Psychology - Student Works
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Item An examination of implicit theories of worry(2025) Jans, Syhdnnae; Penney, Alexander; Moscicki, Michele K.Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a relatively common mental disorder defined by chronic, excessive, and difficult to control worry. Moreover, individuals who worry excessively may think about their worry differently based on the implicit theories they hold, which in turn may influence their willingness to seek treatment. Implicit theories are heuristics held about personal attributes. Specifically, we will be focusing on growth mindsets (i.e., believing that a personal attribute is malleable) and fixed mindsets (i.e., believing that an attribute is unchangeable). Limited research has explored implicit theories in mental health, and no published studies have examined implicit theories of worry. We hypothesize that students who report more severe worry are more likely to hold a fixed mindset regarding their worry (i.e., more likely to report their worry is unchangeable). We also plan to examine if implicit theories are related to interest in various forms of treatment. Separately, we are going to test if reading the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) “Psychology Works” Fact Sheet about GAD will increase growth mindset, and therefore interest in treatment. In the study participants will complete a series of online self-report questionnaires before being randomly assigned to read either the CPA GAD Fact Sheet or CPA Insomnia Fact Sheet. Our goal is to recruit 300 participants. To date, 279 participants have participated. Our findings could provide a greater understanding of the role of implicit theories in worry and GAD, and may also have implications for the treatment of worry.Item Is generalized anxiety disorder associated with Big 5 traits beyond neuroticsm?(2025) Jans, Syhdnnae; Styba-Nelson, Kevin; Penney, AlexanderPrevious studies have established that generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is significantly associated with high neuroticism, and potentially high introversion (low extraversion), but fewer studies have examined the association between GAD and the other aspects of the Big Five. The aim of this study was to compare people low in GAD symptoms versus people high in GAD symptoms on each of the Big Five Inventory-II factors. Participants consisted of 1020 university students, who completed the study online. Participants were first separated into two groups based on whether they were above or below the clinical cut-off score on the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire-IV (GADQ-IV). We also created a separate grouping variable that allowed us to compare participants in the top 16% of GADQ-IV scores against participants in the lowest 16% of GADQ-IV scores. Two sets of independent samples t-tests were conducted on these variables. In both sets of analyses, participants with high GAD symptoms were significantly higher in neuroticism and introversion, and surprisingly lower in agreeableness and conscientiousness. We then conducted a multiple regression to see which of the Big Five variables uniquely predicted GAD symptoms. As expected, neuroticism had the strongest association with GAD symptoms. The only other significant predictor of GAD symptoms was higher conscientiousness scores. The unexpected finding that higher conscientiousness also predicted GAD symptoms suggests that traits typically viewed as productive may play a role in GAD. These include a strong desire for order and responsibility, which may contribute to GAD through mechanisms such as perfectionism.Item Exploring anxiety-related beliefs in introversion and neuroticism(2025) Jans, Syhdnnae; Styba-Nelson, Kevin; Penney, AlexanderPrevious studies have shown that neuroticism and introversion are related to anxiety disorders, as well as the dysfunctional beliefs that underly anxiety disorders. We examined the association between anxiety sensitivity (AS), intolerance of uncertainty (IU), and metacognitions about worry with neuroticism and introversion in two samples. The first sample was recruited online from across Canada (N = 624), while the second sample was university students (N = 1020). In both studies, participants completed online measures of demographic characteristics, the anxiety-related beliefs, and personality traits. Hierarchal multiple regression analyses were conducted to determine which beliefs had unique associations with neuroticism and introversion. Across both samples, when controlling for demographic variables and introversion, both prospective and inhibitory IU, as well as negative metacognitive beliefs about worry, were associated with neuroticism. Further, across both samples, when controlling for demographic variables and neuroticism, AS social concerns and inhibitory IU were associated with introversion. Surprisingly, negative metacognitive beliefs about worry and prospective IU were