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Title: Post-traumatic stress disorder: The effect of age and military status on the military population's awareness of community mental health resources.
Creator: Stapp, Susan, Kaplan, Jeffrey, Cornell, Richard, Moskal, Patsy, Brophy-Ellison, James, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This study sought to explore the existence of a relationship between age and/or military affiliation (active, veteran, or family member) and awareness of local community mental health programs available for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. The study separated age from military affiliation to better distinguish between influences on awareness level. Considerations that remain critical regarding post-traumatic stress disorder were described and used to guide a comprehensive...
Show moreThis study sought to explore the existence of a relationship between age and/or military affiliation (active, veteran, or family member) and awareness of local community mental health programs available for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. The study separated age from military affiliation to better distinguish between influences on awareness level. Considerations that remain critical regarding post-traumatic stress disorder were described and used to guide a comprehensive review of the literature to find directions to fulfill the goal of this study. A survey was conducted and 586 active military, veterans, and their family members responded to an instrument that contained 40 items. This study was constrained to three items from the survey; age, military affiliation, self-rated awareness of treatment for PTSD. Multiple analysis techniques found no significant (p (<) .05) correlation between either age and awareness or military affiliation and awareness. Further analysis found a significant (p = .003) correlation between veterans and awareness, as well as between family members of veterans (p = .017) and awareness. Veterans and their family members indicated a greater awareness of local community mental health programs available for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder than did active troops and/or their family members. The significance of this finding presents new opportunities to study and improve both the marketing and the delivery of mental health treatment for PTSD to the active military population. Multiple opportunities for future research are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFE0005266, ucf:50586
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005266

Title: A Randomized Control Trial of Video Modeling for enacting skill change in a group of Master's level trainee clinicians.
Creator: Matsumiya, Brandon, Bowers, Clint, Beidel, Deborah, Neer, Sandra, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The (")research-to-practice(") gap is a problem that the field of medicine faces regarding disseminating findings from research into the field of practice. The traditional methods of disseminating best practices, using workshops and manuals, has been found to be ineffective. Several more active learning strategies, such as the use of behavioral models and behavioral rehearsals have been suggested as possible alternatives that may increase transfer of knowledge after a training. Additionally,...
Show moreThe (")research-to-practice(") gap is a problem that the field of medicine faces regarding disseminating findings from research into the field of practice. The traditional methods of disseminating best practices, using workshops and manuals, has been found to be ineffective. Several more active learning strategies, such as the use of behavioral models and behavioral rehearsals have been suggested as possible alternatives that may increase transfer of knowledge after a training. Additionally, web-based trainings have been suggested as another possible avenue for increasing dissemination of evidence-based practices. This is particularly important for evidence-based treatments such as Exposure Therapy for PTSD which suffers a (")public relations problem(") in the field of mental health.This study examined the utility of using a video model to disseminate the skill of fear hierarchy construction for patients with PTSD. Analyses were conducted using a moderated mediation model looking at how video modeling or script condition moderate the relationship between condition and change in self-efficacy, and if this change mediates the relationship between condition and change in fear hierarchy skill. Self-efficacy and positive attitudes toward exposure therapy were increased, however, there was no connection between treatment condition and change in skill. The study's findings suggest that short online trainings may be effective at reducing negative attitudes toward EBTs, and at increasing self-efficacy for a related skill of fear hierarchy construction.
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Date Issued: 2019
Identifier: CFE0007679, ucf:52490
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007679

Title: Odorants, memory, and presence in warfighters: Do the scents of war matter?.
Creator: Munyan, Benson, Neer, Sandra, Beidel, Deborah, Jentsch, Florian, Joseph, Dana, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Background: Exposure therapy (EXP) is a first-line intervention for combat-related PTSD. EXP works by repeatedly exposing the patient to the feared stimuli, situation, or physical sensations in the absence of actual danger until the stimuli no longer evoke maladaptive responses. Over the past decade, multiple technologies have been introduced to augment the EXP process by presenting multi-sensory cues (e.g., sights, smells, sounds) to increase patients' sense of presence. Exploratory research...
Show moreBackground: Exposure therapy (EXP) is a first-line intervention for combat-related PTSD. EXP works by repeatedly exposing the patient to the feared stimuli, situation, or physical sensations in the absence of actual danger until the stimuli no longer evoke maladaptive responses. Over the past decade, multiple technologies have been introduced to augment the EXP process by presenting multi-sensory cues (e.g., sights, smells, sounds) to increase patients' sense of presence. Exploratory research has only broadly examined the effect of odorants on the patient's sense of presence during simulated exposure tasks. This study hypothesized that those with autobiographical memories similar to the virtual environment (VE) and those who received odorants would report experiencing more presence than experimental controls. Methods: 61 veterans and civilian subjects were randomized and asked to participate in a virtual environment simulating a routine OIF/OEF/OND convoy. The effects of odorants and autobiographical memory on presence were assessed via electrodermal activity, respiration, heart rate variability, and self-report measures. Results: Odorants did not significantly influence presence. A relationship between military experience and presence, HRV, and realism was observed. Conclusion: Odorants did not have a statistically significant effect on presence while engaged in a simulated exposure task, which was inconsistent with previous research. The rationale for these findings and recommendations for future research are made.
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0007060, ucf:51999
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007060

