Browsing by Subject "cognitive abilities"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    Attachment Avoidance and Depressive Symptoms: A Test of Moderation by Cognitive Abilities
    (2014-09-04) Shea, Amanda Marie; Rand, Kevin L.; Stewart, Jesse C.; Cyders, Melissa A.; Ashburn-Nardo, Leslie; Grahame, Nicholas J.
    The substantial interpersonal and economic costs of depression make it imperative to better understand the predictors and moderators of depressive symptoms. The ability to use social support protects people from depressive symptoms, but individuals high in attachment avoidance tend not to use others as sources of support. Research has found that attachment avoidance is related to depressive symptoms in some samples but not in others (Mikulincer & Shaver, 2007; Shea, 2011). Thus, there appear to be factors that moderate the relationship between attachment avoidance and depressive symptoms. The present study examined if cognitive abilities that facilitate effective emotion regulation strategies moderate the relationship between attachment avoidance and depressive symptoms. Using a sample of college students, attachment avoidance, cognitive abilities, depressive symptoms, and other indices of psychological distress and well-being were measured and examined for evidence of moderation via hierarchical linear regression. The hypothesis that cognitive abilities moderate the relationship between attachment avoidance and depressive symptoms was not supported (ΔR2 = 0.02, p = .68). Factors contributing to the null findings are discussed and conceptual and methodological suggestions are offered for future research.
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    Extended Treatment with a High Dosage of EGCG to Rescue Appendicular Bone Abnormalities in a Down Syndrome Mouse Model
    (Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, 2015-04-17) Singh, Prabhjot; Roper, Randall J.; Abeysekera, Irushi
    Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) show significant abnormalities in cognitive abilities, muscle tone, and bone homeostasis. DS is caused by a triplication of the 21st human chromosome (Hsa21). Previous research conducted by our lab using mouse models indicates that three copies of Dyrk1a causes the appendicular skeletal deficits associated with DS. Ts65Dn mouse model carries 50% of the genes homologous to Hsa21, and exhibit excellent phenotypic model for the skeletal deficits seen in individuals with DS, such as low bone mineral density, altered bone structure, and decreased cortical bone. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is a green tea polyphenol that inhibits Dyrk1a activity. In a previous study, we showed that a three-week, low dose (10mg/kg/day) treatment of EGCG rescued bone mineral density, and trabecular bone to that of euploid levels, but not cortical bone. We hypothesize that increasing the concentration and duration of the treatment will be sufficient enough to more fully restore bone abnormalities by rescuing femoral bone mineral density, bone volume, and improving overall bone strength. This project explores the effects of using a prolonged seven-week, high dosage (100mg/kg/day) treatment on specific bone phenotypes. Dual Energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), MicroCT, and mechanical testing will be used as our means of analysis of the treated and untreated bones.
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    PERSONAL VARIANCE ON TESTS OF COGNITIVE ABILITIES
    (Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, 2012-04-13) Peterson, Hans J.; Contino, Lisa
    In an effort to optimize individual performance, researchers have been evaluating the effect of inter-personal expectations on performance for near-ly five decades. While a myriad of studies have focused on the effect of posi-tive expectations on individual performance longitudinally (the Pygmalion Ef-fect) and a handful of other studies have evaluated the effect negative ex-pectations have on individual performance longitudinally (the Golem Effect), research has failed to assess the immediate effects these phenomena have on individual performance. In an effort to more comprehensively understand these two phenomena, this study used a group of 150 undergraduates to evaluate the effect to which positive and negative expectations moderated individual performances on a standardized test of cognitive abilities. Prelimi-nary data support the hypothesis that there will be a significant difference in the performance of individuals from the positive and negative expectation groups. Implications for educators, trainers, and related application are dis-cussed. Funded by CRL UROP Grant