The use of computational models of memory has been effective in adaptive learning environments and in determining the memory capabilities of learners. However, these models have not been widely applied in clinical settings. Evaluation of memory loss still heavily relies on extensive neuropsychological testing performed by neurologists or psychiatrists, especially in the context of progressive neurodegenerative disorders. Current evaluation tools lack the necessary reliability, convenience, and repeatability to effectively capture key dynamics of memory decline, including the unique and changing nature of memory over time. The goal of this study was to predict and monitor memory decline in individuals diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) using a model-based adaptive fact learning system. Participants, aged 58 to 78 years, were divided into two groups based on their cognitive classification and completed weekly online learning assessments at home, tracking their individual speed of forgetting (SoF) across various study materials. The results showed that this method was effective in accurately diagnosing mild memory impairment, with a success rate of over 80% after a single 8-minute learning session. The study also demonstrated the model’s ability to distinguish MCI subtypes through computations of participants' SoF. These findings offer novel insights into the progressive nature of memory decline and could have implications for early detection and management of Alzheimer’s disease as well as other forms of dementia and cognitive impairment. Further development of this method could serve as an alternative or complement to established diagnostic procedures and be used in clinical settings.

Recent studies suggest that errors facilitate learning in certain conditions. Despite this, reinforcement paradigms dominate learning methods, subscribing to the narrative that errorless learning is the foundation of an ideal learning environment. If we continue to view learning from this restrictive perspective, we may fail to capture and apply the benefits of errors. Furthermore, although error learning is now a well-documented phenomenon, research on its underlying mechanisms is sparse. Two prominent theories have arisen out of this research; the elaborative hypothesis, in which meaningful connections are derived from errors, and the mediator hypothesis, in which errors act as secondary cues. To go beyond speculation, both must be examined empirically to successfully leverage error learning. Using a combined approach, data from computational models formulated to reflect different mechanisms of error learning were compared to behavioral data. In the behavioral task, participants (N = 61) learned word pairs in either a study or error trial before taking a final test. Supporting past error learning literature, errors before a study opportunity led to better performance on a final test. Differences in reaction times between conditions support the theory that errors increase learning through mediation by acting as a secondary cue rather than as a way to establish a deeper network between the cue and answer. Furthermore, comparing behavioral results to computational cognitive models provided insight into individual differences in mechanisms of error learning.

Memory loss is a debilitating symptom of neurodegenerative diseases. The exact process of memory decline or forgetting in the brain remains unclear. To address this issue, the development of technologies to preserve or improve memory is a continuous objective in translational medicine. This study aimed to uncover the brain networks involved in forgetting and investigate if reducing forgetting was possible through the use of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS; 60 Hz or sham) targeted to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). The dlPFC was considered a potential target for memory interventions as it had been linked to various aspects of memory function including working memory, executive control, encoding, and retrieval, as well as memory and attention functional connectivity networks. Participants took part in four visits, each consisting of three 8-minute memory tasks using an adaptive fact-learning software. The memory tasks assessed recognition memory (multiple choice), recall memory (fill-in-the-blank), and retrieval learning (response generation). The software used a neurocomputational model that adapted to each participant's performance. This cognitive model is based on established cognitive and biological principles and simulates memory encoding and passive forgetting. The model's α parameter, which represents the speed of forgetting and measures how quickly an individual's memories fade, was used as a dependent variable. Additionally, participants completed two resting state functional MRI (fMRI) scans to evaluate their brain's functional connectivity before and after stimulation. The study compared individual speeds of forgetting to individual patterns of functional connectivity to identify the neural networks most predictive of forgetting, and compared functional connectivity between participants who received tACS and those who received a sham stimulation. We hypothesize that tACS to the dlPFC will decrease forgetting rates and be associated with increases in functional connectivity. In conclusion, tACS has the potential to become a low-cost and non-invasive method to ameliorate memory impairments.

From playing sports to driving a car, our brain constantly receives a barrage of complex visual information. Previous work shows that recognizing two things (e.g., words, animals) presented simultaneously is harder than recognizing one, suggesting that the brain has a limited ability to attend to multiple visual objects at once. In this project, I examine whether American Sign Language (ASL) experience affects sign recognition. Specifically, I hypothesize that signers and non-signers may differ in their ability to attend to multiple signs at once. Participants look at the center of a monitor where a reference letter sign appears, followed by test letter signs on both the left and right. On each trial, either the left or right sign is relevant (single-task condition), or both signs are relevant (dual-task condition). Participants respond, with a button, whether the relevant test sign(s) match the reference. The dual-task deficit (the difference in performance between single- and dual-task conditions) measures how well people can attend to multiple simultaneously presented signs. I compare the dual-task deficit across hearing non-signers, hearing fluent signers, and deaf signers. Previous work has shown a large dual-task deficit for written English letters and a small deficit for objects. I hypothesize that signers’ will have similar dual-task deficit to those of written English letters, while non-signers’ dual-task deficit will be small, similar to objects. So far, preliminary results from two non-signers support this second prediction. This project will reveal how the different sensory experiences and language demands of deaf and hard-of-hearing populations alter how their brains process visual information. Understanding these differences can help improve accessibility for these marginalized groups in public spaces. For example, it can help improve methods for presenting sign information to Deaf students to improve learning outcomes.