negatively associated with introversion. Clinical implications and future directions will be discussed.Item Unraveling the role of metacognitive processes in generalized anxiety disorder: a moderated mediation model(2025) Styba-Nelson, Kevin; Penney, AlexanderRecent research has suggested that worry related metacognitions may play a moderating role in the relationships that anxiety-related dysfunctional beliefs have with chronic worry and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The present studies sought to investigate this possible moderating relationship in an undergraduate sample and a community sample. The first study included an undergraduate sample of 573, and investigated if negative metacognitive beliefs (i.e., that worry is dangerous or uncontrollable; NBW) or positive metacognitive beliefs (i.e., that worry is useful or beneficial; PBW) moderated the relationship that anxiety sensitivity has to chronic worry and the symptoms of GAD. The second study included a community sample of 627, and expanded upon the first study by investigating how neuroticism may contribute to chronic worry and GAD symptoms through anxiety sensitivity and intolerance of uncertainty. It was also investigated if NBW and PBW moderated these mediated pathways from neuroticism to GAD. Results from both studies generally concluded that NBW and PBW did not have a moderating role on these relationships. Despite this, NBW still appears to have a significant relationship with GAD. Future research may wish to investigate the direct or mediational effects of metacognitive beliefs on GAD, rather than investigating them as moderators.Item Cognitive and metacognitive beliefs: separating GAD from chronic worry(2025) Styba-Nelson, Kevin; Penney, AlexanderWhile chronic worry is a core component of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), experiencing severe worry is not equivalent to having the disorder. The aim of the current analysis was to investigate if anxiety-related dysfunctional beliefs may help differentiate GAD from chronic worry. Participants included a community sample of adults (N = 624), collected from across Canada, and an undergraduate sample (N = 1020) collected from MacEwan University. A series of multiple linear regressions were conducted with both samples, with anxiety sensitivity, intolerance of uncertainty, and metacognitive beliefs about worry used as the predictor variables. The dependent variables were worry severity, GAD symptoms, and GAD symptoms when controlling for worry severity. Across both samples, worry severity was consistently predicted by social anxiety sensitivity, prospective and inhibitory intolerance of uncertainty, and both positive and negative metacognitive beliefs about worry. GAD symptoms were predicted across both samples by social anxiety sensitivity, prospective and inhibitory intolerance of uncertainty, and negative metacognitive beliefs about worry. However, only cognitive anxiety sensitivity and negative metacognitive beliefs that worry is dangerous or uncontrollable emerged as consistent predictors of GAD symptoms when controlling for worry severity. These two factors emerging as the only consistent predictors of GAD symptoms while controlling for worry severity could indicate that fears about one’s sanity and well-being, and beliefs that worry in uncontrollable, may be what leads chronic worry to progress to clinical GAD. These findings align with past research that has found significant success in treating GAD by targeting metacognitive beliefs. The current study supports the idea that chronic worry alone does not necessarily lead to GAD, and that fears regarding one’s mental health and worry are important components of the disorder.Item The effect of task engagement on reward processing(2025) Oloriz, Abigail; Hassall, CameronMany aspects of human behaviour are shaped by reward processing, including decision making and motivation. Electroencephalography (EEG) has identified a neural signal called the reward positivity (RewP), which represents the brain’s interpretation of reward outcomes. The aim of this study is to see whether the RewP is affected by task engagement. Participants will complete the ‘doors task’, a decision-making task where selecting one of two doors may result in a monetary reward. In one condition (the standard version), rewards will be equally probable (50/50), while in the other, one door will have an increased likelihood of reward, introducing a detectable pattern. We hypothesize that participants will become more engaged in the patterned condition, and that the RewP will be larger when they recognize and exploit this pattern. This would show that the standard ‘doors task’ used to measure RewP lacks engagement and does not allow for learning, potentially limiting its effectiveness. These findings would have implications for researchers using the RewP as a biomarker for depression, ultimately improving the accuracy and applicability of EEG-based assessments in clinical settings.Item