2020 Abstracts

Symons, J. David; Thompson, Lauren; Ramous, Caroline; Cho, JaeMin; Boudina, Sihem; Margetts, Alex; Buzianis, Skye; Park, Seul Ki; Luu, Kiana; Hansen, Michele; Pires, Karla; Whitehead, Kevin; Carter, Kandis; Buffolo, Marcio (University of Utah)
Faculty Advisor: Symones, J. David (University of Utah, Nutrition and Integrative Physiology)

Protein aggregates accumulate and organelles become damaged and / or dysfunctional during the process of healthy aging. A progressive loss of the cellular quality control mechanism autophagy (i.e., "self-eating") contributes to this age-associated decline in cellular function in many organs. Evidence for an age-associated repression in cardiac autophagy is not consistent. We hypothesized that 24-month old (old) male C57Bl6/J mice exhibit repressed autophagosome formation in the heart, an accumulation of cardiac protein aggregates, myocardial dysfunction, and reduced exercise capacity vs. 6-month old (adult) mice. First, cardiac lysates from old mice displayed reduced (p<0.05) accumulation of LC3II / GAPDH and degradation of p62 vs. adult animals (assessed via immunoblotting; n=12 per group). Second, the lysosomal acidification inhibitor chloroquine (CQ) induced accrual (p<0.05) of LC3II / GAPDH and p62 in hearts from adult but not old mice (quantified by immunoblotting; n=7 per group). Third, the number and size of protein aggregates was higher (p<0.05) in hearts from old vs. adult mice (measured via scanning electron microscopy; n=5 per group). Fourth, left ventricular mass / tibial length was greater (p<0.05), and indices of systolic, diastolic, and global left ventricular function (measured via transthoracic echocardiography) were impaired (p<0.05), in old vs. adult animals (n=12 per group). Finally, maximal workload performed during a treadmill-test, and soleus muscle oxidative enzyme capacity (citrate synthase activity assessed via ELISA), were less (p<0.05) in aged (n=11) vs. adult (n=12) mice. To determine whether late-in-life exercise training improves cardiac autophagy to an extent that demonstrates functional relevance, separate cohorts of older male mice completed a progressive-resistance treadmill-running program (old-ETR) or remained sedentary (old-SED) from 21-24 months. Body composition (estimated via nuclear magnetic resonance), exercise performance during a maximal workload test, soleus muscle citrate synthase activity, indices of cardiac antioxidant enzyme activity (quantified via immunoblotting), markers of cardiac autophagy, accumulation of cardiac protein aggregates, and indices of myocardial function, all improved (p<0.05) in old-ETR (n=11) vs. old-SED (n=12) mice. These data are the first to demonstrate that markers of cardiac autophagy are elevated, and indicators of protein aggregate removal and myocardial function are improved, in older mice that complete a treadmill-training regimen that is sufficient to increase skeletal muscle CS activity and maximal exercise capacity. Our results provide strong proof of concept to evaluate cause and effect relationships among exercise-training, myocardial autophagy, and cardiac function using genetic approaches in pre-clinical models and these studies are ongoing in our laboratory.

Taylor, Sarah; Fawver, Bradley; DeCouto, Brady; Lohse, Keith R.; Williams, A. Mark� (University of Utah)
Faculty Advisor: Lohse, Keith (University of Utah; Health, Kinesiology, and Recreation); Williams, Mark (University of Utah; Health, Kinesiology, and Recreation)