Negative life events play an etiological role in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Social support and disclosure are associated with resilience following negative events. This secondary analysis examined the relationship between disclosure to specific individuals following negative events and current depression and PTSD symptom severity. Female-identifying undergraduate students (N = 101) were asked to describe "the most negative event" they experienced in the past year and identify individuals to whom they disclosed (e.g. friend, partner, parent, therapist, law enforcement, teacher, and university employee). Using path analyses, I examined whether: 1) for female-identifying undergraduates (n = 89), the identity of the individual to whom participants disclosed their negative memory was correlated with current severity of depression symptoms (Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms) and 2) for those who experienced a DSM Criterion A trauma (n = 12), identity of the individual to whom participants disclosed the event was correlated with current PTSD symptom severity (Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale). Disclosure of negative events to professionals (law enforcement, teachers, university employees, and therapists) were associated, at a trend level, with higher depression severity (B = .56, p = .07); driven by an effect of disclosing to a therapist (B = .96, p = .04), while no strong association was found for disclosure to personal confidantes (friends, parents, and partners). Disclosure of Criterion A traumatic events to partners was associated with higher depression (B = 1.33, p = .07). These findings complicate literature on the mental health correlates of disclosure, which may be associated with increased depression and PTSD symptom severity following negative events, and emphasize the need for trauma-informed care for mandated reporters and others working with individuals who may disclose negative events. 

Racial discrimination can heighten stress for people of color. The self-medication model suggests that people who experience racial discrimination consume alcohol to cope with negative emotions elicited from these experiences. Most existing studies have tended to correlate general alcohol use behaviors with recalled experiences of stressors such as racial discrimination. These methods are limited in understanding the causal effects of stressors on people’s intention to drink. There are very few experimental studies that considered the impact of racial discrimination and other daily stressors on drinking behavior among people of color. This study was aimed to examine the effects of racial discrimination and daily hassles (work, academics, and finances) on people of color’s intentions to drink. Using data from a between-groups experimental study, we used virtual reality technology to simulate typical interpersonal exchanges at a house party where alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages were available. Participants were recruited from a private four-year university and the general community (N=184; M_age=23.9; 48.9% community adults; 47.8% women; 40.8% Latinx/Hispanic, 28.3% Asian American, 19.6% African American/Black, 11.4% other). They were randomly assigned to experience racial discrimination (n=141) or daily stressors unrelated to racism (n=43) in the simulation. Participants’ responses during the simulation were audio recorded; we coded whether they requested to drink an alcoholic or nonalcoholic beverage immediately before and after exposure to the stressor. Logistic regression will be used to assess group differences in intent to drink. We expected more participants in the racial discrimination condition to express intent to drink alcohol than those in the daily stressors condition. Results can illustrate the unique effects of racial discrimination on drinking intentions among young adults of color, and enhance knowledge on predictors of alcohol use and ways to mitigate negative drinking-related consequences.

Across 200 psychology undergraduate programs in North America, only 6% makes multicultural courses a requirement for majors. Research remains unclear about the effectiveness of a lower-level and content-general course on undergraduate students; critical understanding of cultural diversity in human Psychology. Our research goals are to examine the effects of multicultural instruction on students' appreciation for diversity, and whether race moderates this effect. Data came from undergraduate students enrolled in Research Methods in Psychology course at a mid-sized, predominantly White private university (N=133, Mage=19.83, 79.8% women; 75.9% White/Euro American). As part of the course, they completed surveys assessing variables such as enrollment motivation, ethnic identity, and self-reported importance of cultural diversity in Psychology in the first and last two weeks of the semester. A separate class is employed to be the control group covering contents in open science rather than cultural diversity as part of the quasi-experimental design. Regression analyses were conducted to test whether students in the cultural diversity condition reported greater appreciation for cultural diversity in their post-term assessment than students in the control condition, with pre-term assessment entered as a covariate. In addition, whether changes in appreciation for cultural diversity were greater among White students than students of color was also tested. Students in the multicultural condition scored higher on critical awareness of current limitations in diversity representation in psychological science at the end of the term than those in the control condition. Students across conditions did not differ in appreciation for the importance of cultural diversity considerations in psychology. Implications for how to integrate multicultural training in undergraduate psychology curriculum will be discussed.

