Theses supervised by Doç. Dr. Elvin Doğutepe
11 theses · Başkent University
The effect of Psychoeducational Program for emotional eating behaviour
This study is a preliminary research of Psychoeducational Program for Emotional Eating (PPEB), a self-help program consisted by 4 short videos that including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques, emotion regulation strategies, and mindfulness-based practices. It aims to measure efficacy of PPEB in addition to relationship between emotional eating and depression, stress and anxiety. The study was conducted with 52 obese participants, all of whom were women and ranged in age from 18 to 54. The participants were under the supervision of a dietitian, and were divided into two groups, which are intervention group and the control group. After signing the informed consent form, all participants completed the Demographic Information Form, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 21 (DASS 21), and the Emotional Appetite Questionnaire (EMAQ). Following the administration of pre-tests, the intervention group completed the PPEB in addition to dietitian supervision, while the control group continued with only dietitian supervision. Post-test measurements were taken for both groups. The analysis results indicated that PPEB was successful in reducing emotional eating behavior related to positive emotions, negative emotions and situations, and the participants who completed PPEB significantly lost more weight compared to the participants in the control group. However, it was observed that PPEB did not have a significant effect on emotional eating behavior related to positive situations. Additionally, it was found that depression, anxiety, and stress were associated with emotional eating behavior related to negative emotions and situations. The findings, limitations, and suggestions for further research were discussed within the context of the current literature.
The effect of self construal on Visual Mandela Effect with a metacognitive perspective
The Visual Mandela Effect (VME) refers to collegial misremembering of popular images. For now, it is still not entirely clear why this phenomenon occurs. Visual memory has been given as a possible cause, but visual attention, which may affect this phenomenon, has not been studied. In this context, the effect of self-construal, which is related to visual attention, has been investigated on the VME. The sample of the study is based on voluntary participation and consists of adults between the ages of 18-35. The data of a total of 221 participants were evaluated by considering the exclusion criteria. Participants were primed with either interdependent, independent self-construal or control conditions. Participants were presented with focally and globally manipulated and original popular images and asked to choose the correct image. In addition to this, the reaction time, confidence rating about the answers and the reaction times of confidence rating were measured. Visual manipulations differed significantly from each other in four separate measures: in local manipulations, participants made more mistakes than holistic manipulations, and the degree of confidence in the answers was higher. On the other hand, participants examined holistic manipulations longer than local manipulations and spent more time answering their confidence rating. The effect of the self-construal was only in the reaction time in the confidence ratings: the independent self-construal group spent more time on the confidence rating of the local manipulations, while the interdependent self-construal group spent significantly more time on both visual manipulations. Six images of VME, five local and one holistic, were found. The study showed the effect of visual manipulations on VME and gave information about the relationship of metacognitive structures with self-construal based on visual manipulations. The strengths, limitations and contributions of the research are discussed together with the literature.
Comparison of perceived social support and executive functions of individuals who have lost a beloved person or companion animal
The purpose of the current study is to explore both the similarities and differences between human loss and companion animal loss, focusing on the severity of grief, executive functions (EFs), and perceived social support (PSS). The study's sample consists of 380 adult volunteers, ranging in age from 18 to 85. Participants were selected based on their experiences and subsequently divided into three distinct groups: human loss, companion animal loss, and no loss. Initially, all participants completed a Demographic Form. Those who had experienced the loss of a human or a companion animal were randomly assigned to receive the Core Bereavement Items, the Executive Functions Index (EFI), and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Conversely, participants in the no loss group randomly received the EFI and MSPSS. The results indicated that there were no significant differences in grief severity and perceived social support between the loss groups. However, empathy was significantly higher in the loss group compared to the no loss group. Correlation analyses among the loss group, no loss group, EFI, and MSPSS revealed that motivation was positively correlated across all groups. Organization and strategic planning were positively correlated only within the loss group. Impulse control was higher in the human loss group as perceived social support from family increased, whereas impulse control decreased in the no loss group as perceived social support from a significant other increased. These findings have been discussed in the context of the relevant literature. Keywords: Grief/Bereavement, companion animal, executive functions, social support