Interdisciplinary supports for student mental health: Pets Assisting With Student Success - PAWSS at MacEwan University(2025) Oloriz, Abby; Coghill, Shane; Rissanen, AnnaThis research study is an evaluation of the Pets Assisting with Students' Success (PAWSS) program at MacEwan University. We need research on the effectiveness of low barrier, interdisciplinary campus services that help students such as animal-assisted therapy (AAT) on campus (Ecclestone et al., 2023). However, there are no studies published specifically that explore the benefits of animal-assisted interventions in post-secondary education such as the PAWSS program. We used qualitative methods, and quantitative methods; specifically online surveys with student and staff participants after their PAWSS sessions. This qualitative phenomenological approach provided data on participants’ experiences and insights on their lived experiences. We identified themes and patterns in participants’ experiences during and after PAWSS sessions. Research participants voluntarily signed up and were provided with an informed consent form and the study has been approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee. According to the research project findings, PAWSS program participants reported enhanced mental health, stronger social connections, reduced stress, and increased well being after engaging in sessions with dogs and cats. Participants also recommended broader advertising of the PAWSS program and increased availability of sessions across the campus. Furthermore, we are currently using measures for the levels of stress and mood before interacting with the PAWSS, and after attending sessions over 3 and 6 months (Spielberg et al., 1983; Cohen et al., 1983). The measures are The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS-SF), and we will report the result in the poster.Item Parental beliefs about children's language and music development: a pilot project(2025) Kutcher, Ashley; Corrigall, KathleenParents have access to a wealth of information regarding child development; however, much of this information is conflicting, incorrect or misleading, or overwhelming in amount or complexity. We distributed a survey distributed to parents/guardians of children under five years of age (n = 27) in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and surrounding areas. Descriptive and correlational analyses were used to address the following: (1) What knowledge and misconceptions do parents have regarding language development? (2) Is knowledge of language development associated with parental demographic variables? (3) What concerns do parents have about language development? Found that only 48% of parents sampled correctly identified the age range at which children tend to produce their first words, and only 53% correctly identified the age at which children begin producing two-word utterances. There were no significant correlations between any of the demographic variables tested and know ledge of milestones; however, correlational values indicate that this is likely due to the study being underpowered. However, this research informs the literature on areas in which parents have concerns regarding their child's language development, with the most common being their child not meeting speech milestones and having difficulty producing and understanding speech. This exploratory study offers insights into parental knowledge of language development, highlighting common misunderstandings and areas in language development in which parents have the most concern that can be addressed in future research.Item The effectiveness of buprenorphine-naloxone on opioid use disorder(2022) McDermott, Emily; Offrey, LauraOpioid use disorder (OUD) is a disorder characterized by extreme opioid misuse which causes issues within all aspects of life. To treat OUD, buprenorphine-naloxone (BNX) is used as a partial opioid agonist paired with naloxone to discourage injection. This medication is often prescribed as a sublingual medication for participants to self-administer. This paper investigates the effectiveness of BNX on treating OUD by examining various empirical studies concerning BNX. The studies suggest BNX has a moderate to strong effectiveness on treating OUD compared to other available treatments. Future directions primarily consist of addressing the common limitation of low retention rates in treatment through a variety of means. Assessment of BNX on OUD is necessary as the opioid crisis present in North America continues to grow.Item How to be the best influencer: the impact of personality, audience perceptions, and narcissism on social media influencing(2024) Saroya, JapkaranSocial media influencers (influencers) are individuals who have built followings on social media platforms by sharing content with their audience and can be paid to do so through promotional posts and partnerships with brands and businesses. Social media influencing has grown into a lucrative career for people worldwide. But