The severity and prevalence of alcohol consumption and alcohol use disorder among the Hispanic/Latinx population in the United States have steadily increased for the past 10 years. With the rise of high alcohol use and the development of alcohol disorders, there is a focus on research for the white population, leaving a gap for group-specific factors and how there is minimal research on efficacy differences in population and risk factors. This literature review aims to examine previous research on Hispanic/Latinx populations with alcohol use and alcohol-related issues and to bring to light the gaps in the literature. The question this literature review is answering is “how do group-specific risk factors hold the Hispanic/Latinx population from seeking alcohol use disorder assistance, and how to increase treatment efficacy for this population?” A critical literature review was conducted using PsychINFO and Google Scholar for articles published in the last 25 years with the following keywords: Hispanic/Latinx, alcohol use disorder, interventions, and treatment barriers. Preliminary results indicate that many people in the Hispanic population face more attitudinal barriers than logistical ones. Additionally, results indicate that there is a lack of Hispanic representation in psychological research, thus, making it difficult for evidence-based intervention to be useful for these populations. Finally, results indicated potential adaptations to existing evidence-based therapies to make them more effective for Hispanic populations. Through the findings from the literature review, we found it necessary to address the risk factors and disparities the Hispanic/Latinx population faces and highlight the urgent need for more culturally adapted interventions and treatment plans. We will discuss future research directions concerning the need for more data from the Hispanic/Latinx populations on group-specific treatment efficacy.

People have avoided art therapy for a long time due to the belief that they cannot use it to cope with their mental health problems if they do not have artistic ability. Luckily, people can use this form with or without art skills. In Europe, this type of therapy originated in the 1940s. During a tuberculosis outbreak, art therapy helped patients cope with their illness. It is safe to assume that anyone can benefit from art therapy based on that information alone. A number of studies have examined people's mental health symptoms before and after sessions. That raises the question: How can art therapy affect others in the long term in the mental health field? In a variety of studies, they reported significant symptom improvement after art therapy interventions. It was not only people’s symptoms that improved but it was also shown that their self-esteem was positively oriented. This literature review will help identify the stigma surrounding this form of therapy. It will also help identify how art can be a healthy way to cope and express themselves. 

The focus of psychedelic research has been on psilocybin during the last decade, revealing positive implications for the future of psychiatry. Psilocybin has recently emerged as a potential therapeutic breakthrough for major depressive disorder, with a favorable profile of rapid-acting, long-lasting effects, and non-addictive properties. Given the high comorbidity and overlapping symptoms betweeen depression and opiate withdrawal, this recent advancement in depression treatment can be utilized to gain new insights into opiate withdrawal and its potential treatment. Recent research has also assessed psilocybin for treatment of nicotine and alcohol cessation, which showed promising results. The present study hypothesizes that psilocybin treatment alleviates anhedonic behaviors related to naloxone-induced morphine withdrawal and restores baseline behavior in rats. We examine morphine withdrawal symptoms and the efficacy of psilocybin using the open field test and sucrose preference test. Behavioral markers for anhedonic morphine withdrawal symptoms are extracted and quantified using DeepLabCut, a novel deep machine learning algorithm. Our preliminary data showed that psilocybin attenuated the overall effects of morphine withdrawal on locomotor activities, in support of our hypothesis. Since hundreds of thousands of lives are lost and affected by addiction every year in the U.S, there is an urgent call for new, effective treatments for substance use disorders. This study aids our understanding of opiate withdrawal and its untapped potential therapeutic treatment.

Stereotypes are generally harmful, regardless of the content being positive or negative. However, people may perceive certain stereotypes are more acceptable or less harmful than others. We are interested in seeing the varying degree of how people perceive the social acceptability of the stereotypes about women’s interest or ability in computer science. We hypothesize that stereotypes about women being less interested in STEM fields are more socially acceptable than stereotypes about their ability in computer science. For this purpose, we intend to conduct a survey study including 4 scales measuring how much participants, students from University of Washington, believe it is socially acceptable to assume gender stereotypes about women’s interest and ability in computer science. Data will be analyzed using a dependent t-test. We hypothesize that people believe it is less socially acceptable to talk about the stereotypes about women having less ability than being less interested in computer science. The finding may stop the adverse intuition that expressing some stereotypes are tolerated and further motivate women to express their interest in computer science as the stereotypes about their interest should be just as unacceptable as any stereotypes regarding their ability. Future work could develop interventions to spread the awareness that having either types of stereotypes about women on computer science topics, no matter woman’s interest or ability, should be considered harmful.

Lacking in early emotional support has been associated with emotional dysregulation and impulsivity in adulthood. Although previous research has also demonstrated that emotion dysregulation and impulsivity are both crucial factors associated to alcohol-related problems, to our knowledge there is no study exploring the relationship between early emotional support and alcohol use in adulthood through the mechanisms of emotion dysregulation and urgency. Additionally, previous work has mostly relied on cross-sectional data. The current study aims to explore the association between early emotional support and alcohol use by assessing the role of emotion dysregulation and urgency as mediators. We use pilot data collected via cross-sectional and ecological momentary assessment (EMA) methodology. Emotion dysregulation will be assessed by the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ; Garnefski & Kraaij, 2001). Urgency was assessed by the averaged values of the negative and positive urgency subscales in the 59-item Impulsive Behavior Scale (UPPS-P; Whiteside & Lynam, 2001; Lynam, Smith, Whiteside, & Cyders, 2006). Early emotional support was assessed by the emotional support subscale in the Multidimensional Neglect Behavior Scale (Dubowitz et al., 2011). Alcohol use was assessed by the Daily Drinking Questionnaire (DDQ-R; Collins, Parks, & Marlatt, 1985). Longitudinal items were gathered from a subset of the above measures. For the purposes of this presentation, we plan to analyze the data using bivariate correlation analyses in preparation for a full mediation analysis in the full study. We expect to find that those lacking in emotional support during adolescence predicts both emotional dysregulation and urgency in adulthood, which leading to alcohol-related problems in adulthood. Results in the expected directions would suggest that low emotional support in adolescence may be a risk factor for substance abuse later in life, showcasing a need for caregivers to better the emotional states of their children.