Relationships between maladaptive daydreaming, addiction tendency and executive functions
Maladaptive daydreaming (MD) is an intense and uncontrollable tendency to engage in immersive daydreaming that replaces daily activities and causes problems in social, occupational, and academic domains. In this study, the relationships between MD, addiction tendency, and executive functions were investigated. The study sample consists of 77 university students aged between 19-25 (63 females and 14 males). This study consists of two parts: online and face-to-face. In the first phase, participants volunteered to participate in the research online and completed the Demographic Information Form, Maladaptive Daydreaming Scale (MDS-16), Addiction Profile Index Internet Addiction Form (APIINT), Addiction Profile Index Risk Screening Form (APIRSF) Alcohol and Drug Forms. Then, participants were divided into two groups, maladaptive daydreamers and non-maladaptive daydreamers, according to the scores obtained from the MDS-16 scale, and invited to the second phase of the research. Data were collected through face-to-face applications using the Stroop Test TBAG Form and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). Correlation analyses revealed a significant and positive relationship between MD and internet addiction. Regression analysis revealed internet addiction scores predict MD scores. The main effect of the MD groups on addiction tendency and executive functions was examined with MANOVA. According to the analysis, the MD group factor only had a significant impact on internet addiction. This result partially confirms the main hypothesis of the research. The findings of the study were discussed in the light of relevant literature. Finally, the study's contributions, strengths, and limitations are evaluated, and suggestions for future research were made
Differences in anchoring effect on willingness-to-pay in the context of decision-making styles
Decision-making constitutes a significant aspect of human behavior. A variety of biases affect human judgment, with the anchoring effect being a significant one, where individuals tend to lean their judgment towards a value initially presented, known as the anchor. The aim of this study is to explore how anchors influence economic behavior and specifically, on consumer valuations (Willingness-to-Pay) across different types of anchors and levels of product familiarity. Another key aim is to examine how individual differences in decision-making styles are related to WTP. The sample of the study consists of adults between the ages of 18-30. After getting confirmation of participation to attend this study, they proceeded to access the anchor paradigm in an online platform. They were then randomly assigned in equal numbers to one of the four groups manipulated, with both relevance and level of the anchor as the between-subject variables, and familiarity as the within-subject variable. Then, they completed the Decision-Making Styles Scale, and Demographic Information Form, respectively. A combined approach of experimental and correlational methods was utilized to investigate variables related to WTP. The results indicated that higher levels of anchoring significantly increased the WTP for various consumer goods. Furthermore, participants in the higher irrelevancy condition stated significantly higher WTP than those exposed to relevant information. The results also indicated that higher levels of familiarity significantly increased the WTP. Contrary to expectations, analysis of the correlations between decision-making styles and WTP revealed no significant correlation. These findings have been discussed in the context of the relevant literature.
Attitudes of artificial intelligence and artificial intelligence-based psychotherapies: A study involving three different fields
This study compares artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-based psychotherapy attitudes in different academic disciplines and investigates the relationship between help-seeking attitudes and these attitudes. The sample comprises third- and fourth-year Turkish psychology, computer engineering, and sociology students aged 20-30. The study was conducted with 229 participants. During data collection, an online survey was presented to participants. In survey, participants were provided with Informed Consent Form, Demographics Form, Turkish versions of General Attitudes Toward Artificial Intelligence Scale, Attitudes Towards Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale - Short Form, a short descriptive paragraph explaining AI-based psychotherapies, and Attitudes Toward AI-based Psychotherapy Scale in this order. Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference between groups in positive AI and AI-based psychotherapy attitudes. It was found that computer engineering students have a more positive AI and more positive AI-based psychotherapy attitude compared to psychology and sociology students. No significant difference was found between psychology and sociology students' positive AI and AI-based psychotherapy attitudes. When the help-seeking attitude was examined as a covariate, it was seen that the significant difference between groups in the AI-based psychotherapy attitude had disappeared. In other words, students' AI-based psychotherapy attitude may stem from their help-seeking attitudes. The results of this study are discussed along with their clinical implications, limitations, strengths, and suggestions for future studies in light of the literature. Keywords: artificial intelligence attitude, artificial intelligence-based psychotherapy attitude, help-seeking attitude.