Title: Habituation Trajectory During Exposure Therapy: Comparing Trauma Frequency and Trauma Type.
Creator: Marks, Madeline, Bowers, Clint, Beidel, Deborah, Newins, Amie, Jasinski, Jana, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The current DSM-5 criteria for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) affords heterogeneous symptom presentations; however, current treatment fails to consider differences in trauma frequency and trauma type. These different symptom profiles that exist within the PTSD framework lead to questions about the generalizability of treatment outcomes from one group to another group. One group of interest is those that experience multiple traumatic events and report multiple index traumas (trauma...
Show moreThe current DSM-5 criteria for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) affords heterogeneous symptom presentations; however, current treatment fails to consider differences in trauma frequency and trauma type. These different symptom profiles that exist within the PTSD framework lead to questions about the generalizability of treatment outcomes from one group to another group. One group of interest is those that experience multiple traumatic events and report multiple index traumas (trauma frequency). The second group of interest is those with a PTSD diagnosis from occupational exposure to traumatic events (trauma type). Appreciation of the reinforcement schedule may be particularly crucial for understanding treatment response. The current study aims to investigate habituation responses during exposure therapy to inform treatment modifications and decisions. Exposure therapy process variables, session variables, and PTSD severity were examined for a sample of 128 participants that sought treatment for combat-related PTSD or occupation-related PTSD, some of whom endorsed multiple index traumas, and some of whom endorsed a single index trauma. Results revealed no significant differences based on trauma frequency or trauma type for within-session and between-session habituation. This suggests that the effectiveness of a flooding approach to extinguish avoidance behavior may overcome the impact of reinforcement schedule on fear habituation. The results of the present study contribute to the growing body of literature that suggests the exclusion of patients based on the pre-treatment characteristics of trauma frequency and trauma type is unfounded.
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Date Issued: 2019
Identifier: CFE0007676, ucf:52458
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007676

Title: How Much is Enough? Trauma Recall and the Exposure Therapy Process.
Creator: Morrison, Krystal, Beidel, Deborah, Bowers, Clint, Bohil, Corey, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Prevailing theoretical models of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as exposure therapy (EXP) methodology suggest that recall of a trauma is crucial to altering the conditioned fear response associated with PTSD (Benito (&) Walther, 2015; Craske et al., 2008; Foa (&) Kozak, 1986). However, it is unclear whether limited recall of the event impacts the EXP process and treatment outcomes. This study examined whether incomplete trauma recall affected pre-treatment PTSD severity, Initial...
Show morePrevailing theoretical models of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as exposure therapy (EXP) methodology suggest that recall of a trauma is crucial to altering the conditioned fear response associated with PTSD (Benito (&) Walther, 2015; Craske et al., 2008; Foa (&) Kozak, 1986). However, it is unclear whether limited recall of the event impacts the EXP process and treatment outcomes. This study examined whether incomplete trauma recall affected pre-treatment PTSD severity, Initial Fear Activation (IFA), Overall Fear Activation (OFA), Within-Session Habituation (WSH), Between-Session Habituation (BSH; overall extinction), average length of EXP sessions, number of EXP sessions, and post-treatment PTSD severity, in 166 veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation New Dawn, who completed EXP treatment. Contrary to predicted outcomes, the extent of recall did not attenuate veterans' participation in EXP as measured by IFA, OFA, WSH and BSH. Furthermore, less recall did not result in more severe pre-treatment PTSD, longer EXP sessions, more EXP sessions, or attenuated treatment response, as measured by the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-IV (CAPS; Weathers, Ruscio, (&) Keane, 1999) and PTSD Checklist Military Version (PCL-M; Weathers, Huska, (&) Keane, 1991) at pre- and post-treatment. This suggests that veterans who are unable to recall aspects of their traumatic experience can engage successfully and benefit equally from EXP akin to veterans who experience less difficulty recalling trauma details. This research is the first to examine trauma recall in the context of the EXP process and contributes to the current body of literature that aims to address the question: For whom do treatments work?
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0007347, ucf:52116
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007347

Title: The Effect of Traumatic Brain Injury on Exposure Therapy in Veterans with Combat-related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.
Creator: Ragsdale, Kathleen, Beidel, Deborah, Neer, Sandra, Bowers, Clint, Ni, Liqiang, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation New Dawn are presenting for treatment with high rates of combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI), spurring a need for clinical research on optimal treatment strategies. While exposure therapy has long been supported as an efficacious treatment for combat-related PTSD, some clinicians are hesitant to utilize this treatment for veterans with TBI history due to presumed...
Show moreVeterans of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation New Dawn are presenting for treatment with high rates of combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI), spurring a need for clinical research on optimal treatment strategies. While exposure therapy has long been supported as an efficacious treatment for combat-related PTSD, some clinicians are hesitant to utilize this treatment for veterans with TBI history due to presumed cognitive deficits that may preclude successful engagement. The purpose of this study was to compare exposure therapy process variables in veterans with PTSD only and veterans with PTSD+TBI. Results suggest that individuals with PTSD+TBI engage successfully in exposure therapy, and do so no differently than individuals with PTSD only. Additional analyses indicated that regardless of TBI status, more severe PTSD was related to longer sessions, more sessions, and slower extinction rate during imaginal exposure. Finally, in a subset of participants, self-report of executive dysfunction did not impact exposure therapy process variables. Overall, findings indicate that exposure therapy should be the first-line treatment for combat-related PTSD regardless of presence of TBI history.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFE0005868, ucf:50894
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005868