When discussing ways to alleviate the effects of poverty, the focal point of policy decisions tend to center on improving material poverty. However, there is a growing recognition that poverty includes temporal constraints as well as material. Time poverty is defined as the lack of discretionary time available for rest, socialization and leisure once accounting for time spent at work and during necessary, committed activities. This study was designed to identify a relationship between time poverty and wellbeing in college students, as well as if race could be a suitable predictor for time poverty. I hypothesized that students with higher perceived and actual time poverty will report lower scores in wellbeing, and that this disparity will also be seen with students of colour. Through a Qualtrics questionnaire, 161 participants completed a modified version of the national American Time Use Scale (ATUS) designed to understand how people spend their daily time. They then answered questions about their perceived general wellbeing, then questions centering their perceived time poverty. The results from a regression analysis suggested that only perceived time poverty (M = -.0068, SD = .64919) negatively predicted wellbeing, R^2 = .325, F(5,150) = 14.41, p < .001, where higher scores predicted lower wellbeing (β = .564, p < .001). Actual time poverty and race were not found to predict well being, nor was there a significant interaction between race and time poverty on wellbeing.​ The results of this study likely stem from low reliability of the materials and indicate a need to create a smaller-scale measure for time poverty in specific demographics (e.g. college students). However, the effect subjective time poverty has on wellbeing supports past literature, and reinforces the importance of improving time constraints.

A primary stressor of college students is financial insecurity. Research estimates that 36% of college students are food insecure, 36% lack reliable housing, and 9% experienced homelessness in 2018. Sources of financial stress for college students typically include housing, tuition and other academic expenses, credit card debt, familial responsibilities, and employment status. Furthermore, research has also shown that psychological stress correlates with decreased sleep quality. During periods of intense stress, an individual may have more frequent disturbances during sleep, sleep for fewer hours, and adopt later waking times (Galambos et al., 2013). This study investigates the relationship between financial insecurity and sleep quality of students attending a 2-year college in Washington state. More specifically, this study aims to determine the impact of a sleep wellness workshop on the sleep quality of college students. Data collection will occur through an online Qualtrics survey before and after the sleep wellness workshop. The Qualtrics survey includes modified Sleep Quality Scale questions, the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). It is hypothesized that experiencing financial insecurity will positively correlate to poorer sleep quality. It is predicted that this relationship is mediated by stress and that the sleep wellness workshop will improve sleep quality in college students. Understanding factors that contribute to poor sleep quality is vital as sleep plays a key role in maintaining proper cognitive functioning. The results of this study are intended to improve current resources, as well as implement new resources, concerning sleep quality and stress of college students.

 Birth control is an important tool to prevent unwanted pregnancies. However, many people who might benefit choose not to use birth control, contributing to a range of negative outcomes, including unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. Many factors affect people’s perceptions of birth control options, and ultimately influence their use of contraceptives. Previous research shows racial differences in rates of birth control utilization, but little work has explored why these racial differences exist and if and how culture contributes to birth control attitudes and utilization cross-racially. Furthermore, most previous research in this area focuses exclusively on race, typically reporting only on Black, Hispanic, and White women, with little or no intersectional analysis. The present study investigates how culture influences birth control attitudes, considering both a broader range of racial categories and the impact of multiple intersecting identities on culture. Our goal is to gain insight into the health care decision processes of intersectionally marginalized patients. We accomplish this with a cross-sectional qualitative study. We first pre-screen potential interviewees to recruit participants with diverse cultural backgrounds. Selected participants will participate in structured 1:1 interviews, answering questions about how their cultural background (including race, ethnicity, religion, and family) influences birth control attitudes. We will conduct thematic analysis to determine what aspects of culture impact birth control attitudes. Shedding light on how culture influences the perception and use of birth control provides insight into a broader range of patient populations, allowing for improved contraceptive counseling and education in the medical setting. Recruiting a diverse sample will illuminate the lived experiences of individuals who are typically excluded from research and scholarship, allowing future advancements in birth control to be more representative and sensitive, with the knowledge of all cultural experiences in mind rather than just a select few.