Examining the predictor role of alexithymia degree on grief experience in bereaved individuals
This study aimed to examine the relationship between individuals' levels of alexithymia and their experiences and responses during the grieving process following the loss of a loved one. In this context, the predictive role of alexithymia on grief reactions was investigated. The study included a total of 106 participants aged between 18 and 60. These participants had lost a close relative due to death at least 6 months and at most 1 year prior to the study. Those who agreed to participate were first presented with an Informed Consent Form and a Demographic Information Form. Following this, the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and the Hogan Grief Reaction Checklist (HGRC) were administered. The collected data were analyzed using simple linear regression and stepwise multiple regression analyses. The HGRC includes six subscales in total that are include five negative grief reactions and one positive grief reaction. The negative grief reactions were grouped under the heading "Misery Scale" and were treated as a single measure in some of the analyses. The analyses revealed that the level of alexithymia significantly and positively predicted negative grief reactions, while it significantly and negatively predicted positive grief reactions which is personal growth. Furthermore, it was found that the "difficulty identifying feelings" dimension of alexithymia was most strongly associated with negative grief reactions, whereas the "externally oriented thinking" dimension was most strongly associated with positive grief reactions. The findings were interpreted in the context of the existing literature, and the strengths, limitations, and implications of the study for future research were discussed. Key Words: Alexithymia, grief, grief reactions, feelings, personal growth
Early maladaptive schemas and mental health: The sequential mediator role of neuropsychological personality traits and cognitive emotion regulation
The aim of the study was to examine the role of neuropsychological personality traits and cognitive emotion regulation (also called cognitive coping strategies) in the relationship between early maladaptive schemas (EMSs) and mental health. For this purpose, 497 participants with ages 18 to 65 years in Turkey voluntarily participated in the research. The data was gathered through Young Schema Questionnaire–Short Form 3, Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, Behavioral Inhibition System/Behavioral Activation System Scales, Brief Symptom Inventory, and Satisfaction with Life Scale. In order to investigate their mediator role, Hayes's procedure for serial mediation analysis was conducted. The results revealed that neuropsychological personality traits and cognitive emotion regulation sequentially mediated the relationship between EMSs and mental health. In general, stronger schemas predicted higher levels of activation in the Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS), which in turn predicted the increased use of the Less Adaptive Cognitive Coping Strategies (LACCS) or decreased used of the More Adaptive Cognitive Coping Strategies (MACCS) which in turn predicted more psychopathological symptoms. However, although Acceptance was categorized under MACCS, it was found to have a negative impact on this relationship; meaning that stronger schemas predicted higher levels of activation in BIS, which in turn predicted the increased use of Acceptance, which in turn was associated with more psychopathological symptoms. Regarding the relationship between EMSs and life satisfaction, stronger EMSs predicted increased levels of activation in BIS, which in turn predicted the decreased use of MACCS, which in turn decreased levels of life satisfaction. Furthermore, stronger EMSs in Disconnection/Rejection schema domain (DR) and the Impaired Autonomy/Other Directedness schema domain (IAOD) predicted decreased levels of activation in the Behavioral Activation System (BAS), which in turn predicted the decreased use of MACCS, which in turn decreased levels of life satisfaction. However, stronger schemas in the Impaired Limits/Exaggerated Standards schema domain (ILES) predicted the increased activation in BAS, which in turn the increased use in MACCS, which in turn increased levels of life satisfaction. Furthermore, only Self-Blame and Catastrophizing among LACCS serially mediated the relationship between EMSs and life satisfaction with BIS for only ILES and IAOD, but not for DR. Also, Self-Blame was found to serially mediate with BAS in this relationship for only IAOD. Lastly, Acceptance was found not to be associated with this relationship. Finally, implications of these findings were discussed in line with the relevant literature. Limitations and suggestions for future studies were also presented.
