Comparison of Sirinapa Churassamee’s Master’s Thesis to Other Psychology Theses from Around 2019
Sirinapa Churassamee’s 2019 master’s thesis from Chulalongkorn University, titled “A comparison of emotion regulation strategies’ effectiveness under cognitive fatigue,” is an experimental study in cognitive psychology. It examines how reappraisal, distraction, and affect labeling perform in regulating negative emotions under fatigue conditions, using a 2 (fatigue vs. non-fatigue) × 3 (strategies) within-subject design with 46 participants. Measures included self-reported emotions and skin conductance responses, with findings showing reappraisal as the most effective strategy across conditions, contributing to emotion regulation literature by highlighting its robustness even under cognitive load.
To compare it with other psychology master’s theses from around 2019 (or close years, as exact matches were limited in accessible repositories), I reviewed a sample of similar works from universities like the University of Oldenburg, University of Padova, University of Canterbury, Ohio State University, and University of Twente. These cover topics in cognitive, clinical, and social psychology, including experimental, cross-sectional, longitudinal, and literature review designs. The sample includes both empirical and non-empirical studies, reflecting typical master’s-level work. Key comparisons focus on methodology, rigor, originality, sample size, and contribution.
Examples of Comparable Theses
- Functional Connectivity of Partial Sleep Deprivation in a Mature Group: An rs-fMRI Study (Ana Paulina Lira García, University of Oldenburg, 2019): An experimental crossover design (n=24) using fMRI to explore resting-state brain networks under sleep deprivation. Key findings: Decreased cerebellar connectivity under deprivation, no changes in default mode network. This is similar to Churassamee’s in its experimental focus on cognitive states but uses advanced neuroimaging; however, smaller sample and exploratory nature limit generalizability.
- The Use of Relaxation Techniques in a Personalized Virtual Environment (Iva Tomašević, University of Padova, 2021): A literature review synthesizing VR, relaxation techniques (e.g., progressive muscle relaxation), and personalization. No empirical data; findings emphasize personalized VR’s potential for anxiety reduction. Less rigorous than Churassamee’s due to absence of original data, but original in integrating emerging tech.
- Evaluation of Stress, Burn-out and Resilience on Postgraduate Clinical Psychology Students (Chelsea N. Avery, University of Canterbury, 2024): Cross-sectional survey (n=240) examining resilience as a moderator of stress and burnout. Findings: Higher stress in psychology students; resilience buffers burnout. Larger sample than Churassamee’s, but cross-sectional design limits causality inference, making it comparable in scope but less controlled.
- Stress Mindset: How Is It Working, When Does It Work? (Kendra Wilson, Ohio State University, 2023): Mixed longitudinal (n=134) and cross-sectional (n=302) design during COVID-19, testing stress mindset’s effects on mental health, moderated by race. Findings: Mindset reduces depression/anxiety for White but not Black participants. More ambitious with longitudinal elements and diversity focus, surpassing Churassamee’s in temporal depth but similar in psychological process exploration.
- The Mediation Effect of Dampening on the Relation Between Symptomology of Bipolar Disorder and Well-Being (Franziska Strumann, University of Twente, 2020): Cross-sectional survey (n=107) on emotion regulation in bipolar disorder. Findings: Emotion-focused rumination mediates manic symptoms and well-being. Comparable to Churassamee’s emotion regulation theme, with solid mediation analysis but reliant on self-reports without physiological measures.
Overall, theses from this period often feature sample sizes of 24–302, with designs ranging from experimental (like Churassamee’s) to surveys or reviews. Common themes include emotion regulation, stress, and cognitive processes. Churassamee’s stands out for its controlled within-subject design and dual measures (self-report + physiological), which add rigor compared to purely survey-based works. However, it lacks the longitudinal aspect or large-scale diversity seen in some others, and its sample (n=46) is modest but appropriate for an experimental master’s study. Originality is moderate, building on prior emotion regulation research without groundbreaking tech like fMRI or VR.
Rating of Quality and Design in Percentile
Based on a 1-10 scale assessing rigor (e.g., controls, measures), originality (novelty of question or approach), sample size (adequacy for design), and contribution (advancement of knowledge), Churassamee’s thesis rates an 8/10. It demonstrates strong experimental control, objective physiological data, and clear implications for emotion regulation strategies, though it could benefit from larger samples or follow-up studies.
Among the sampled theses (ratings: 7, 7, 7, 8, 7), this places it in approximately the 80th percentile. It exceeds most in empirical rigor and methodological balance but aligns with top performers in contribution. In a broader context of 2019-era psychology master’s theses (often survey-heavy or review-based with similar limitations), it ranks highly for its evidence-based design, suggesting above-average quality relative to peers.