Inequities still exist despite efforts to address racism and reduce racial disparities in mental health care. One reason for this may be clinician’s limited knowledge and guidelines on addressing and exploring the consequences of racism in clients' lives. The current study is a mixed-method study using secondary data from the Applying Theatre-Based Training Methods to Address Racism in Community-Based Mental Health Services, which surveyed 119 community mental health clinicians across Washington State in 2021. The first aim of this analysis was to examine qualitative data on clinician's perceived barriers and facilitators in broaching racial issues with clients. The second aim was to explore how these barriers and facilitators are correlated with quantitative measures of multicultural counseling knowledge and awareness. Three significant barriers emerged: 1) Clinicians not engaging in racial topics unless clients initiated; 2) Clinicians avoiding discussions of race and racism because of feeling uncomfortable or unconfident; 3) Clinician's assumptions that their racial identities would be a barrier to discussions. Three significant facilitators included: 1) Client's initiation, emotional openness, and availability to have racial conversations; 2) Relevant social events that provided an avenue to prompt discussion; 3) Clinician's willingness and intentions to address racism through asking or actively listening. There was no statistically significant correlation between either the count of perceived barriers or facilitator themes and clinician's multicultural counseling knowledge and awareness. The present research can supplement and support efforts to train clinicians in broaching racial discussions and inform clinical practice with clients from diverse backgrounds.

Zoom classes or online meetings may be seen as temporary resolutions to COVID-19 restrictions. However, in the mental health field, telehealth continued to represent 20% of outpatient visits when the emergency restrictions of COVID-19 eased in late 2020 (Gentry et al., 2021). Telemental health is a form of online mental health services that can be used to deliver Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) to clients without in-person meetings. Despite the strength, one major barrier to implementation of telemental health services is that some youth may be less engaged in the session (AlRasheed et al., 2022). Limited research indicates that practical organizational support such as trainings, seminars, additional funding for clients, and technology support for clients may improve client engagement, along with a positive organizational climate that promote providing telemental health services (Oetzel & Scherer, 2003). The current study expands on past research to examine the relationship between organizational support and youth engagement in telemental health services among Community Mental health providers (N= 173) who participated in a Washington State-funded EBP training initiative (CBT+). As a part of CBT+, the providers attended a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for youth training and follow up support and completed self-report surveys. Using survey questions regarding organizational support and youth engagement, we conducted 12 linear models to examine the relationship between organizational climate and practical organizational support with six measures of youth engagement. Results indicated that a positive organizational climate is associated with greater perceived effectiveness of therapy (β = .39, p = .000). The finding suggests that, when perceived effectiveness is low, we encourage organizations to tailor strategies to improve organizational climate for telemental health services, even after COVID-19 restrictions loosen. I will present additional findings and implications regarding practical organizational support in the poster presentation.

Police brutality is a pervasive and traumatic event that has large societal and individual impacts. Research shows that racism is associated with negative health outcomes: impacting living conditions, mental health, and stress levels (Paradeis et al, 2015; Williams & Monnamed, 2009; Williams & Williams-Morris, 2000). Little research exists on how emotions relate to each other during traumatic events. In our study, Black and White college students (N=165) viewed news media of police brutality or car accidents (control) with Black victims, then described their reactions through video recordings. Research assistants (RAs) qualitatively coded the videos in nine emotion categories (anger, anxious, disgust, happy, fear, relaxed, sad, approach, and avoidance). I examined the relationships between the emotions in both traumatic event conditions. In both, approach and avoidance were highly negatively correlated: brutality condition (r = -.79, p < .001) and accident condition (r = -.68, p < .001). The more approach a participant expressed, the less avoidance they expressed. This consistency between contexts might be because RAs were given mutually exclusive behavioral cues to identify those categories, placing them on a single scale continuum. In only the police brutality condition, happiness and sadness (r = -.63, p < .001), as well as approach and relaxation (r = -.59, p < .001) were moderately negatively correlated. These sets of emotions are also often categorized and displayed as opposite emotions with opposing behavioral cues. The difference in correlations between the two conditions may be due to differences in media coverage across the two incident types and the differential levels of political and racial divisiveness regarding the topics. Future research should focus on replication and in more diverse contexts. If emotions can predict when another will be displayed or not displayed, health care teams can better respond to traumatic events and better assist exposed individuals.

Past research found racial diversity in the workplace can increase equity (e.g. Edelman et al., 2001), but could proximity to diversity make White leaders less likely to be held accountable for bias? I conducted two studies examining how having racial diversity near, but not within, the work team may influence people’s perceptions of workplace equity. In Study 1, participants recruited through Prolific (N = 252) rated how equitable they think a White leader would be in two conditions: one where all other leaders are White and one where the other leaders are racially diverse. Participants were informed that the White leader works entirely independently from the other leaders. Results show that participants rated the leader as more equitable in the diverse condition as compared to the all-White condition. Study 2 examines whether proximity to diversity could shield White leaders from accountability in an ambiguous situation where racial bias may have played a role. Results show that participants (N = 234) rated the leader's decision as less likely to be driven by racial bias in the diverse leadership (vs. all-White) condition. Mediation analysis shows that perceiving the leader as more equitable in the diverse leadership condition helps explain the present effect. Implication suggests that people may be less sensitive to detecting bias in diverse environments. Future work should disaggregate the experiences of people of color, examining whether there may be differences among racial groups in how the effect operates. Individual differences may also be moderating factors for the investigated effect. 