which factors are essential to optimize your social media growth online? This paper reviews how specific personality characteristics, audience perceptions, and narcissism play a role in the success of social media influencers and how to utilize social media to create success in social media influencing.Item Exploring the efficacy of exposure and response prevention therapy on obsessive compulsive disorder(2024) Rhodes, AlyssaExposure and response prevention therapy (EX/RP) is a well-established treatment method for combatting intrusive obsessions and repetitive, time-consuming compulsions that classify obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Through therapist encouragement and self-monitoring, individuals confront their compulsive fears, in vivo or imaginal, without the ability to alleviate anxiety through obsessive behaviours. The following paper's purpose is to evaluate the efficacy of this therapy and its components for treating individuals diagnosed with OCD. Research showed that response prevention had a promising impact on those as young as 11. Other research emphasized the positive effects of EX/RP on all ages contingent on patients' ability to adhere to the therapy techniques, specifically response prevention. Moreover, studies have found that this singular type of therapy had more effectiveness and fewer disadvantages than other types of anxiety therapies, biological therapies, or integrative therapies. Cumulatively, the studies supported and affirmed EX/RP as a leading treatment method for OCD on the grounds of its efficacy.Item The effectiveness of transcranial magnetic stimulation for obsessive-compulsive disorder(2024) Vera, Patricia DeObsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety-related disorder. Obsessions are experienced as recurring, unwanted thoughts. In response to obsessions, people feel driven to act with repetitive behaviours, known as compulsions. Obsessions and compulsions cause significant distress and impairment in an individual’s daily life and relationships. OCD is relatively common, with a lifetime prevalence rate between 2%-3%. Thus, research must find an effective treatment for individuals with OCD. This paper examines a relatively new area of research that explores the use of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to treat OCD. TMS is a non-invasive brain stimulation that has recently shown promising effects in treating psychological disorders. Studies researching TMS on OCD, primarily with individuals who have not responded to previous treatments, have found it to be effective, with symptoms significantly decreasing post-treatment, and with effects lasting up to 3-months post-treatment. Overall, TMS appears to offer an effective alternative for individuals with treatment-resistant OCD. However, while studies on TMS show significant results, participants with greater OCD symptoms and/or sleep disturbances tend to report a decreased response to treatment. Also, studies using TMS typically have limitations with their sample sizes, lack of control groups, and lack of long-term follow-up assessments. Overall, TMS appears to be effective for OCD, but future research needs to address current limitations to determine the true effectiveness of this new treatment.Item How neuroticism and disgust influence health anxiety through anxiety sensitivity: a conditional process model(2024) Styba-Nelson, Kevin; Byam, Layton; Penney, AlexanderHealth anxiety (HA) is the persistent worry about one’s health or persistent concerns that one might become seriously ill. Previously, HA has been associated with neuroticism, anxiety sensitivity, and disgust. The present study sought to examine if disgust moderates the relationships between neuroticism, anxiety sensitivity, and HA. An undergraduate sample (N = 552) completed online self-report questionnaires of neuroticism and HA. Participants also completed measures of disgust, which contained propensity and sensitivity subscales, as well as anxiety sensitivity, which contained physical, cognitive, and social subscales. Hayes’ (2023) PROCESS macro was used to conduct a conditional process analysis. We found that neuroticism had an indirect effect on HA through both anxiety sensitivity physical and anxiety sensitivity cognitive. Further, for participants with greater disgust sensitivity, there was a larger indirect effect of neuroticism on HA through anxiety sensitivity physical. Overall, these findings support that neuroticism, anxiety sensitivity, and disgust sensitivity are significant factors that contribute to HA. The findings also suggest that therapeutic techniques like interoceptive exposure to internal sensations may be effective strategies to treat HA, as they would be able to target the anxiety and disgust sensitives that underlie HA.Item Pluralistic mating strategies: examining sexual orientation with CNM, jealousy, sex drive, and sociosexuality(2024) Pavlis, Crystal; Honey, P. LynneStudies on jealousy show robust and replicable gender