Browsing by Author "Traylor, Amy C."

Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Change in Age-Specific, Psychosocial Correlates of Risky Sexual Behaviors Among Youth: Longitudinal Findings From a Deep South, High-Risk Sample
    (Springer, 2014) Ritchwood, Tiarney D.; Howell, Rebecca J.; Traylor, Amy C.; Church, Wesley T., II; Bolland, John M.; University of North Carolina; University of North Carolina Chapel Hill; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
    The current study examined psychosocial predictors of change in intercourse frequency and number of sexual partners among youth within a socio-ecological framework and assessed whether these determinants vary by stage of adolescent development. Longitudinal data were derived from a large, community study of adolescent risky behavior among predominantly high-risk, African American youth. Significant predictors of intercourse frequency for early adolescents included age, gender, self-worth, and familial factors; for older youth, age, gender, self-worth, curfews, and sense of community exerted significant effects. Among early adolescents, age, gender, self-worth, familial factors, and sense of community predicted change in the number of sexual partners in the previous year, while age, gender, self-worth, parental knowledge, curfews, and sense of community were predictive of change in the number of sexual partners in the previous year among older youth. Study implications and future directions are discussed.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Eye spy?: emotion recognition and detection in psychopathy
    (University of Alabama Libraries, 2015) Kastner, Becca; Glenn, Andrea L.; Sellbom, Martin; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
    Psychopathy is a constellation of personality traits including callousness, manipulativeness, social dominance, and antisocial behavior. Psychopathy is associated with deficits in the recognition of emotions in others, which along with poor emotional responsivity may facilitate in the perpetration of criminal or immoral treatment of others. Emotional features detection is the orientation of visual attention to the emotionally salient aspects of an image that convey the emotion expressed. Thus, emotional features detection is necessary to accurately identify the emotions in others and subsequently for social learning abilities. Previous research on emotional features detection related to emotion recognition has focused mainly on children and adolescents with callous unemotional traits. The current study examined emotion recognition errors in two adult samples and features detection in a sample of university students. Participants exhibiting affective-interpersonal traits of psychopathy tended to have more difficulty recognizing fearful emotions in others and spent less time looking at the emotionally salient aspects of facial images than individuals higher on disinhibition. The garnered information will be useful in elaborating upon the fundamental understanding of psychopathic personalities, and it will potentially guide treatment approaches.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    A Feasibility Study of Virtual Reality-Based Coping Skills Training for Nicotine Dependence
    (Sage, 2012) Bordnick, Patrick S.; Traylor, Amy C.; Carter, Brian L.; Graap, Ken M.; University of Houston; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
    Objective: Virtual reality (VR)-based cue reactivity has been successfully used for the assessment of drug craving. Going beyond assessment of cue reactivity, a novel VR-based treatment approach for smoking cessation was developed and tested for feasibility. Method: In a randomized experiment, 10-week treatment feasibility trial, 46 nicotine-dependent adults, completed the 10-week program. Virtual reality skills training (VRST) combined with nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) was compared to NRT alone. Participants were assessed for smoking behavior and coping skills during, at end of treatment, and at posttreatment follow-up. Results: Smoking rates and craving for nicotine were significantly lower for the VRST group compared to NRT-only group at the end of treatment. Self-confidence and coping skills were also significantly higher for the VRST group, and number of cigarettes smoked was significantly lower, compared to the control group at follow-up. Conclusions: Feasibility of VRST was supported in the current study.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Psychosocial barriers to internet use among older adults
    (University of Alabama Libraries, 2014) Maloney, Brian John; Smith, Brenda D.; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
    The perspectives of a small network of non-Internet adopting older adults were explored. A general inductive approach illuminated a complex social system where both psychological and social factors contributed and influenced the barriers to non-use of the Internet. The researcher, using a qualitative design and purposive sampling, interviewed 15 older adults 65-87, who were mainly white, protestant, from a county in the southeastern area of the U.S. The general inductive approach and structural coding were used to analyze the qualitative data to identify themes in the text data that were related to the research objectives. Older adults were asked to elaborate on the main reasons for non-use, delve into the factors contributing to their fears and concerns, and reflect on their social network experiences that either provided support or hindered their interest in Internet adoption. The findings illuminated reticent older adult participants with vacillating levels of interest and reasons for non-adoption that were influenced by co-occurring psychological and social factors. While some support was found regarding the positive influence of social networks, direct and indirect discouragement was primarily found within the social networks of older non-users, which created a barrier to adoption. Serendipitous findings suggested that some participants were in multiple stages of Rogers's Diffusion of Innovations theory suggesting that the ubiquitous nature of Internet-based mobile technology and the ever-changing landscape of technology products hindered decision-making.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    School-based parent involvement: an investigation of comprehensive special education services, satisfaction with services, & race
    (University of Alabama Libraries, 2016) Pincham King, Jessica; Smith, Brenda D.; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
    Parent involvement in special education encompasses parental activities in the school, engagement with school personnel, engagement in school, community, or home based activities, and advocating on behalf of a child with special needs. Parent involvement ensures quality special education services for children as well as promotes educational and skill gains. The current study investigated school-based parental involvement (P.I.) and its association with a child’s receipt of comprehensive special education services, parental satisfaction with special education services, and parental satisfaction with the school. In addition, the study investigated whether a child’s race affects the comprehensiveness of special education services and parents’ perceptions of special education services. Using the Parent and Family Involvement in Education Survey 2007 Panel, linear and multinomial regression models were conducted to investigate relationships. Study results indicated P.I. is associated with the receipt of comprehensive special education services, satisfaction with services, and overall satisfaction with the school. P.I. was higher when a child received more special education services. In addition, as P.I. increased, parents had higher satisfaction with special education services and the school. Minority children in the study received more special education services than non-minority children. On the other hand, satisfaction with special education services varied across races. The study provides insight on special education delivery as well as establishes a preliminary understanding of P.I.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Supporting Mental Health in the Classroom
    (2023) Kerr, Angela M.; McKinney, Robert E. Jr.; Traylor, Amy C.
    Today’s youth are facing a significant increase in mental health disorders, many of which are unable to receive the support and care they need due to various barriers (Ghandour et al., 2019; CDC, 2022. As a result, many have turned to schools to assist in promoting mental health and well-being. However, many teachers report lacking the training to efficiently address and support mental health issues in the classroom (Kratt, 2018). Numerous studies have identified programs that are effective at increasing a teacher’s ability to address mental health in the classroom. However, few studies examine the change in frequency of teachers intervening with students displaying challenging behaviors and/or mental health concerns. The aim of the current study is to examine the change in frequency of teachers addressing mental health in the classroom following a teacher-mental health collaboration training group. Teachers and staff members attended six training sessions, led by a mental health professional, focused on mental health and related topics. Pre and post tests were administered to evaluate the change in helping behaviors. Studies were needed to further assess the frequency in which teachers utilized newly learned skills and information to address mental health concerns in the classroom. While participants provided positive feedback for the group, data analyzed only identified one area, responding to a student in crisis, that met the criteria for a significant change. Small sample sizes and lack of a standardized tool to measure the frequency could serve as limitations for this study. Future research is needed to further explore the impacts of mental health-teacher groups on teachers' knowledge and ability to address mental health in the classroom as well as the impact to students’ well-being.