Increasing mental illness among college students continues to be a critical issue. College life is often a time of great transition, contributing to and potentially exacerbating students' rising stress, anxiety, and other mental struggles. Poor sleep habits may develop during college, and poor sleep quality can amplify stress. To explore how institutions might help students struggling with stress, we conducted a small pilot study examining whether a sleep-focused workshop would reduce stress levels in students at a Pacific Northwest community college. For this pilot study, I helped generate an online pre- and post-workshop survey of demographic questions, the UCLA Loneliness Scale, and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Our results indicated that participants' workshop attendance reduced their stress levels. Before the sleep workshop, participants scored an average of 20.27 (SD=7.41, range=2 to 30) on the PSS, while two weeks after the workshop, the average PSS score had reduced to 16.58 (SD=7.65, range=4 to 27). These results suggest benefits of a sleep-focused wellness workshop for college students. In our present study, we replicated the pilot study. I examined student stress in correlation to sleep quality and assessed these factors through an online survey of demographic questions, sleep quality questions, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and the PSS. We distributed this survey to participants before and after a sleep workshop run by the Bellevue College psychology department. I hypothesized that poor sleep quality correlates to higher student stress levels. I also hypothesized that the intervention of a sleep workshop would reduce stress levels. I hope that our results provide insight into the utility of wellness workshops for students and whether they are an avenue to help students manage stress and improve their sleep quality, which could improve student mental health by lowering stress and anxiety and improving quality of life and education overall.

Schizophrenia is highly heritable and has been associated with many brain structure abnormalities, including significant differences in cortical thickness, surface area, and gray matter volume. It is widely believed that abnormalities in early neurodevelopmental processes contribute to the differences in brain structure observed, and many genetic risk variants associated with schizophrenia influence brain development. Further research is required to understand whether genetic mechanisms underlie the typical pattern of cortical thickness and surface area deficits in schizophrenia or deviations from normal trajectories of cortical thickness and surface area development. Using data collected from 406 participants, including 246 individuals with schizophrenia, 70 unaffected relatives of schizophrenia patients, and 90 healthy controls, the current study will test for associations between polygenic risk for schizophrenia and expected brain measures of cortical thickness and surface area using a Regional Vulnerability Index (RVI) which quantifies the resemblance between an individual’s brain scan to expected brain deficit patterns in people with schizophrenia. Along with that, we will be testing for associations between polygenic risk for schizophrenia and the typical development of cortical thickness and surface area using centile scores which benchmark an individual’s neuroanatomical measurement in the context of the normative age and sex-related trajectories. We hypothesize that polygenic risk for schizophrenia will be positively associated with cortical thickness and surface area RVIs and centile scores for cortical thickness and surface area across all diagnostic groups. Understanding the relationship between genetic risk for schizophrenia and alterations in brain structure and development may facilitate early detection of schizophrenia and aid future efforts to prevent the onset of psychosis in vulnerable individuals.

During childhood, elements of episodic memory develop at a different pace. Children show greater difficulty with temporal memory (e.g., when things happened) as opposed to location memory (e.g., where things happened). In a previous experiment, we explored whether the development of the mental timeline influences temporal memory. Children who spontaneously arranged the temporal order of events in a linear order had performed significantly better temporal, but not location, memory than children who made nonlinear arrangements. In this experiment, we explore whether priming children with an active spatiotemporal priming task could encourage the use of the mental timeline to represent temporal order. In the priming phase, children watch a cartoon character that visits nine distinct places around the world. As they listen, children place icons that represent each event, either in a left-to-right linear orientation or random orientations, on a board. Next, to assess the effectiveness of the priming task, children watch animated videos of characters engaging in unique activities in unique locations. They are asked questions regarding where and when these events occurred. In a previous version of the priming task, which was conducted virtually, we found no influence of the priming condition on temporal memory accuracy. We predict that by incorporating an active motor component in the priming task (e.g., physically placing icons on a board), children will better apply the linear mental timeline framework in subsequent memory tasks. Our study will give insight into the malleability of memory, provide support for previous research that highlights the impact of motor coordination on learning, and inform us about the interactions between the development of mental representations of time and temporal memory.

There are two main verb categories that exist in all human languages, manner and path. Manner verbs have information regarding how a subject moves (e.g., shoot and swim) whereas path verbs contain information about the direction of movement (e.g., enter and rise). Whether a language is categorized as manner or path depends on which verb class is the majority in a language; manner languages contain more manner verbs (e.g., English and German) and path languages contain more path verbs (e.g., Turkish and Spanish). Past studies have shown that individuals tend to verbally construct motion events through sentences using verbs that fall into the major verb category in their language. To investigate how verb type affects motion event saliency, manner language speakers (English monolinguals) and manner and path language speakers (Spanish-English bilinguals) will participate in a linguistic encoding task followed by a memory task which reflects the saliency of the motion event. Participants will be asked to read paragraphs with an embedded target motion event phrase constructed with either path or manner verbs then will select images that correspond with the target phrases. Here, memory reflects the saliency of the motion event. The easier the target motion event is to remember (indicated by higher memory task scores), the higher its saliency. I hypothesize that English monolinguals will score higher on the memory test when the target phrase is manner-framed rather than path-framed, demonstrating higher motion event saliency when common verbs in a speaker’s language are used. I also predict that Spanish-English bilinguals will display path/manner indifference due to familiarity with both language types, scoring similarly on the memory test for path and manner verb conditions. This study will provide a better understanding of what factors influence motion event saliency to further the understanding of how language interacts with motion conceptualization.