Achieving elite status in sport often requires athletes to overcome significant physical injuries. However, to date, there has been a paucity of studies exploring how hours engaged in practice and early developmental milestones influence injury rates in "high-risk" winter sports, such as alpine skiing. Moreover, despite numerous published reports on injury epidemiology, a lack of objective measures of performance has been a notable oversight. The purpose of this study was to assess how previous sport engagement and performance are related to injury in a sample of sub-elite youth alpine skiers. Adolescent skiers enrolled in U.S. academies (N = 169, males = 81) were given questionnaires assessing practice/injury history and sport-specific milestones, while performance in speed and technical disciplines were derived from participants' National points (i.e., ranking) for each year available. Simple correlations, MANOVAs, and linear mixed-effect regressions were used to assess relationships between predictors: age, gender, sport-specific milestones (e.g., age of first competition), practice hours, ranking; and the outcomes of interest: injury incidence (i.e., proportion of seasons an athlete sustained injuries causing them to miss > 4 weeks) and injury impact (i.e., average weeks missed due to injury each year). Results revealed that while older athletes had accumulated more injury weeks across their career (p = .020), female skiers reported greater injury incidence (p = .049). Neither injury incidence nor injury impact was associated with performance trends (all p's > .05), but they were negatively associated with time spent in group and individual practice (both p's < .05). Finally, the age of first competition was positively correlated with injury impact (p = .014). These and other findings are discussed in relation to previous studies of sport-injury, as well as applied implications for working with developmental athlete populations in high-risk domains.

Gaona-Partida, Paul; Chan, Julian; Aguilar-Alvarez, David (Weber State University)
Faculty Advisor: Chan, Julian (Weber State University, Mathematics); Aguilar-Alvarez, David (Weber State University, Exercise and Nutrition Sciences)

PURPOSE/HYPOTHESIS:
Low hemoglobin (HB) levels are used to indicate anemia, which increases your risk for contracting infectious diseases and overall mortality. The rate of iron deficiency anemia in Ghana is more than triple the world average, making this condition a main health concern for the country. In this study, we sought to identify the influence of location and iron consumption on HB levels of Ghanaians.

METHODOLOGY:
Food frequency questionnaire was given to 140 participants in 5 different locations of Ghana (Jamestown, King Tower, Mole, Larabanga, University of Ghana). All food was classified as low, medium, or high iron content according to the USDA food database. Participants were categorized as adequate or inadequate iron consumers according to this classification. ANOVA and t-test analysis was conducted to determine the differences in hemoglobin level means. P-value was set at µ0.05 and HSD was used as the post-hoc test.

RESULTS/PREDICTED RESULTS:
Mole National Park population had higher HB (µ=13.3 ± 2.51) compared to Jamestown (µ=12.1 ± 1.97) (p=0.034) and Larabanga (µ=12.0 ± 1.97) (p =.032). Individuals classified as high iron consumers had significantly higher HB that their low iron consumers counterparts (µ=13.8 ± 2.42 vs µ=12.1 ± 1.97, p=0.001).

CONCLUSION:
We were able to identify foods associated with increased Ghanaians HB. Mole had higher access to iron-rich foods such as game meat, which was reflected in their HB levels. This study illustrates the importance of promoting consumption of indigenous iron-rich foods in the current Ghanaian diet to prevent iron deficiency anemia in this population.

Winters, Blaine; Dustin, Tracy; Escobar, Jeana; Ostlund, Megan (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Blaine, Winters (Brigham Young University, Biology)

Background:
Evaluation of patients who have fallen varies significantly between nurses as well as health care facilities. In many cases, injuries go unrecognized or their identification is delayed due to poor or incomplete assessments and follow-up.

Purpose:
The purpose of this project was to design a standardized post-fall assessment for geriatric patients residing in long-term care and community settings.

Methods:
A literature review revealed that in the past 10 years, very few studies were conducted on post-fall assessments, and the majority of these studies were conducted outside of the United States. Due to the lack of current literature on the subject, the Advanced Trauma Life Support algorithm was used as a framework for the development of the post-fall assessment.

Outcomes:
A post-fall assessment evaluation was developed which includes the production of a standardized post-fall assessment flowchart, accompanied by a documentation guide. A training video was also produced to illustrate the use of the assessment tools and to allow nurses to practice their new skills.

Implications for Practice:
The standardized post-fall assessment tools will lead to more thorough evaluation and follow-up of patients who have fallen in long-term care or the community setting. This will lead to more rapid treatment of identified injuries as well as fewer missed injuries.

