Psychology Undergraduate Honours Theses

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Browsing Psychology Undergraduate Honours Theses by Subject "Adverse childhood experiences"

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    The influence of childhood adversity, resiliency, and attachment on dark triad traits
    (Faculty of Arts, University of Regina, 2021-04-18) Taylor, Emma K.
    Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACE’s) such as abuse and neglect have been closely linked to poor outcomes in adulthood. Research has identified that attachment styles and resilience can act as a protective mechanism against the negative effects of ACE’s (Simeon et al., 2007). However, these effects have not yet been studied with dark triad personality traits (psychopathy, narcissism, machiavellianism) as the outcome variable. Purpose: The present study sought to reveal the predictive relationship of ACE’s, resilience, and attachment on dark triad traits (DTT). Method: For the present study, 120 participants completed a set of online self-report questionnaires assessing ACEs, resilience, attachment style, and DTT. Results: Multiple linear regressions were conducted with DTTs as outcome variables. All models including DTT averages (p <.000), machiavellianism (p < .000), narcissism (p = .001), and psychopathy (p = .000) were significant. Age, sexual orientation, number of children, anxious and avoidant attachment variables significantly contributed to our model predictions. Limitations: Participants were mostly female (79.2%), heterosexual (79.2%), had no children (64.2%), and were of European descent (75%). Implications: These findings suggest that attachment style and other demographics may play a more important role in—and may be more appropriate targets for interventions related to—dark triad traits than the number of ACEs that one has experienced. Future studies with clinical samples, longitudinal study designs, and more advanced statistical analyses are needed. Practically, our findings may influence clinicians direction for treatment.
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    The influence of social support, resilience, and adversity on health: a cross-sectional study of community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults
    (Faculty of Arts, University of Regina, 2021-04-30) Vargas, Maria F. Garcia
    Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and related psychosocial processes have been widely linked to unfavorable health outcomes among children, adolescents, and younger adults. Research examining these relationships among middle-aged and older adults, however, is sparse. This study was therefore aimed at investigating the influence of ACEs and two psychosocial processes (i.e., perceived social support [PSS], psychological resilience [PR]) on global self-rated health among middle-aged and older adults. A total of 77 community-dwelling adults who resided in Saskatchewan completed a set of online self-report questionnaires regarding ACEs, PSS, PR, and global self-rated health. The sample included 57 cisgender females, 15 cisgender men, and 5 transgender men between the ages of 39 and 88 years (M = 65.36; SD = 9.00). Statistical analyses comprised of a series of multiple regressions with ACEs, PSS, and PR as the predictor variables and global self-rated health (i.e., rating of overall health, rating of overall health compared to peers, and satisfaction with overall current health) as the outcome variable. Results revealed that the model for overall health (p = .016) was significant with PR, p = .016, as a significant predictor in the model. Furthermore, the model for overall health compared to peers was significant with PR, p = .001, and PSS, p = .045, as significant predictors in the model. These findings provide preliminary support for interventions targeting psychological resilience and perceived social support to promote better self-rated health among middle-aged and older adults.