Title: Role of Sleep in Exposure Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in OIF/OEF Combat Veterans.
Creator: Mesa, Franklin, Beidel, Deborah, Neer, Sandra, Bowers, Clint, Ni, Liqiang, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Exposure therapy is theorized to reduce posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology by promoting habituation/extinction of fear responses to trauma-related cues. Empirical evidence indicates that emotional memory, including habituation/extinction learning, is enhanced by sleep. However, service members with combat-related PTSD often report disturbed sleep. In this study, quality of sleep and indicators of extinction learning were examined in veterans of recent wars who had completed...
Show moreExposure therapy is theorized to reduce posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology by promoting habituation/extinction of fear responses to trauma-related cues. Empirical evidence indicates that emotional memory, including habituation/extinction learning, is enhanced by sleep. However, service members with combat-related PTSD often report disturbed sleep. In this study, quality of sleep and indicators of extinction learning were examined in veterans of recent wars who had completed an exposure-based PTSD intervention. Fifty-five participants were categorized into two groups based on self-reported quality of sleep: low sleep disruption severity (LSDS; N = 29) and high sleep disruption severity (HSDS; N = 26). Participants in the LSDS group exhibited faster habituation to their traumatic memories and reported less PTSD symptomatology during and following treatment relative to participants in the HSDS group. These findings indicate that individuals with combat-related PTSD reporting less disturbed sleep experience greater extinction learning during exposure therapy. Thus, incorporating interventions that target PTSD-related sleep disturbances may be one way to maximize exposure therapy outcomes in service members with PTSD.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006355, ucf:51520
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006355

Title: Using Exposure Therapy to Treat People Who Stutter: A Multiple Baseline Design.
Creator: Scheurich, Jennifer, Beidel, Deborah, Neer, Sandra, Vanryckeghem, Martine, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a debilitating condition, and it is estimated that approximately half of adults who stutter have SAD. Thus, there is a need for the assessment and treatment of SAD in this population. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has shown promise in decreasing anxiety symptoms among adults who stutter and have SAD, but exposure, the key ingredient for successful CBT for SAD, has been understudied and underemphasized. The aims of this study were to develop an exposure...
Show moreSocial anxiety disorder (SAD) is a debilitating condition, and it is estimated that approximately half of adults who stutter have SAD. Thus, there is a need for the assessment and treatment of SAD in this population. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has shown promise in decreasing anxiety symptoms among adults who stutter and have SAD, but exposure, the key ingredient for successful CBT for SAD, has been understudied and underemphasized. The aims of this study were to develop an exposure therapy protocol specifically for people who stutter and have SAD and to evaluate its efficacy for reducing anxiety and stuttering severity. Utilizing a multiple baseline design, six participants were randomized to receive zero, two, or four sessions of progressive muscle relaxation therapy. This served to establish the staggered start and to account for the common factors of therapy. All participants received ten sessions of exposure therapy. Participants recorded daily social anxiety levels, and anxiety and stuttering severity were assessed at major assessment points. All participants demonstrated substantial reductions in social anxiety and substantial improvements in the affective, behavioral, and cognitive experiences of stuttering following exposure therapy. No reliable change was observed for stuttering frequency. Results suggest that exposure therapy may be useful for people who stutter and have SAD, but will not necessarily influence their speech fluency. These findings underscore the importance of the assessment and treatment of SAD among adults who stutter and suggest that the integration of care between psychologists and speech-language pathologists may prove beneficial for this population.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFE0006914, ucf:51702
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006914

Title: Combat Related Guilt and the Mechanisms of Intensive Exposure Therapy.
Creator: Trachik, Benjamin, Bowers, Clint, Beidel, Deborah, Jentsch, Florian, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is highly prevalent in military populations, and is associated with significant medical costs. Due to these high costs and corresponding health infrastructure required to meet the needs of military service personnel, it is essential that the most effective and efficient treatments be implemented. Exposure therapy (EXP) is one of the most widely used and empirically supported treatments for PTSD; however, some researchers have questioned its efficacy with...
Show morePosttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is highly prevalent in military populations, and is associated with significant medical costs. Due to these high costs and corresponding health infrastructure required to meet the needs of military service personnel, it is essential that the most effective and efficient treatments be implemented. Exposure therapy (EXP) is one of the most widely used and empirically supported treatments for PTSD; however, some researchers have questioned its efficacy with specific populations and in targeting specific symptoms. One such symptom, guilt, has garnered increased attention in the PTSD treatment literature, as it is associated with worse symptomatology and outcomes. The current study examined cognitive changes in guilt in response to Intensive (3-week) and standard (17-week) Trauma Management Therapy (TMT) and the impact of these cognitions on the mechanisms underlying TMT treatment. Sample size for these analyses varied by the measure being considered. 102 individuals completed the PCL-M, 42 individuals completed the TRGI, and 39 individuals completed the CAPS supplemental guilt items. Results suggest that a secondary benefit in guilt symptoms is achieved by targeting anxious-related distress with exposure therapy. Furthermore, in this sample guilt did not seem to inhibit the mechanisms or effectiveness of exposure therapy.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006510, ucf:51365
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006510