Teaching Methods:
Participants will receive training on the post-fall evaluation method, how it was developed and how it will be implemented.

Gardner, Emily; Floyd, Eden; Taylor, Shaylee (Utah Valley University)
Faculty Advisor: Jensen, Francine (Utah Valley University, Nursing)

Problem Statement: Nurses experience a high incidence of workplace violence.

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative research study aims to examine nurses' perceptions of workplace violence, including nurse-to-nurse, patient-to-nurse, and coworker-to-nurse violence, and explore nurses' perceptions of safety measures in their work environment.

Research Question: What are nurses' perceptions and experiences of workplace violence and what factors make them feel safer?

Background: Safety in healthcare is a concern that needs active improvement; "67% of all nonfatal workplace violence injuries occur in healthcare, but healthcare represents only 11.5% of the U.S. workforce" (Locke, Bromley, & Derspiel, 2018). The Joint Commission (2018), an accrediting body for many healthcare organizations, reported that nurses are among the most victimized by violence in healthcare. Certain locations such as the emergency department, psychiatric units, geriatric units, and intensive care units may experience a greater number of violent incidents (Camerino, Estryn-Behar, Conway, van der Heijden, & Hasselhorn, 2008). One study showed that 64% of the nurse respondents felt like violence, both physical or verbal, was an expected part of their jobs (Copeland & Henry, 2017). In addition, it was demonstrated that many nurses accept a level of violence on the job and do not see the importance of reporting incidents and looking for solutions (Copeland & Henry, 2017).

Hope to accomplish: The course of this research will explore how nurses perceive their workplace safety, shed light on experiences of workplace violence they have witnessed, and their perceptions of on-the-job safety. This research will also examine what makes newer and older nurses feel a greater sense of security while performing their jobs. Since some of the factors that make nurses feel safer may involve unit or hospital policies, these findings may offer ideas for potential changes to policies to help improve workplace safety in healthcare.

DeNiro, Adara; Cao, Erhu; Wang, Qinzhe; Wang, Jinliang (University of Utah)
Faculty Advisor: Cao, Erhu (University of Utah, School of Medicine)

The kidneys are responsible for several essential bodily functions critical to our survival. These include filtering blood and excreting metabolic waste into urine. Two proteins, polycystin-1 and polycystin-2, interact in renal tubules and promote the normal development and function of the kidneys. However, the proteins' actions are not well understood. Polycystin-1 and Polycystin-2 are encoded by the PKD1 gene and the PKD2 gene respectively. A mutation in either of these genes can lead to Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD), a common inherited disease leading to progressive renal failure. Several extrarenal manifestations occur as a result of ADPKD including hepatic cysts and intracranial aneurysms. Ultimately, ADPKD often leads to end-stage renal disease that requires dialysis or transplantation. Currently, there is no cure for ADPKD due to setbacks regarding structural determination of the Polycystic Kidney Disease Proteins. Some setbacks are the inability to view the regulatory cytosolic domains of the PKD1/PKD2 channel in atomic detail and understand the function(s) of the polycystic kidney disease proteins. My project examines the ability of Fabs and nanobodies to bind to the PKD2 channel and the PKD1/2 complex as this potentially facilitates structural determination. This is done by stabilizing cytosolic domains and/or promoting a more uniform orientation distribution of these proteins essential for imaging by cryo-electron microscopy.

Larsen Gibby, Ashley; Crockett, Kaelie (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Larsen Gibby, Ashley (Family, Home, and Social Sciences; Family Life)

Past research has found a strong association between sibling characteristics and academic achievement, but very few studies have considered the impact of adoption. Family theories, such as resource dilution, stress, and compensation theories, suggest that adoption may negatively impact biological children's educational outcomes by reducing the resources available to these children and introducing stress and complexity into their family. However, despite its likely importance, no representative studies have investigated the impact of adoption on biological children, to our knowledge. Using the American Community Survey Data from 2013-2017, we test the relationship between having an adopted sibling and being held back in school among 1,684,608 biological children. We use logistic regression and included several child and household characteristics as controls. We find that having an adopted sibling is significantly associated with an increased likelihood of being held back but that this association is almost entirely explained by family size and socioeconomic status. Therefore, we conclude that although our findings suggest a negative impact of having an adopted sibling on non-adopted children, this impact may actually be capturing differences in socio-economic status, rather than adoption itself. Further investigations of the differences among children with or without adopted siblings are needed to understand the associated classed nuances.