This project examines developmental atypical patterns of visual attention in infants in relation to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Research in this area could help identify additional, specific risk groups or factors that could facilitate focused research that translates to real-world applications. Specifically, this project examines how cognitive development relates to visual attention to faces versus activities at 12 and 24 months of age among different birth weight groups. Developmental scores will be evaluated through data collected using: the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (Mullen), a developmental test measuring cognitive and motor development, and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (Vineland), a caregiver-interview measuring child adaptive skills. Visual attention will be quantified using eye tracking data which measured proportions of looking towards faces versus activities in social scenes. Participants in the lab were split into two groups, low birth weight and regular birth weight, and were seen by researchers at both 12 months and 24 months. Mullen, Vineland, and eye tracking tests were conducted at both timepoints. Science shows that as infants grow, they focus less on faces and more on the activities they are doing. I anticipate similar effects in eye tracking, with increasing age associated with a higher mean difference in preference for activities versus faces. Uniquely, I hypothesize that the strength of the relationship between looking at activities and developmental skills will be greater at 24 months than it will be at 12 months, and the opposite will be true for looking at faces. We will test our hypotheses on a linear regression model that predicts developmental skills from factorial effects of time point, birth weight, and region of eye tracking preference. This project hopes to seek to understand the interaction between birth weight, age, and attentiveness to faces versus activities as they relate to developmental skills.

Research, and evolutionary theory, demonstrates that romantic relationships and platonic friendships fulfill different needs and are necessary for survival and critical for reproductive success. These relationships can be highly gendered with different dynamics. Usually, women’s same and cross-sex friendships are more fulfilling and richer. However, there is limited research looking at romantic relationships and platonic friendships and the individual differences and characteristics within these relationships. The current research explores how gender, sexuality, and heteronormativity impact the assessment, comparison, and characteristics between platonic and romantic relationships. We explore which individuals break out of traditional gendered friendship norms and seek similar interactions within their platonic friendships and romantic relationships. 194 Participants answered a questionnaire measuring the different characteristics desired in platonic friendships and romantic relationships. This survey was answered twice, once while thinking about a platonic friend and again for a romantic partner. Relationship characteristics were measured by scales, created by the researchers, that looked at emotional intimacy, physical intimacy, quality time, action affection, verbal assurance, and relationship perception. Romantic relationships had no difference between genders or sexualities for any of the scales. However, there were significant differences between genders and sexualities found in platonic relationships. Non-heterosexual women and non-binary individuals had higher engagement and support and had the highest overall assessment ratings within their platonic relationships. Heterosexual men and non-heterosexual women differed the most in their ratings for all platonic relationship characteristics, heterosexual men having lower scores on average. This supports previous research that men have less fulfilling relationships than women.

Adolescents with prosocial purpose focus on their friends, family and community to develop their identity and maintain positive future expectations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, prosocial purpose may have acted as a source of resilience for teens, especially Peruvian adolescents who faced extreme stress during a uniquely strict lockdown. The aims of this mixed-methods study are to 1) quantitatively investigate gender and school-grade differences in prosocial youth purpose across adolescence and 2) qualitatively describe whether Peruvian adolescents perceive that the pandemic transformed their sense of purpose. Findings show that girls had higher commitment for beyond-the-self goals than boys, there were no school-grade differences in terms of frequency of endorsement of self-oriented goals or beyond-the-self goals. I found that half the students reported that the pandemic had made them shift their goals and perspectives. These findings provide further information on the impacts of COVID-19 on adolescent mental health in underserved populations like Peru.

Even though Ivermectin was only shown to work against the COVID virus in vitro, and even though the FDA warned against its use in humans, many media outlets reported that research showed it was effective against COVID. The fact that they often did so without any caveats may have led readers to make unwarranted inferences and act on them, believing that their actions were supported by science. In order to mitigate against such outcomes, a 2017 paper that has been cited over 600 times so far urges authors to include Constraints on Generality (COG) statements. But do COG statements in fact work as intended? In the present experiment, participants were randomly assigned to read popular press articles with COG statements or those without, and answered a series of questions about the articles. We hypothesized that the inclusion of COG can (1) reduce the likelihood of prematurely making overly-confident and overly-generalized inferences after reading reports of research findings; (2) reduce the likelihood of acting on such inferences (e.g., ingesting untested substances); and (3) improve their understanding of science as a long-term, cumulative effort to reduce, but never eliminate, uncertainty. The data collected so far provide partial support for these hypotheses. We hope our findings will help the quality of popular press reporting of scientific findings, avoiding sensationalistic and over-confident content.