Title: Perceptual Judgment: The Impact of Image Complexity and Training Method on Category Learning.
Creator: Curtis, Michael, Jentsch, Florian, Salas, Eduardo, Szalma, James, Boloni, Ladislau, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The goal of this dissertation was to bridge the gap between perceptual learning theory and training application. Visual perceptual skill has been a vexing topic in training science for decades. In complex task domains, from aviation to medicine, visual perception is critical to task success. Despite this, little, if any, emphasis is dedicated to developing perceptual skills through training. Much of this may be attributed to the perceived inefficiency of perceptual training. Recent applied...
Show moreThe goal of this dissertation was to bridge the gap between perceptual learning theory and training application. Visual perceptual skill has been a vexing topic in training science for decades. In complex task domains, from aviation to medicine, visual perception is critical to task success. Despite this, little, if any, emphasis is dedicated to developing perceptual skills through training. Much of this may be attributed to the perceived inefficiency of perceptual training. Recent applied research in perceptual training with discrimination training, however, holds promise for improved perceptual training efficiency. As with all applied research, it is important to root application in solid theoretical bases. In perceptual learning, the challenge is connecting the basic science to more complex task environments. Using a common aviation task as an applied context, participants were assigned to a perceptual training condition based on variation of image complexity and training type. Following the training, participants were tested for transfer of skill. This was intended to help to ground a potentially useful method of perceptual training in a model category learning, while offering qualitative testing of model fit in increasingly complex visual environments. Two hundred and thirty-one participants completed the computer based training module. Results indicate that predictions of a model of category learning largely extend into more complex training stimuli, suggesting utility of the model in more applied contexts. Although both training method conditions showed improvement across training blocks, the discrimination training condition did not transfer to the post training transfer tasks. Lack of adequate contextual information related to the transfer task in training was attributed to this outcome. Further analysis of the exposure training condition showed that individuals training with simple stimuli performed as well as individuals training on more complex stimuli in a complex transfer task. On the other hand, individuals in the more complex training conditions were less accurate when presented with a simpler representation of the task in transfer. This suggests training benefit to isolating essential task cues from irrelevant information in perceptual judgment tasks. In all, the study provided an informative look at both the theory and application associated with perceptual category learning. Ultimately, this research can help inform future research and training development in domains where perceptual judgment is critical for success.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0004096, ucf:49139
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004096

Title: Optimizing Strategies for In Vivo Exposure in the Traditional Clinical Setting.
Creator: Owens, Maryann, Beidel, Deborah, Cassisi, Jeffrey, Bowers, Clint, Neer, Sandra, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This study examined the ability of a pre-recorded videoconferencing (VC) audience to elicit the physiological and subjective arousal associated with Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) when giving a formal presentation. This study had three objectives: (a) to determine whether speaking to the VC audience elicited significant increases in physiological response (e.g., heart rate and electrodermal activity) and subjective distress over baseline resting conditions (b) to determine whether the VC task...
Show moreThis study examined the ability of a pre-recorded videoconferencing (VC) audience to elicit the physiological and subjective arousal associated with Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) when giving a formal presentation. This study had three objectives: (a) to determine whether speaking to the VC audience elicited significant increases in physiological response (e.g., heart rate and electrodermal activity) and subjective distress over baseline resting conditions (b) to determine whether the VC task more closely replicates the physiological and subjective experience of giving a speech to a comparable real-life audience than levels elicited by a Virtual Reality (VR) environment and (c) to determine whether the VC task elicited higher levels of presence and fear of negative evaluation than the VR task, more closely replicating levels elicited by an in vivo speech. All participants gave an impromptu speech under three conditions: in vivo, VC, and VR audience while measures of physiological arousal, self-reported distress, and presence were obtained. Results demonstrated that the VC task elicited significantly greater increases in heart rate, electrodermal activity, and self-reported distress than the VR task and VC responses were not significantly different from in vivo. In addition, participants reported levels of immersion and fear of negative evaluation during the VC task that were significantly greater than during the VR task, and did not differ significantly from in vivo. Clinical implications of these findings including cost effectiveness and the role of VC in the treatment of SAD are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006367, ucf:51513
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006367