Reschke, Peter; Clayton, Colter; McLean, Ryan; Cordon, Hallie (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Reschke, Peter (Family, Home, and Social Sciences; School of Family Life)

Recent research has demonstrated that context plays a significant role in categorizing facial expressions of emotion (Aviezer et al., 2008). However, it is unclear which aspects of "context" drive this phenomenon. The current study sought to tease apart two unique sources of context (posture and background scene) using a fully crossed design with 6 emotions (Anger, Disgust, Fear, Sadness, Joy, and Neutral) expressed using 3 modalities (Face, Posture, Background Scene) featuring 48 different actors from 4 racial/ethnic background (Asian, Black, Hispanic, White). Seventy-two participants (Mage = 20.28, SD = 2.18, 48 female, 30 male) each viewed 216 randomly selected Face-Posture-Scene composites and were asked to select from a list an emotion that best described what the person in the image was feeling. Participants' categorizations matching the face (i.e., accuracy) were analyzed using a full factorial repeated measures Generalized Linear Mixed Model with face emotion, posture emotion, and scene emotion as factors. There were significant main effects of face emotion, F(4, 9968) = 89.602, p < .001, and posture emotion, F(5, 11574) = 34.830, p < .001, as well as significant interactions of Face Emotion X Posture Emotion, F(20, 12380) = 41.454, p < .001, and Face Emotion X Scene Emotion, F(20, 13682) = 8.066, p < .001. Post hoc analyses of the Face Emotion X Posture Emotion interaction indicated that certain face-posture combinations, such as disgust-anger and joy-anger, resulted in complete changes in emotion perception, with categorizations overwhelmingly matching the posture instead of the face. Taken together, these results suggest that face and posture play individual and interactional roles in emotion perception. Implications for theories on emotion and emotion perception will be discussed.

Hunter, Jacob; Wood, Elizabeth; Jarman, Parker; Lindell, Stephen; Schwandt, Melanie; Goldman, David; Suomi, Stephen; Barr, Christina; Higley, James (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Higley, James (Family Home and Social Sciences, Plant and Wildlife Sciences)

Rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) are commonly used as a translational model to investigate human behavior and biology, largely due to shared evolutionary history and genetic similarities. Within rhesus monkeys, there are two distinct subgroups: Indian-derived and Chinese-derived monkeys. It is surprising that research has not compared the behavioral differences in these two subgroups. While there are anecdotal reports indicating that the Chinese-derived monkeys exhibit more aggression than the Indian-derived population, the only studies to investigate differences between them investigated infants, a limitation as infants rarely exhibit significant levels of aggression. This study investigates the relationship between DCA and several behavioral measures of aggression in adult subjects. We hypothesize that rhesus monkeys with higher DCA would exhibit more aggression than monkeys with lower DCA. The subjects were n = 130 adult female rhesus monkeys, housed in indoor-outdoor runs at the National Institutes of Health Animal Center, located in Poolesville, Maryland. Observations were made while the subjects were in their home cages, using five-minute focal observations, twice weekly for six months by trained staff. Subjects were behaviorally scored for a variety of behaviors that reflect rhesus monkey aggression. DCA was determined using genealogical data tracing each subject's ancestry back to the colony's founding in the 1940s. Based on the pedigree, the subjects were divided into pure Chinese-derived, pure Indian-derived, or hybrids. Repeated measures ANOVAs showed that 100% Chinese monkeys exhibited higher rates of aggression (F(2,125) = 14.02, p < .0001), when compared to the Indian-derived or hybrid monkeys. These results suggest that, consistent with anecdotal reports, monkeys with 100% DCA exhibit higher levels of aggression than Indian-derived or hybrid subjects. Aggression may have played a pivotal role in the evolutionary success of the Chinese rhesus, allowing them to cross the Himalayas, disperse throughout China, establish territory, and successfully compete with other species.

