental health, and increasing accessibility of counseling services/reducing barriers to mental health services utilization.
Childhood socioeconomic status and risk in early family environments: predictors of global sleep quality in college students
(2018-03) Counts, Cory J.; Grubin, Fiona C.; John-Henderson, Neha A.
Objective Low socioeconomic status (SES) in childhood associates with poor sleep quality in adulthood. Separately, childhood family environments shape health into adulthood. Here, we investigated whether these early life factors independently or interactively inform global sleep quality in college students. Design Cross-sectional. Participants College students at a state university (N = 391). Measurements As a measure of childhood SES, we asked participants to consider their familiesâ€™ socioeconomic standing relative to the rest of the society during their childhood. We used the Risky Family questionnaire to measure adversity and the presence of warmth and affection in the family environment during childhood, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index as a measure of current global sleep quality. We used linear regressions adjusting for age and sex to examine relationships between childhood SES, risk in childhood family environments, and global sleep quality. Results Lower childhood SES and greater risk in childhood family environments independently predicted poor sleep quality. Importantly, in low-risk family environments, there was no significant difference in sleep quality as a function of childhood SES. However, students who were from low childhood SES backgrounds who also reported high levels of risk in their early family environments had the worst sleep quality. Conclusions Findings highlight the importance of considering socioeconomic and family environments in childhood as informants of sleep quality across the lifespan. Compromised sleep quality in college students could affect academic performance and health over time.
Childhood Trauma and Cortisol Reactivity: An Investigation of the Role of Task Appraisals
(Frontiers Media SA, 2022-04) Counts, Cory J.; Ginty, Annie T.; Larsen, Jade M.; Kampf, Taylor D.; John-Henderson, Neha A.
Background: Childhood adversity is linked to adverse health in adulthood. One posited mechanistic pathway is through physiological responses to acute stress. Childhood adversity has been previously related to both exaggerated and blunted physiological responses to acute stress, however, less is known about the psychological mechanisms which may contribute to patterns of physiological reactivity linked to childhood adversity. Objective: In the current work, we investigated the role of challenge and threat stress appraisals in explaining relationships between childhood adversity and cortisol reactivity in response to an acute stressor. Methods: Undergraduate students (n = 81; 61% female) completed an online survey that included general demographic information and the Risky Families Questionnaire 24 h before a scheduled lab visit. In the lab, a research assistant collected a baseline salivary cortisol sample. Following the baseline period, participants were read instructions for the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), a validated psychological lab stressor. Next, they completed a challenge vs. threat task appraisal questionnaire and completed the speech and math portion of the TSST. Twenty minutes following the start of the TSST, a second salivary sample was collected to measure changes in salivary cortisol following the TSST. Results: Linear regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, childhood socioeconomic status (SES), and baseline cortisol levels, showed childhood adversity associated with changes in cortisol levels [B = –0.29 t(73) = –2.35, p = 0.02, R2=0.07]. Linear regression analyses controlling for age, sex, and childhood SES showed childhood adversity associated with both challenge [B = –0.52 t(74) = –5.04, p < 0.001, R2=0.24] and threat [B = 0.55 t(74) = 5.40, p < 0.001, R2=0.27] appraisals. Significant indirect effects of childhood trauma on cortisol reactivity were observed through challenge appraisals [B = –0.01 (95% confidence interval = –0.02, –0.003)], and threat appraisals [B = –0.01 (95% confidence interval = –0.01, –0.003)]. Conclusion: Childhood adversity may contribute to blunted cortisol reactivity, a pattern of response which is linked to obesity, addiction, and other behavior-related diseases. Our findings suggest that this relationship is in part a product of stress appraisals.
Conducting Event-Related Potential (ERP) Research With Young Children: A Review of Components, Special Considerations, and Recommendations for Research on Cognition and Emotion
(Hogrefe Publishing Group, 2020-07) Brooker, Rebecca J.; Bates, John E.; Buss, Kristin A.; Canen, Mara J.; Dennis-Tiwary, Tracy A.; Gatzke-Kopp, Lisa M.; Hoyniak, Caroline; Klein, Daniel M.; Kujawa, Autumn; Lahat, Ayelet; Lamm, Connie; Moser, Jason S.; Petersen, Isaac T.; Tang, Alva; Woltering, Steven; Schmidt, Louis A.
Abstract. There has been an unprecedented increase in the number of research studies employing event-related potential (ERP) techniques to examine dynamic and rapidly occurring neural processes with children during the preschool and early childhood years. Despite this, there has been relatively little discussion of the methodological and procedural differences that exist for studies of young children versus older children and adults. That is, reviewers, editors, and consumers of this work often expect developmental studies to simply apply adult techniques and procedures to younger samples. Procedurally, this creates unrealistic expectations for research paradigms, data collection, and data reduction and analyses. Scientifically, this leads to inappropriate measures and methods that hinder drawing conclusions and advancing theory. Based on ERP work with preschoolers and young children from 10 laboratories across North America, we present a summary of the most common ERP components under study in the area of emotion and cognition in young children along with 13 realistic expectations for data collection and loss, laboratory procedures and paradigms, data processing, ERP averaging, and typical challenges for conducting this type of work. This work is intended to supplement previous guidelines for work with adults and offer insights to aid researchers, reviewers, and editors in the design and evaluation of developmental research using ERPs. Here we make recommendations for researchers who plan to conduct or who are conducting ERP studies in children between ages 2 and 12 years, focusing on studies of toddlers and preschoolers. Recommendations are based on both data and our cumulative experience and include guidelines for laboratory setup, equipment and recording settings, task design, and data processing.