Title: Health Behaviors in Military Veterans with and without Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.
Creator: Kitsmiller, Emily, Neer, Sandra, Beidel, Deborah, Bowers, Clint, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: A link between posttraumatic stress disorder and health behaviors, such as exercise, alcohol, smoking, and caffeine has been suggested. However, it is unknown whether veterans with combat-related PTSD differ from combat veterans without PTSD and whether health behaviors change over the course of exposure therapy for PTSD or differ based on PTSD severity. This study examined the relationship between health behaviors and PTSD. More specifically, combat veterans with and without PTSD were...
Show moreA link between posttraumatic stress disorder and health behaviors, such as exercise, alcohol, smoking, and caffeine has been suggested. However, it is unknown whether veterans with combat-related PTSD differ from combat veterans without PTSD and whether health behaviors change over the course of exposure therapy for PTSD or differ based on PTSD severity. This study examined the relationship between health behaviors and PTSD. More specifically, combat veterans with and without PTSD were compared across self-reported levels of alcohol use, smoking, exercise, and caffeine. Health behaviors of combat veterans with PTSD were compared before and after a 17-week treatment for PTSD. Results showed a significant number of participants decreased alcohol use at post-treatment by an average of eight drinks over 30 days, regardless of their PTSD severity level or amount of improvement in PTSD symptoms. No significant differences were found for other health behaviors.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFE0006891, ucf:51711
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006891

Title: Treatment Matching in PTSD: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis Based On Therapeutic Mechanisms of Action.
Creator: Trachik, Benjamin, Bowers, Clint, Beidel, Deborah, Jentsch, Florian, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The current study takes an initial step toward deriving a method for empirically based, theory-driven treatment matching in a military population suffering from PTSD. Along with the more overt symptoms of PTSD (e.g., persistent hyperarousal), secondary cognitive symptoms have also been shown to be significantly associated with avoidance and intrusive symptoms, as well as contribute to functional impairment. Based on the factor analytic and treatment literature for PTSD, it appears that there...
Show moreThe current study takes an initial step toward deriving a method for empirically based, theory-driven treatment matching in a military population suffering from PTSD. Along with the more overt symptoms of PTSD (e.g., persistent hyperarousal), secondary cognitive symptoms have also been shown to be significantly associated with avoidance and intrusive symptoms, as well as contribute to functional impairment. Based on the factor analytic and treatment literature for PTSD, it appears that there are two central mechanisms associated with beneficial therapeutic change that underlies both CPT and PE treatments (i.e., habituation, changes in cognitions). Additionally, different traumatic events and peritraumatic responses may be associated with unique symptom profiles and may necessitate targeted treatment. The present study proposes a novel approach to treatment matching based on the factor structure of PTSD and underlying mechanisms of treatment response. More broadly, this paper provides evidence for a broader understanding of peritraumatic responses and the potential implications of these responses for symptom profiles and illness trajectories.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFE0005727, ucf:50126
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005727

Title: AN HEDONOMIC EVALUATION OF PLEASURABLE HUMAN-TECHNOLOGY EXPERIENCE: THE EFFECT OF EXPOSURE AND AESTHETICS ON THE EXPERIENCE OF FLOW.
Creator: Murphy, Lauren, Hancock, Peter, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: A framework was developed called the Extended Hedonomic Hierarchy (EHH) that provides a basis for evaluating pleasurable human-system experience. Results from a number of experiments within this framework that evaluated specific dimensions of the framework are reported. The 'Exposure' component of the EHH framework and hedonics of the system were investigated to see how changes would affect other dimensions, such as the occurrence of flow, the mode of interaction, and the needs of the user....
Show moreA framework was developed called the Extended Hedonomic Hierarchy (EHH) that provides a basis for evaluating pleasurable human-system experience. Results from a number of experiments within this framework that evaluated specific dimensions of the framework are reported. The 'Exposure' component of the EHH framework and hedonics of the system were investigated to see how changes would affect other dimensions, such as the occurrence of flow, the mode of interaction, and the needs of the user. Simulations and video games were used to investigate how repeated exposure affects flow, interaction mode, and the user needs. The Kansei Engineering method was used to measure user needs and investigate the effect of different hedonic properties of the system on user needs and flow. Findings reveal that: (a) pleasurable human-system experience increases linearly with repeated exposure to the technology of interest; (b) an habituation effect of flow mediated by day; (c) motivation to satisfy human need for technology is hierarchically structured and contributes to pleasurable human-system experience; (d) interactivity is hierarchically structured and seamless mode of interaction is a behavioral outcome of pleasurable human-system experience; (e) there are individual differences among users that affect the likelihood of experiencing pleasurable human-system interaction; (f) performance is positively correlated to flow and (g) the method of kansei engineering provides data from which informed decisions about design can be made and empirical research can be conducted. Suggestions for (a) making Hedonomics a reality in industry, the workplace, and in the field of Human Factors, (b) future research directions for Hedonomics, and (c) principles and guidelines for the practice of Hedonomics are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2005
Identifier: CFE0000875, ucf:46650
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000875