differences in the experience of jealousy toward infidelity, though how bisexuality or CNM affects this remains to be explored. In this study, sexual orientation was explored with sociosexuality, openness to consensual non-monogamy (CNM), and sexual desire, along with predictors of jealousy and openness to CNM. Participants (n=764) from MacEwan University, the Pride Centre of Edmonton, and online groups completed surveys on Qualtrics. Data was analyzed in JASP using correlational, linear regression, and MANOVA models. (H1) Ambiphilics had more permissive sociosexuality and greater openness to CNM than both androphilics and gynephilics, and more solitary sexual desire than androphilics. (H2) Openness to CNM was predicted with the regression equation: Openness to CNM = 22.17 + 0.370*(sociosexuality) +0.269*(solitary sexual desire) -0.095*(dyadic sexual desire). (H3) Sexual jealousy was predicted using the regression equation: Sexual jealousy = 3.295 -0.169*(orientation). Gynephilics had greater sexual jealousy than androphilics and ambiphilics. Sexual jealousy did not differ significantly between ambiphilics and androphilics. People with pluralistic sexual orientation and openness to CNM differ in their mating strategies when compared to monosexual and monogamous people. These findings suggest that bisexual and non-monogamous individuals use differential mating strategies that may increase their mating opportunities.Item Pluralistic mating strategies: examining sexual orientation with CNM, jealousy, sex drive, and sociosexuality(2024) Pavlis, Crystal; Honey, P. LynneStudies on jealousy show robust and replicable gender differences in the experience of jealousy toward infidelity, though how bisexuality or CNM affects this remains to be explored. In this study, sexual orientation was explored with sociosexuality, openness to consensual non-monogamy (CNM), and sexual desire, along with predictors of jealousy and openness to CNM. Participants (n=764) from MacEwan University, the Pride Centre of Edmonton, and online groups completed surveys on Qualtrics. Data was analyzed in JASP using correlational, linear regression, and MANOVA models. (H1) Ambiphilics had more permissive sociosexuality and greater openness to CNM than both androphilics and gynephilics, and more solitary sexual desire than androphilics. (H2) Openness to CNM was predicted with the regression equation: Openness to CNM = 22.17 + 0.370*(sociosexuality) +0.269*(solitary sexual desire) -0.095*(dyadic sexual desire). (H3) Sexual jealousy was predicted using the regression equation: Sexual jealousy = 3.295 -0.169*(orientation). Gynephilics had greater sexual jealousy than androphilics and ambiphilics. Sexual jealousy did not differ significantly between ambiphilics and androphilics. People with pluralistic sexual orientation and openness to CNM differ in their mating strategies when compared to monosexual and monogamous people. These findings suggest that bisexual and non-monogamous individuals use differential mating strategies that may increase their mating opportunities.Item Interdisciplinary supports for student mental health: Pets Assisting With Student Success - PAWSS at MacEwan University(2024) Bialowas, Payden; Oloriz, Abby; Rissanen, AnnaStudent mental health is a critical concern in academic environments, where the pressures of academic life can significantly impact well-being. This study investigates the effectiveness of animal-assisted therapy in alleviating mental health challenges. Collaborating with the Pet Assisting With Student Success (PAWSS) program at MacEwan University, we aimed to understand how interactions with therapy animals could benefit students. Employing a qualitative phenomenological approach, we gathered data on student experiences with the PAWSS program through Qualtrics. Through the survey, we explored the way in which the program influenced students' daily lives and their ease of accessing these therapeutic interactions and considered improvements that could be made to make the program more accessible to students. Participants consistently reported reductions in anxiety and stress after engaging with the PAWSS events or encountering therapy animals in hallways. Our poster includes common themes about students’ experiences with the PAWSS program, which are visually reflective through NVivo. Our findings highlight the profound positive impact of animal-assisted therapy on student stress levels and overall mental health. The human-animal bond fostered through the PAWSS program not only provides immediate relief but also cultivates a supportive campus environment. This research underscores the value of interdisciplinary approaches to mental health support and the transformative potential of integrating animal-assisted therapy into university settings.Item Research recast(ed): S2E18 - Student Research Day: student research spotlight - Katryna Yasinski, Madison Karpiak, and Amy Wildeman(2023) Miskiman, Megan; Schabert, Reinette; Yasinski, Katryna; Karpiak, Madison; Wildeman, AmyIn