Coy, Rachel; Macfarlan, Shane J. (University of Utah)
Faculty Advisor: Macfarlan, Shane (University of Utah, Anthropology)

United States war veterans suffer from a variety of negative outcomes, including suicide and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). These negative outcomes may be due in part to how modern militaries treat moral trauma associated with war — as a transaction leaving warriors with minimal psycho-social support. Scholars have noted many cultures employ post-combat rituals to help reintegrate war veterans back to civilian life and these may be designed to treat PTSD specifically; however, none have ever systematically tested this. We test the hypothesis that post-combat rituals function to mitigate war-induced PTSD by extracting data from the electronic Human Relations Area Files, a repository of digitized ethnographic materials spanning 300 world cultures that are fully searchable by keywords, in conjunction with diagnostic criteria used in the DSM-5. Consistent with diagnostic criteria for PTSD, our analyses reveal that seclusion and sexual abstinence were frequent post-combat rituals (40% and 37.5%, respectively). Interestingly, we find a high prevalence of warrior contamination beliefs following war (80% of cultures). Strangely, food taboos were the most prevalent (42.5%) ritual yet were not represented in the DSM-5 PTSD criteria; this could be explained by comorbid depression affecting warrior's appetites and will be important in future work. These findings were consistent with the view that some war rituals are designed to treat PTSD. However, it appears some rituals have nothing to do with it. This suggests that war rituals may have another purpose such as warriors gaining cultural rewards to help with the transition back to civilian life. I highlight the importance of these findings as 1) an alternative treatment option for veterans suffering from PTSD and 2) as a therapeutic mechanism for reintegrating U.S. soldiers back to civilian life.

Hellstern, Rylan; Fauth, Elizabeth; Aller, Ty (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Fauth, Elizabeth (Emma Eccles Jones College of Education & Human Services, Human Development and Family Studies Department); Aller, Ty (Emma Eccles Jones College of Education & Human Services, Human Development and Family Studies Department)

Mental health literacy (MHL), defined as knowledge and beliefs about mental disorders which aid in recognition, management, and prevention of mental health disorders, is crucial in promoting mental health prevention rather than just intervention (Jorm et al., 1997). MHL is low among the public (Klineberg et al., 2011), varying demographically (Reavley et al., 2011), and is low in college populations (Vasquez, 2016). This is concerning, considering rates of mental health issues among students (Storrie, et al., 2010). One interesting population are students who have had mental health diagnoses and/or who receive therapy. These students may be vulnerable due to their own mental health issues, but also may have increased MHL due to experience and educative supportive services. I hypothesize that students with prior diagnoses and/or therapy will be more likely to recognize mental health issues, feel confident about helping others, and act on that confidence (high MHL). In the current study, Amazon's Mechanical Turk was used to collect MHL data from college students across the US (N=306; ages 18-25; 52.6% female; 44.8% male, 2.6% other). Nineteen percent (N=58) reported receiving therapy over the past three months, while 113 (36.9%) reported having a mental health diagnosis over their lifetime. MHL was measured via the Mental Health Awareness and Advocacy Assessment Tool (MHAA-AT), assessing MHL Knowledge (subscales Identifying, Locating resources, Responding), MHL Self-efficacy, and MHL Responding behaviors. Independent samples t-tests (p<.05) indicated that students in therapy had higher average MHAA-AT Knowledge [Identifying], Self-efficacy, and Responding behaviors. Students with history of a mental health diagnosis had higher MHAA-AT Knowledge [Identifying, Locating], Self-efficacy, and Responding behaviors. In conclusion, students with history of diagnosis or in therapy may be a resource to universities, due to their higher MHL, including greater knowledge about mental health issues, confidence surrounding MHL, and the willingness to respond and refer.