Title: Accommodating Exogenous Variable and Decision Rule Heterogeneity in Discrete Choice Models: Application to Bicyclist Route Choice.
Creator: Dey, Bibhas, Eluru, Naveen, Abdel-Aty, Mohamed, Anowar, Sabreena, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The thesis contributes to our understanding of incorporating heterogeneity in discrete choice models with respect to exogenous variables and decision rules. Specifically, we evaluate latent segmentation based mixed models that allow for segmenting population based on decision rules while also incorporating unobserved heterogeneity within the segment level decision rule models. In our analysis, we choose to consider the random utility framework along with random regret minimization approach....
Show moreThe thesis contributes to our understanding of incorporating heterogeneity in discrete choice models with respect to exogenous variables and decision rules. Specifically, we evaluate latent segmentation based mixed models that allow for segmenting population based on decision rules while also incorporating unobserved heterogeneity within the segment level decision rule models. In our analysis, we choose to consider the random utility framework along with random regret minimization approach. Further, instead of assuming the number of segments (as 2), we conduct an exhaustive exploration with multiple segments across the two decision rules. Within each segment we also allow for unobserved heterogeneity. The model estimation is conducted using a stated preference data from 695 commuter cyclists compiled through a web-based survey. The probabilistic allocation of respondents to different segments indicates that female commuter cyclists are more utility oriented, however the majority of the commuter cyclist's choice pattern is consistent with regret minimization mechanism. Overall, cyclists' route choice decisions are influenced by roadway attributes, cycling infrastructure availability, pollution exposure, and travel time. The analysis approach also allows us to investigate time based trade-offs across cyclists of different classes. Interestingly, we observed that the trade-off values in regret and utility based segments for roadway attributes are similar in magnitude; but the values differ greatly for cycling infrastructure and exposure attributes, particularly for maximum exposure levels.
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0007398, ucf:52059
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007398

Title: EVOLUTION OF MICROSTRUCTURE AND RESIDUAL STRESS IN DISC-SHAPE EB-PVD THERMAL BARRIER COATINGS AND TEMPERATURE PROFILE OF HIGH PRESSURE TURBINE BLADE.
Creator: Mukherjee, Sriparna, Sohn, Yongho, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: A detailed understanding of failure mechanisms in thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) can help develop reliable and durable TBCs for advanced gas turbine engines. One of the characteristics of failure in electron beam physical vapor deposited (EB-PVD) TBCs is the development of instability, named rumpling, at the interface between (Ni, Pt)Al bond coat and thermally grown oxide (TGO). In this study, thermal cycling at 1100[degrees]C with 1 hr dwell time was carried out on 25.4mm disc specimens of...
Show moreA detailed understanding of failure mechanisms in thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) can help develop reliable and durable TBCs for advanced gas turbine engines. One of the characteristics of failure in electron beam physical vapor deposited (EB-PVD) TBCs is the development of instability, named rumpling, at the interface between (Ni, Pt)Al bond coat and thermally grown oxide (TGO). In this study, thermal cycling at 1100[degrees]C with 1 hr dwell time was carried out on 25.4mm disc specimens of TBCs that consisted of EB-PVD coated ZrO2-7wt.%Y2O3, (Pt,Ni)Al bond coat, and CMSX-4 Ni-based superalloy. At specific fraction of lifetime,TBCs were examined by electron microscopy and photostimulated luminescence (PL). Changes in the average compressive residual stress of the TGO determined by PL and the magnitude of rumpling, determined by tortuosity from quantitative microstructural analyses, were examined with respect to the furnace thermal cyclic lifetime and microstructural evolution of TBCs. The combination of elastic strain energy within the TGO and interfacial energy at the interface between the TGO and the bond coat was defined as the TGO energy, and its variation with cyclic oxidation time was found to remain approximately constant ~135J/m2 during thermal cycling from 10% to 80% thermal cyclic lifetime. Parametric study at ~135J/m2 was performed and variation in residual stress with rumpling for different oxide scale thicknesses was examined. This study showed that the contribution of rumpling in residual stress relaxation decreased with an increase in TGO thickness. High pressure turbine blades serviced for 2843 hours and in the as coated form were also examined using electron microscopy and photostimulated luminescence. The difference in residual stress values obtained using PL on the suction and pressure sides of as-coated turbine blade were discussed. The presence of a thick layer of deposit on the serviced blade gave signals from stress free alpha-Al2O3 in the deposit, not from the TGO. The TGO growth constant data from the disc-shape TBCs, thermally cycled at 1100[degrees]C, and studies by other authors at different temperatures but on similar EB-PVD coated TBCs with (Pt, Ni)Al bond coat and CMSX-4 Ni- based superalloy were used to determine the temperature profile at the YSZ/bond coat interface. The interfacial temperature profiles of the serviced blade and the YSZ thickness profile were compared to document the variable temperature exposure at the leading edge, trailing edge, suction and the pressure side.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0003927, ucf:48700
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003927

