Masters Theses
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ItemMental Health and Division I Athletes(Middle Tennessee State University, 2025)Mental health in Division I (DI) athletes has often been overlooked due to the perceived protective nature of sports. Existing data have typically relied on screening tools designed for the general population, which may not fully capture specific challenges athletes face. In this study, 192 DI athletes from American institutions completed three assessments: (1) Patient Health Questionnaire – 9 (PHQ-9); (2) Generalized Anxiety Disorder -7 (GAD-7); (3) Athlete Psychological Strain Questionnaire (APSQ). Participants were classified into risk categories based on pre-established cut-off scores for each assessment. Chi-square analyses were used to determine alignment of risk classification between the sport-specific assessment (APSQ) and each general assessment (PHQ-9; GAD-7). Classification for the APSQ scores were significantly associated with classification for both the PHQ-9 (χ2(1, N = 192) = 73.27, p < .001) and the GAD-7 (χ2(1, n = 175) = 51.39, p < .001. Therefore, the APSQ can be used with athletes alongside screening tools designed for the general population, though further research is needed to evaluate its potential as a standalone assessment tool.
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ItemExploring Psychological Isolation's Influence on Organizational Commitment and Turnover Across Work Arrangements(Middle Tennessee State University, 2025)This study investigated whether psychological isolation moderates the relationship between work arrangements and key organizational outcomes. Data were collected from 169 employees working in traditional (n = 49), hybrid (n = 82), and remote (n = 35) roles. Initial analyses found no significant relationship between work arrangements and either organizational commitment or turnover intentions, and psychological isolation did not moderate these relationships. However, follow-up analyses using a more granular measure of frequency of shared workdays in the office revealed that coworker presence significantly reduced psychological isolation. In turn, lower psychological isolation was associated with stronger organizational commitment across all three dimensions and lower turnover intentions across both dimensions. Mediation analyses confirmed that psychological isolation explains how shared in-office days influence these outcomes. These findings highlight the importance of coworker interaction over work arrangement type alone. Future research should adopt more nuanced measures of work arrangements, strive for larger sample sizes, and explore these relationships in international contexts to enhance generalizability.
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ItemThe Dark Tetrad, Perceived Stress, Coping, and Depression(Middle Tennessee State University, 2025)Occupational stress has a significant negative influence on the physical health, psychological wellbeing, and performance of employees. The purpose of these two studies was to test a serial mediation pathway in which occupational stressors influence perceived stress, which influences emotion-focused coping, which influences risk of depression. Additionally, the studies tested a moderating influence of the Dark Tetrad personalities on the stress appraisal process. Participants were recruited from two populations of nurses and were asked to respond to a series of questionnaires. Support for the serial mediation pathway was found in Study 1 but not Study 2. Additionally, a moderating effect of grandiose narcissism was found in Study 2 but not Study 1, such that those high in grandiose narcissism were less likely to appraise stressors as stressful. No other findings were significant, suggesting that the Dark Tetrad does not influence stress appraisal. However, future research should use a larger sample size and longer timeframe to further explore these findings.
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ItemExamining the impact a visible forearm tattoo has on applicants during the selection process(Middle Tennessee State University, 2025)Previous research has suggested that visible tattoos can negatively influence hiring outcomes, particularly in professional settings. This study aimed to examine whether the presence of a visible tattoo influenced interview performance ratings and the likelihood of receiving a job offer for an entry-level management position at a sports store. The results did not fully support the hypotheses that tattoos would negatively impact candidates' interview performance ratings or their chances of being offered the position. While tattoo presence did not significantly affect the likelihood of being hired, there was a significant interaction between tattoo presence and actor identity for interview performance ratings. Specifically, participants rated Alex higher when she had a tattoo, and Cameron lower when she had a tattoo, suggesting that individual characteristics of the candidate may influence how tattoos are perceived. Additionally, participants expressed positive attitudes toward tattoos, rejecting common stereotypes associating tattoos with irresponsibility or unprofessionalism. These findings challenge previous research that suggested tattoos hinder career opportunities, particularly in customer-facing roles. The results indicate that those in charge of hiring candidates may have lower negative stereotypes or biases toward tattoos than in previous years, allowing them to place a greater focus on qualifications and behavior when making hiring decisions. While this study was limited to a specific industry and job type, the findings suggest that visible tattoos may no longer be a significant barrier to employment. Future research should explore how tattoos are perceived in different industries and job roles to further understand their influence on hiring decisions.
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ItemAutoshaping of the mouse’s lever press for social reinforcers(Middle Tennessee State University, 2025)Diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have spiked within the last decade. Among the most prominent characteristics of ASD are difficulties with social behavior. Animal models are commonly used to study social behavior. Specifically, rodents display complex social behaviors that can be investigated for parallels to that of humans. The current study explored whether ten C57BL/6 wild-type, female mice would work to obtain access to social stimuli. Mice were trained via an autoshaping procedure to associate lever presses with a social reward using only social stimuli. The number of lever presses required for reward access gradually increased until a breakpoint was reached, followed by comparisons to lever presses within an extinction condition. The results of this study determined the differences in social motivation amongst mice as well as the potential influence of an alternative reward type. By studying the value of social stimuli in mice we eventually hope to better understand the mechanisms that initiate and influence the value of social stimuli in humans.