today’s episode, we are joined by three student researchers here at MacEwan: Katryna Yasinski from the Faculty of Fine Arts and Communications, Madison Karpiak from the Faculty of Arts and Science, and Amy Wildeman from the Faculty of Nursing.Item Neuroticism to GAD: The influence of thought processes and metacognitions(2024) Styba-Nelson, KevinThere are many cognitive thought patterns and individual factors that are known to underly the persistent and wide spread worrying of individuals with GAD. This includes the personality trait of neuroticism, as well as the maladaptive cognitions of AS, and IU. Metacognitive beliefs about worry, people’s beliefs about the impact and controllability of worrying, are also known to be a substantial factor in GAD. The present studies sought to investigate this possible moderating effect, and evaluate its impact on individuals’ worry severity and symptoms of GAD. The first of these studies (N = 573) investigated the moderating effect of metacognitions on the relationships anxiety sensitivity has with worry severity and GAD in an undergraduate sample. The second of these studies (N = 627) expanded upon the first. It investigated the indirect pathways from neuroticism to worry severity and GAD, through anxiety sensitivity and intolerance of uncertainty. Its primary focus was to then investigate if these indirect pathways would be moderated by metacognitive beliefs. Overall, these studies did not conclude that metacognitions play a moderating role in the relationships neuroticism, anxiety sensitivity, and intolerance of uncertainty have with worry severity and GAD. Despite this, it was still found that anxiety sensitivity and intolerance of uncertainty were significant mediators in the indirect pathways that connect neuroticism to worry severity and GAD. This would suggest that future research may wish to further investigate these mediational pathways, and possibly incorporate metacognitions as mediating rather than moderating variables.Item Do metacognitions have a moderating role in GAD? An investigation with neuroticism, anxiety sensitivity, and intolerance of uncertainty(2024) Styba-Nelson, Kevin; Penney, AlexanderThere are many cognitive thought patterns and individual factors that are known to underly the persistent and wide spread worrying of individuals with GAD. This includes the personality trait of neuroticism, as well as the maladaptive cognitions of AS, and IU. Metacognitive beliefs about worry, people’s beliefs about the impact and controllability of worrying, are also known to be a substantial factor in GAD. The present studies sought to investigate this possible moderating effect, and evaluate its impact on individuals’ worry severity and symptoms of GAD. The first of these studies (N = 573) investigated the moderating effect of metacognitions on the relationships anxiety sensitivity has with worry severity and GAD in an undergraduate sample. The second of these studies (N = 627) expanded upon the first. It investigated the indirect pathways from neuroticism to worry severity and GAD, through anxiety sensitivity and intolerance of uncertainty. Its primary focus was to then investigate if these indirect pathways would be moderated by metacognitive beliefs. Overall, these studies did not conclude that metacognitions play a moderating role in the relationships neuroticism, anxiety sensitivity, and intolerance of uncertainty have with worry severity and GAD. Despite this, it was still found that anxiety sensitivity and intolerance of uncertainty were significant mediators in the indirect pathways that connect neuroticism to worry severity and GAD. This would suggest that future research may wish to further investigate these mediational pathways, and possibly incorporate metacognitions as mediating rather than moderating variables.Item How to make a good first impression when socially anxious(2023) Nielsen, MelissaMaking a good first impression is integral to forming and maintaining relationships, which affect nearly every aspect of one's life. Whether interviewing for a job or meeting a partner's friends and family, making positive first impressions can significantly improve one's quality of life. Research shows that social anxiety impedes a person's ability to make a good first impression. Wherein appearing anxious (i.e., tense, fidgeting, unstable vocal pitch) can cause a person to come across as less desirable, more submissive, detached, and less expressive. Social anxiety also contributes to one's negative interpretation of their impressions on others, further perpetuating this fear. However, there are specific strategies that can help people conquer social anxiety and make better first impressions. By creating self-distance (e.g., non-first-person self-talk, reflecting as if watching a stranger), focusing on others (e.g., learning about others, performing acts of kindness), and increasing self-expression, one can decrease social anxiety and make better first impressions.