Title: Pedestrian Safety Analysis through Effective Exposure Measures and Examination of Injury Severity.
Creator: Shah, Md Imran, Abdel-Aty, Mohamed, Eluru, Naveen, Lee, JaeYoung, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Pedestrians are considered the most vulnerable road users who are directly exposed to traffic crashes. In 2014, there were 4,884 pedestrians killed and 65,000 injured in the United States. Pedestrian safety is a growing concern in the development of sustainable transportation system. But often it is found that safety analysis suffers from lack of accurate pedestrian trip information. In such cases, determining effective exposure measures is the most appropriate safety analysis approach. Also...
Show morePedestrians are considered the most vulnerable road users who are directly exposed to traffic crashes. In 2014, there were 4,884 pedestrians killed and 65,000 injured in the United States. Pedestrian safety is a growing concern in the development of sustainable transportation system. But often it is found that safety analysis suffers from lack of accurate pedestrian trip information. In such cases, determining effective exposure measures is the most appropriate safety analysis approach. Also it is very important to clearly understand the relationship between pedestrian injury severity and the factors contributing to higher injury severity. Accurate safety analysis can play a vital role in the development of appropriate safety countermeasures and policies for pedestrians.Since pedestrian volume data is the most important information in safety analysis but rarely available, the first part of the study aims at identifying surrogate measures for pedestrian exposure at intersections. A two-step process is implemented: the first step is the development of Tobit and Generalized Linear Models for predicting pedestrian trips (i.e., exposure models). In the second step, Negative Binomial and Zero Inflated Negative Binomial crash models were developed using the predicted pedestrian trips. The results indicate that among various exposure models the Tobit model performs the best in describing pedestrian exposure. The identified exposure relevant factors are the presence of schools, car-ownership, pavement condition, sidewalk width, bus ridership, intersection control type and presence of sidewalk barrier. The t-test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test results show that there is no significant difference between the observed and the predicted pedestrian trips. The process implemented can help in estimating reliable safety performance functions even when pedestrian trip data is unavailable.The second part of the study focuses on analyzing pedestrian injury severity for the nine counties in Central Florida. The study region covers the Orlando area which has the second-worst pedestrian death rate in the country. Since the dependent variable 'Injury' is ordinal, an 'Ordered Logit' model was developed to identify the factors of pedestrian injury severity. The explanatory variables can be classified as pedestrian/driver characteristics (e.g., age, gender, etc.), roadway traffic and geometric conditions (e.g.: shoulder presence, roadway speed etc.) and crash environment (e.g., light, road surface, work zone, etc.) characteristics. The results show that drug/alcohol involvement, pedestrians in a hurry, roadway speed limit 40 mph or more, dark condition (lighted and unlighted) and presence of elder pedestrians are the primary contributing factors of severe pedestrian crashes in Central Florida. Crashes within the presence of intersections and local roads result in lower injury severity. The area under the ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristic) curve has a value of 0.75 that indicates the model performs reasonably well. Finally the study validated the model using k-fold cross validation method. The results could be useful for transportation officials for further pedestrian safety analysis and taking the appropriate safety interventions.Walking is cost-effective, environmentally friendly and possesses significant health benefits. In order to get these benefits from walking, the most important task is to ensure safer roads for pedestrians.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFE0006656, ucf:51224
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006656

Title: CRISIS, SHELL-SHOCK, AND THE TEMPORALITY OF TRAUMA: CULTURAL MEMORY AND THE GREAT WAR COMBATANT EXPERIENCE IN OWEN, GRAVES, AND BARKER.
Creator: Kelly, Dylan, Grajeda, Anthony, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The year 2014 will mark the centennial of the outbreak of World War I in August 1914. This historic anniversary will likely provoke several discussions from all fields in the humanities concerning the Great War's significance on contemporary culture through history, visual art, and in the case of this essay: literature. In light of this event, any serious discussion among scholars should undeniably begin with how the war continues to be represented today through a thorough, contemporary...
Show moreThe year 2014 will mark the centennial of the outbreak of World War I in August 1914. This historic anniversary will likely provoke several discussions from all fields in the humanities concerning the Great War's significance on contemporary culture through history, visual art, and in the case of this essay: literature. In light of this event, any serious discussion among scholars should undeniably begin with how the war continues to be represented today through a thorough, contemporary analysis of its many key literary texts. This thesis will examine, in this regard, how past and contemporary discourses in literary theory—primarily concerned with how an individual combatant subject attempts to construct and understand their own traumatic experiences through poetic and literary discourse—can continue to incite discussion on why literature of the Great War and its influential role in defining how it has come to be understood in our cultural memory remains relevant even today. Under the guiding influence of Paul Fussell's classic The Great War and Modern Memory, I will discuss how three important works—a poetry collection, a memoir, and a modern work of historical fiction—all contribute to how the war has become represented as a tragic rupture in history that reversed the idea of human progress and left an entire generation disillusioned in its aftermath, regardless of the historical veracity of this legacy. The texts I will be examining include: select poems of Wilfred Owen, Goodbye to All That by Robert Graves, and Regeneration by Pat Barker. In addition to this, I will conclude with an analysis of how a contemporary reading of these texts can contribute to a larger discussion of the crisis of historicity in our current post-modern cultural landscape.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFH0004557, ucf:45210
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004557