Sexual assault is pervasive (1 in 4 women experience assault in their lifetime; RAINN, 2019) and holds the highest risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) of any type of traumatic event. However, Asian women are underrepresented in media representations and research regarding the prevalence of assault and the etiology of PTSD. The purpose of this study was to examine the frequencies of lifetime occurrences of sexual harassment, unwanted sexual touching, and penetrative sexual assault (i.e., rape) in Asian women and compare these rates to their white peers. College-aged women (N = 201) completed an online version of the Sexual Experiences Survey - Victimization (SES-SFV). 60.86% of Asian and 74.65% of white women reported experiencing sexual harassment, 28.70% of Asian and 39.43% of white women reported experiencing unwanted sexual touching, and 20.00% of Asian and 21.13% of white women reported experiencing rape. Three independent samples t-tests compared rates of sexual harassment, unwanted sexual touching and rape in white women (n = 69) compared to Asian women (n = 101). Results showed no significant differences between occurrences of sexual harassment and rape. However, white women (M = .75, SD = .43) experienced significantly more unwanted sexual touching compared to Asian women (M = .57, SD = .50), t(168) = -2.4, p = .016. These findings indicate that Asian women encounter similar rates of sexual harassment and rape compared to white women. The parity found between Asian women and white women is underrepresented in media and research and may have negative consequences on the believability of and support for Asian women who have experienced harassment or rape. Further research is necessary to understand the unique mental and physical health impact of sexual assault on Asian women. 

Gift-giving is a central component for many people in terms of expressing affection through increasing perceived closeness as well as strengthening relationships. Giving gifts can also facilitate requesting help or asking someone for a favor. According to Aknin and colleagues (2018), these ‘motivated gifts’ decrease recipients’ anticipated satisfaction and willingness to perform the favor which could negatively impact relationships. The current study proposed that this decrease in prosocial tendencies could be explained by the self-determination theory of basic psychological need satisfaction (BPNS), that is, that humans require three psychological needs to flourish and live optimally (autonomy, competence, relatedness; Ryan & Deci, 2000). Fulfilling these needs is said to facilitate the integration of autonomous motivation, which was hypothesized to be the mediating role between motivated gifts and prosocial behavior. Participants (N = 426) were recruited for an online survey in which we randomly assigned them to read a hypothetical scenario where they imagine being asked a favor by a friend either with or without a motivated gift. The current study was unable to replicate the findings from Aknin and colleagues’ (2018) study and found no significant differences in participants’ BPNS, but did find that motivated gifts caused a decrease in autonomous motivation. Additionally, motivated gifts were not found to cause a change in whether a participant would be willing to participate in an unrelated study. Altogether, the findings suggest that motivated gifts do not necessarily have a negative impact on prosocial behavior which, considering the primary reason gifts are given, is good news for relationships and prosocial tendencies.

Working memory capacity is the active short-term maintenance of information which is essential for our day-to-day functioning. By measuring pupil dilation during a working memory task, we aim to quantify the relationship between pupil dilation and working memory capacity. The goal of the study is to look at how image type and presentation position influences memory for temporal order. Study 1 presented participants with sequences of semantic images (images of known objects) and sequences of abstract images (random line drawings), one by one, in a central position on the screen. Throughout the experiment, the eye-tracker measured pupil dilation. Participants then organized the images in the temporal sequence they appeared. Participants recalled the order of semantic images better than the order of abstract images, supporting the hypothesis that working memory capacity improves when the participant can associate a label with the image. In addition, pupil dilation was greater during the sequences of semantic images compared to abstract images. Study 2 investigates spatial biases in working memory. Participants see the same image sequences as in study 1, except the images are presented from either left-to-right or from right-to-left instead of centrally. We expect participants to show increased working memory capacity with left-to-right sequences compared to right-to-left sequences due to learned patterns in Western cultures. These results will provide information on how the spatial presentation of information influences working memory capacity. More generally, improving our understanding of how working memory capacity processes affect pupil dilation will allow us to use pupil dilation to study working memory capacity in infants and young children.

Utopian thinking, a practice in which a person imagines what their ideal society would be like, could prime that individual to be more receptive to ideas of societal change. The presence of an internally generated standard with which to compare the real world may reduce the amount that a person rationalizes or subscribes to the current system, captured in the construct of system justification. Lower system justification scores may result in an individual being more open to accepting a need for change, and possible plans for carrying this change out. A 2018 study by Fernando and colleagues found that engaging in a utopian thinking exercise reduced system justification scores when compared to a control condition. However, it remains to be seen whether this effect will replicate, and whether it extends to attitudes regarding specific systems, such as the United States justice system. The current study asks survey participants to complete a five-minute writing exercise in which they are either asked to describe their idea of a utopia, or describe a normal day in their life. Participants will then complete a system justification scale, and will be asked to rate their support for two justice systems, the current system and a proposed restorative justice system. I hypothesize that utopian thinking will reduce system justification scores and support for the current justice system, and increase support for the alternative restorative justice system. If utopian thinking results in more openness to proposed new ideas, it could be used as a tool for political messaging and social change.