The Master of Science (MS) in Research Psychology degree is an 11-month accelerated program in SPU's School of Psychology, Family, and Community designed to give students knowledge and skills necessary for jobs or further graduate education in psychology or psychology-related fields. Students propose and complete a capstone project (e.g., research proposal, research thesis, grant application) that best meets their career or graduate school goals.
This series contains successfully defended masters' theses and other culminating projects.
Theses from 2025
Cultural Contexts in Psychotherapy: Exploring Person-Centered Therapy Across Individualistic and Collectivistic Cultures, Mashal Bilal
The Role of Influencer Credibility In Orthorexia Nervosa Tendencies Among Young Adult TikTok Users, ShaoHsien (Zoey) Chu
Family, Machismo, & Internalized Homonegativity: Links to Depression in Latino MSM, Eddie Cruz-Cruz
Moderating Role of Extracurricular Involvement: Effects of Interparental Conflict on Adolescent Internalizing Behavior Outcomes, Annabella Drew
Culture in Action: The Role of School Culture on Educational Policy Implementation and Teacher Commitment, Julia R. Flores
Belief-Driven Resilience: How Self-Affirmation Perceptions Impact Coping Mechanisms in the Gig Economy, Jolyei A. Griffith
AI’s Threat to Human Autonomy: Exploring Perceived Threat to Professional Autonomy Among Licensed Mental Heath Counselors, Lily R. Johnson
Exploring the Mediating Role of Individual Performance in the Relationship Between Work-Life Balance and Attrition, Grace O. Leasure
Mediated and Moderated Pathways From Child Maltreatment to Suicidal Ideation: The Roles of Anxiety and Gender, Isabelle Phillips
Heat-Shock Protein Type and Alpha-Synuclein Aggregation on Dopaminergic Neuron Viability, Brianna L. Reynon
The Role of Employee Well-Being and Job Performance on Organizational Success, Allyson Olivia Strable
Theses from 2024
The Method of Loci as an Intervention for Heart Medication Adherence, Nicholas Ainsworth
Factors Influencing Shelter Dog Retention and Return, Hallie Anselmi
Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder and Anxiety: An Evidence-Based Approach Exploring Interventions for Minimally Verbal Children with ASD and Anxiety, Zolzaya Batjargal
High Fat Diet & Social Isolation: Interactive Effects on Pain, Cognition, & Neuroinflammation, Ian M. Campuzano
Sex-specific neuroinflammatory effects of chronic social isolation and hyper-palatable diet in adolescent rodents, Liberty Estrella
Anchored in Resilience: Exploring Attachment Styles and Grief Recovery, Michelle Ma
The Influence of Distress Tolerance and Anger Rumination on Suicidal Ideation, Venus Rekow
Theses from 2023
Do Role-Playing (RPG), Action Role-Playing (ARPG), and First-Person Shooter (FPS) Video Game Players Differ in Empathy and Ethical Decision Making., Jennifer Carron
Service Dogs and their Impact on Psychological Well-Being and Anxiety, Sophie C. Finneron
NMDA Receptor Inhibition on Rodent Optimal Decision-Making in the Diminishing Returns Task, Seth Foust
The Relationship Between Parental Autonomy Support and Skin-Picking Disorder Symptoms as Mediated by Emotion Regulation Difficulties, Olivia Gregorich
Asian Immingrant Parenting: Authoritative or Authoritarian? A Mixed Methods Examination, Huy Hoang
Perfectionistic Self-Presentation Mediating the Relationship Between Family Recognition Through Achievement and Help-Seeking Attitudes, Rianna M. Miramontez
Features of Attachment in Father- daughter Relationship and Depressive Symptoms in Daughters Among Emerging Adults, Yee Jie Ooi
The Moderating Effect of Race on IPTS Factors and Suicidal Ideation in a Military Sample, Shelan A. Porter
Love and Hate Across the US Political Spectrum, Joseph Walker
Theses from 2022
Distress and Growth in the Black Community, Devin A. Noel-Harrison
Effects of New Seal Introductions on Conspecific and Visitor Activity, Emily J. Northey
Simulated Owl Predation During Foraging Differentially Alters Choice and Fear Behavior Between Sex in Rats, Meghan M. Olsen
The sex difference in depressive symptoms among college students, Penelope E. Seminario
Toddler Characteristics and Attention, Lani A. Taylor
It's not you, it's me: Shame and Misrepresentation in Online Dating, Diedrah Todd