Title: ADDRESSING NEED FOR RESEARCH-FOCUSED NURSES BY INCREASING INTEREST AND SOCIALIZATION AT THE UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL.
Creator: Thomas, Sarah, Norris, Anne, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The U.S. shortage of qualified nursing teachers and researchers is affecting national health care outcomes. Methods such as fast-tracking Baccalaureate nurses into graduate programs and embedding leadership development early into nursing curricula have been proposed to address faculty and research shortages. Early interest in nursing research careers increases likelihood of enrollment in graduate education. One way undergraduate nursing students may develop an interest in research careers is...
Show moreThe U.S. shortage of qualified nursing teachers and researchers is affecting national health care outcomes. Methods such as fast-tracking Baccalaureate nurses into graduate programs and embedding leadership development early into nursing curricula have been proposed to address faculty and research shortages. Early interest in nursing research careers increases likelihood of enrollment in graduate education. One way undergraduate nursing students may develop an interest in research careers is through a mentored apprenticeship with research-active faculty. In this thesis, the author uses an autoethnography methodology to examine the benefits that a mentored research apprenticeship model brought to her undergraduate experience. Her experience incorporated a variety of roles in an adolescent intervention program with Dr. Anne Norris (PI) at the University of Central Florida College of Nursing. Several themes about the experience were defined in the results. Early research exposure that socializes a student to the nursing research world may provide a means for addressing the nursing faculty shortage. This socialization can generate interest in a research career and promote undergraduate students with the essential tools and insights needed to pursue this career pathway. However, findings from this study suggest a student-mentor relationship early in the undergraduate education experience is essential.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFH0004594, ucf:45232
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004594

Title: Does Virtual Reality Elicit Physiological Arousal in Social Anxiety Disorder.
Creator: Owens, Maryann, Beidel, Deborah, Cassisi, Jeffrey, Bowers, Clint, Neer, Sandra, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The present study examined the ability of a Virtual Reality (VR) public speaking task to elicit physiological arousal in adults with SAD (n=25) and Controls (n=25). A behavioral assessment paradigm was employed to address three study objectives: (a) to determine whether the VR task can elicit significant increases in physiological response over baseline resting conditions (b) to determine if individuals with SAD have a greater increase from baseline levels of physiological and self-reported...
Show moreThe present study examined the ability of a Virtual Reality (VR) public speaking task to elicit physiological arousal in adults with SAD (n=25) and Controls (n=25). A behavioral assessment paradigm was employed to address three study objectives: (a) to determine whether the VR task can elicit significant increases in physiological response over baseline resting conditions (b) to determine if individuals with SAD have a greater increase from baseline levels of physiological and self-reported arousal during the in vivo speech task as opposed to the VR speech task and (c) to determine whether individuals with SAD experience greater changes in physiological and self-reported arousal during each speech task compared to controls. Results demonstrated that the VR task was able to elicit significant increases in heart rate, skin conductance, and respiratory sinus arrhythmia, but did not elicit as much physiological or self-reported arousal as the in vivo speech task. In addition, no differences were found between groups. Clinical implications of these findings are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFE0004906, ucf:49624
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004906

exposure therapy (7)	+ -
PTSD (5)	+ -
Exposure Therapy (4)	+ -
Physiological Arousal (3)	+ -
habituation (3)	+ -

Mechanisms of Action (2)	+ -
Public Speaking (2)	+ -
Social Anxiety Disorder (2)	+ -
Trauma (2)	+ -
Virtual Reality (2)	+ -
exposure (2)	+ -
military (2)	+ -
posttraumatic stress disorder (2)	+ -
(Pt (1)	+ -
Affective Design (1)	+ -
Anxiety (1)	+ -
Anxious (1)	+ -
BSN (1)	+ -
Cognitive Processing Therapy (1)	+ -
Combat (1)	+ -
Commuter cyclist (1)	+ -
Confirmatory Factor Analysis (1)	+ -
Cultural Memory (1)	+ -
Dulce et Decorum Est (1)	+ -
EB-PVD TBCs (1)	+ -
Emotional Engineering (1)	+ -
Exposure (1)	+ -
Exposure temperature (1)	+ -
Flow (1)	+ -
Goodbye to All That (1)	+ -

ETD Collection (18)	+ -
Honors Collection (2)	+ -

University of Central Florida (20)	+ -
Beidel, Deborah (12)	+ -
Bowers, Clint (10)	+ -
Neer, Sandra (8)	+ -
Jentsch, Florian (4)	+ -

Abdel-Aty, Mohamed (2)	+ -
Cassisi, Jeffrey (2)	+ -
Eluru, Naveen (2)	+ -
Ni, Liqiang (2)	+ -
Owens, Maryann (2)	+ -
Trachik, Benjamin (2)	+ -
Anowar, Sabreena (1)	+ -
Bohil, Corey (1)	+ -
Boloni, Ladislau (1)	+ -
Brophy-Ellison, James (1)	+ -
Cornell, Richard (1)	+ -
Curtis, Michael (1)	+ -
Dey, Bibhas (1)	+ -
Grajeda, Anthony (1)	+ -
Hancock, Peter (1)	+ -
Jasinski, Jana (1)	+ -
Joseph, Dana (1)	+ -
Kaplan, Jeffrey (1)	+ -
Kelly, Dylan (1)	+ -
Kitsmiller, Emily (1)	+ -
Lee, JaeYoung (1)	+ -
Marks, Madeline (1)	+ -
Matsumiya, Brandon (1)	+ -
Mesa, Franklin (1)	+ -
Morrison, Krystal (1)	+ -

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