Affect, impulsivity, and metacognition in borderline personality disorder feature
The first aim of the present study is to examine the association of Borderline Personality Disorder feature (high-low), and positive affect (low-high) in two different dimensions of impulsivity namely self-report and delay-related. The second aim of the study is to explore effect of the gender on BPD feature. The last aim of the current study is to examine relationships among individuals' impulsivity scores (self-report and delay-related), and metacognitive abilities (monitoring action activity and dysfunctional metacognitive beliefs). The sample of the research consists of 236 (135 female and 101 male) participants whose ages ranged from 18 to 55. The participants firstly signed the informed consent, then completed the Demographic Information Questionnaire, Borderline Personality Inventory, Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11, Delay Discounting Task (Monetary Choice Questionnaire), Metacognition Questionnaire-30, and Task-Related Metacognition Questionnaire. Results indicated that individuals who have high BPD feature also have higher self-report impulsivity scores than individuals with low Borderline Personality Disorder feature; individuals with low positive affect were found to have higher self-report impulsivity than individuals who are in a high positive affect state; individuals with high BPD feature and high positive affect made more impulsive choices than individuals with high BPD feature and low positive affect. Results regarding gender effect on Borderline Personality Disorder feature demonstrated that no significant difference in Borderline Personality Disorder feature in terms of gender. Also, it was found that increased delay-related impulsivity is associated with increased self-report impulsivity. Moreover, regarding metacognitive abilities, results showed that individuals who rate their decisions as more profitable during Delay Discounting Task tend to show less delay-related impulsiveness, similarly, they were found less impulsive in self-report measures. However, no association between dysfunctional metacognitive beliefs and monitoring action activity was found. Keywords: Borderline personality feature, self-report impulsivity, delay-related impulsivity, affect, metacognition
Umut ve öz-yeterlik faktörlerinin çevresel endişe ve davranış ilişkisindeki düzenleyici rolü
Mevcut çalışmanın amaçları, kişilerdeki öz bildirime bağlı ölçümler ile öz-yeterlik ve umut faktörlerinin çevresel endişe-davranış ilişkisindeki düzenleyici rolünü incelemektir. Araştırma pandemi zamanında gerçekleştiğinden, araştırmanın örneklemi korona anksiyetesi çok yüksek olmayan 18-30 yaş aralığındaki 375 bireyden oluşmaktadır. Katılımcılar öncelikle bilgilendirilmiş onam formunu onaylamış ardından sırası ile Demografik Bilgi Formu, Çevresel Endişe Ölçeği, Çevre Davranış Ölçeği, Bütünleyici Umut Ölçeği, Genel Özyeterlilik Ölçeği, Koronavirüs Anksiyete Ölçeğini doldurmuşlardır. Yapılan istatistiksel analizler sonucunda, çevresel davranış ile çevresel endişe, öz-yeterlik ve umut arasında pozitif yönde ve anlamlı ilişkiler olduğu bulunmuştur. Cinsiyete dayalı yapılan analiz sonucunda, araştırmanın değişkenlerinin cinsiyete bağlı farklılaşmadıkları bulunmuştur. Bununla birlikte, umut ve öz-yeterliğin çevresel endişe ve davranış ilişkisindeki düzenleyici etkisine bakıldığında hem çevresel endişe ve umut hem de çevresel endişe ve öz-yeterlik etkileşimlerinin çevresel davranış üzerinde anlamlı bir etkisi bulunmuştur. Bir başka ifade ile, hem öz-yeterlik hem de umut değişkenlerinin çevresel endişe-davranış ilişkisinde düzenleyici rolü vardır. Ancak, çevresel endişe ve umut etkileşiminin çevresel davranış üzerinde azaltıcı bir etkiye, çevresel endişe ve öz-yeterlik etkileşiminin ise çevresel davranış üzerinde artırıcı bir etkiye sahip olduğu bulunmuştur. Ardından bulunan sonuçlar ilgili alanyazın ışığında tartışılmıştır. Anahtar kelimeler: Çevresel endişe, Çevresel davranış, Umut, Öz-Yeterlik
Relationships between attachment style, cognitive flexibility and emotion regulation
This study aims to examine the effect of differentiation in adult attachment styles on cognitive flexibility and emotion regulation. The sample of the study consists of young adults between the ages of 18-30 voluntarily. A total of 259 people participated in the research. In the study, the Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory (ECR), The Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI), Difficulty of Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) were used. According to the results of the analysis, the hypothesis was that securely attached young adults had more cognitive flexibility and fearfully attached young adults had less cognitive flexibility was not significant. The hypotheses that securely attached young adults are better at emotion regulation and that fearfully attached young adults are more deficient in emotion regulation have been confirmed. The strengths, limitations, and contributions of the study are discussed in light of the relevant literature.