Hall, Anna; Fauth, Elizabeth (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Fauth, Elizabeth (Emma Eccles Jones College of Education & Human Services, Human Development and Family Studies Department)

Objective: Fine motor abilities (FMA) are essential to activities of daily living (ADL) that help older people remain independent. While some older adults with reduced FMA are aware of their impairment, others are not aware, which can be problematic if they do not seek ways to compensate for losses. I hypothesize that most older adults living in the community are aware of their losses, and self-reported FMA ability will correspond to actual performance of FMA tasks. Method: Data came from OCTO-Twin, a population-based dataset of twin pairs in Sweden aged 80 and older. We randomly selected one twin from each pair because twin status was not of interest to this study, and only included people who completed fine motor tasks (N = 262, 66.4% female; Mage = 83.27, SDage=2.90). Within a large battery of self-report and performance tasks, participants were asked their perceived ability to manipulate things with their hands (Cannot do at all, Big problem, Some problem, No problem). They were also timed (in seconds) on performing FMA tasks via ADL apparatus (putting coins in a slot, screwing in a light bulb, etc.). We defined someone as "slow" in FMA tasks if they were more than one standard deviation from the total mean (nslow=38, taking 80+ seconds). Results: Cross tabulations indicated, of "slow" participants, n=1 (2.6%) self-reported "cannot do at all", n=2 (5.3%) reported "big problem", n=10 (26.3%) reported "some problem", and n=25 (65.8%) reported "no problem". In comparison, of participants who were average or fast, 193 (85.8%) reported "no problem." Implications: Surprisingly, nearly 2/3 of people who were slow on FMA tasks self-reported that they had "no problems" with hand manipulation. Being unaware of deficiencies may lead to adverse effects via lack of compensation in ADL, but may also be mentally protective to help cope with physical losses.

Green, McKay (Utah Valley University)
Faculty Advisor: Smith-Johnson, Amber (Utah Valley University, English)

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that "Six in ten adults in the U.S. have a chronic disease and four in ten adults have two or more" ("About Chronic Diseases," n.d.). This means that over half the U.S. population is trying to manage a chronic illness with their daily tasks. Those with chronic illnesses start with a shorter supply of energy. They are forced to focus solely on the basic necessities while ignoring the majority of their desires, since they do not have the energy. Because of this, they face serious problems when they put off managing their symptoms to manage society's perceptions instead. My main research question is this: "Are those with chronic illness essentially (mis)managing their illness due to the perceptions of society? And if so, how do we change this problem?" The impact of perception on chronic illness management has not been studied adequately. However, in spite of the paucity of research, I have confirmed through my own primary and secondary research that many with chronic illnesses abandon their required treatment regimens in favor of perception management. Society has this image of disability that is very appearance driven — wheelchair, crutches, etc. And because the vast majority of those with chronic illnesses appear outwardly healthy, they are expected to actually be healthy and function like everyone. In this process they typically push themselves too far and cause debilitating and painful flare-ups. Studies have shown that if those with chronic illness have hope for a productive life, their illness is easier to manage. This hope is best nourished by focusing on treatment management instead of perception management. The goal of my research is to introduce hope into the lives of those with chronic illnesses so that they can manage their symptoms instead of society's perceptions.

Sassra Dobson; Loren Larsen; Matthew Tidwell; Chris Anderson Ph.D.; Ron Hammond Ph.D. (Utah Valley University)
Faculty Advisor: Hammon, Ron (Utah Valley University, Behavioral Science: Sociology)

This UVU IRB approved study (Control #35) included a UVU IRI randomly selected sample of 9,999 UVU Graduates 2014-2018, solicited via email with a link to an online Qualtrics survey. Results yielded 668 completed surveys of married respondents. The standard Gottman's "4 Horsemen of Divorce" Questions were used to create a summative scale of their divorce risk (Range 0-28). The low and high Quartile Groups were analyzed via: Frequencies, Correlations, Independent T-Tests, & Multiple Regression. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how ADHD and other marital quality issues influence higher levels of Gottman's divorce Risk levels among married UVU Graduates. This was evaluated with 21 bivariate correlations between extended family interference and other marital quality measures. It was also evaluated with 37 Independent Sample T-Tests comparisons between Low Quartile (N=143) and High Quartile (N=157) Gottman's Four Horsemen of Divorce Scale (G4HDS) Groups. Finally a Predictive Multiple Regression Model was developed. Results from analyses indicated that at the <= .05 significance level: 20 out of 21 correlations were better for those with higher extended family interference; 32 out of 37 T-Test were better for the Low G4HDS Quartile Group; and the Regression Model was able to identify 4 of the 5 independent variables which predicted higher Gottman Divorce Risks. The somewhat unexpected influence of extended family interference is also discussed.

Dinehart, Claire; Alvord, Margaret; Holdeman, Alexis (University of Utah)
Faculty Advisor: Kamimura, Akiko (University of Utah, Sociology)

Previous studies suggest uninsured individuals in poverty not only experience higher levels of stress than the general public, but also often have a hard time seeking positive coping strategies. If the exposure to an unsafe environment is prolonged, the individual is subsequently exposed to chronic stress as a result of their constant safety concerns. Yet, little is known how home environmental issues affect stress levels among underserved populations. The purpose of this research project is to examine the association between household environmental safety and stress among uninsured primary care patients who live in poverty. Data have been collected from patients of the Maliheh Free Clinic in Salt Lake City using a self-administered survey in Fall 2019. As of October 14, 2019, 195 patients participated in the survey. The preliminary results suggest that while higher levels of concerns about indoor air pollution, lead exposure, pesticide contamination, and water contamination were associated with higher levels of perceived stress, concerns about mold were not related to stress. None of the demographic characteristics such as educational attainment and marital status affected the association between environmental concerns and perceived stress levels. Identifying these stress-related household environmental safety concerns provides a basis from which stress-reducing interventions can be launched. Remedying household environmental issues can range from simple changes, like proper chemical storage, to large scale remodeling projects, like lead abatement. Providing education about household environmental safety and information about local resources to free clinic patients is the first step towards improving stress conditions in at-risk populations.

Taylor Cline, Kent D. Hinkson Jr., Malisa M.Brooks, Craig J. Bryan (University of Utah)
Faculty Advisor: Hinkson, Kent (University of Utah, Psychology)

Abstract:

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a debilitating and exhaustive disorder that has been under official observation since the first World War and has received attention from Psychologists in both research and clinic settings. In a study by Spoormaker and Montgomery (2008), they determined that disturbed sleep in PTSD is a core feature of the disorder rather than a secondary characteristic. Spoormaker et. al (2008) also indicated that treatment for insomnia for persons with PTSD would be beneficial by offering brief sleep hygiene education, and stimulus control methods in treatment with persons who have PTSD.

This study examines the scores from Item #20 of the PTSD Checklist (PCL-5; “How much were you bothered by trouble falling or staying asleep?”, rated from 0 – 4) and compares them with the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) sum score to determine if Item #20 has a sufficiently strong relationship with respect to the ISI sum score so as to be useful in screening for insomnia in individuals with PTSD. Three hundred twenty-one (n = 321) student veterans participated in the nationwide study. Among the participants, 94.1% of those who marked “1”, “2”, “3”, or “4” on PCL-5 Item #20 met ISI criteria for insomnia, while those who endorsed “0” (“Not at all”) scored substantially below the criteria for insomnia on average. While the eight-item ISI gives more information on the nature of the sleep disturbances, Item #20 of the PCL-5 appears to do a good job at screening for those likely to meet diagnostic criteria for insomnia; this could allow clinicians and primary care staff to reduce the burden during routine mental health screenings among potentially traumatized individuals.

Downey, Haylee; Odum, Amy; Haynes, Jeremy; Galizio, Annie (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Odum, Amy (Emma Eccles Jones College of Education & Human Services, Psychology Department)

Impulsivity has been associated with a wide range of poor health behaviors including substance abuse and unhealthy eating. Delay discounting, the tendency for more remote outcomes to be devalued, has been used as a measure of impulsivity. Delay discounting is often measured by asking individuals to choose several times between smaller sooner outcomes and larger later outcomes. In delay discounting, the domain effect refers to the tendency for different outcomes to be discounted at different levels (e.g., people tend to be more impulsive about food, alcohol, and entertainment than money). Thus, some researchers have suggested that the different rates of delay discounting for different outcomes reflect different processes (i.e., delay discounting for different outcomes is not necessarily correlated for individuals). Others suggest that delay discounting is a trait. If delay discounting is trait-like, we would expect that individuals who are more impulsive about money are also more impulsive about food, drugs, and other outcomes (i.e., individual degree of delay discounting is correlated for different outcomes). We examined 53 studies using systematic review techniques to examine delay discounting of different outcomes. For the 29 studies included in Analysis 1, we found evidence to support that delay discounting is a trait. Out of the 86 correlations we examined, 83 showed non-zero, positive correlation between delay discounting of money and delay discounting of an alternative outcome. For the 28 studies included in Analysis 2, we also found support for the domain effect, a state influence: discounting of money was lower than discounting of alternative outcomes in most comparisons. In conclusion, delay discounting appears to be a generalizable, unified process, involving both state and trait influences, thus demonstrating its potential as a behavioral intervention target.

Valencia-Garcia, Nelson Omar (undergraduate student); Coles-Ritchie, Marilee (faculty) (Westminster College)
Faculty Advisor: Coles-Ritchie, Marilee (Westminster College; School of Education, DUMKE Center for Civic Engagement)

This study contributes to the literature on the impact of service-learning on students of color by intentionally centering their experience within the critical service-learning courses. We align with critical service-learning framework that highlight "collaboration between institutions of higher education and their larger communities (local, regional/state, national, global) for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources in a context of partnership and reciprocity" (Driscoll, 2008, p. 39). This work contrasts volunteerism or philanthropy as it aims to be grounded in reciprocity where students, faculty, and community partners work toward a common goal through sharing experiences, knowledge, networking, and resources. Historically, one of the founding principles of higher education is serving the public good often by applying academic expertise to society's needs rather than scholars being givers of receptacle knowledge. Also, research demonstrates that first-generation college students benefit from community service (Ting, 2003). Because graduation rates of low-income, first-generation, SOC continue to be lower than middle- and upper-class students, pedagogy that addresses the needs of SOC is vital, and it is crucial that instructors in institutions of higher education learn how to design service-learning that highlight their strengths.

Recently, higher education stakeholders have renewed efforts to develop more connections between the community and institutes of higher education. These efforts have included institutional mission statements that strengthen the emphasis on community engagement, promoting the legitimacy of community-engaged scholarship and developing centers for civic engagement to support faculty creation of service-learning courses. Despite this renewed effort, some aspects of the role and purpose of pedagogy in higher education are often overlooked (Berrett, 2012), especially for SOC (Boyle-Baise & Langford, 2005).

This study contributes to the literature on the impact of service-learning on SOC by intentionally centering their experience within the critical service-learning courses. This study contributes to the literature on service-learning pedagogy for SOC. Our findings demonstrate that well-designed pedagogy can enhance critical consciousness and community relationships while facilitating deep learning of the material. In contrast, the data also highlighted aspects of service-learning courses that were not culturally sustaining or effective and even harmful to SOC. These data could benefit educators in higher education with specific tools for creating meaningfully designed, critical culturally sustaining service-learning courses by connecting the SOC's strengths and demonstrating a keen awareness of their lived experiences.