Digital Commons Network^™

Brief Report: Attentional Cueing To Images Of Social Interactions Is Automatic For Neurotypical Individuals But Not Those With Asc, Marcus Neil Morrisey, Catherine L. Reed, Daniel N. Mcintosh, M. D. Rutherford

Psychology: Faculty Scholarship

Human actions induce attentional orienting toward the target of the action. We examined the influence of action cueing in social (man throwing toward a human) and non-social (man throwing toward a tree) contexts in observers with and without autism spectrum condition (ASC). Results suggested that a social interaction enhanced the cueing effect for neurotypical participants. Participants with ASC did not benefit from non-predictive cues and were slower in social contexts, although they benefitted from reliably predictive cues. Social orienting appears to be automatic in the context of an implied social interaction for neurotypical observers, but not those with ASC. Neurotypical …

Attachment Theory As A Framework For Supervision Of Supervisors-In-Training, Alyssa Fredricks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This focus of the study is on the training of new clinical supervisors in health service psychology, specifically the relational processes involved in learning and acquiring competence in clinical supervision. An effective learning environment is critical to supervisor training and development (Borders et al., 2014;Watkins, Budge, & Callahan, 2015) and attachment theory provides a framework for understanding the complex relationship domains and group dynamics inherent to group supervision. Given the recognition that the supervisory alliance is central to the process of competent supervision (APA, 2015), the purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between adult attachment style, the …

Role Of Executive Function And Alcohol-Sex Schema In The Relationship Between Alcohol Use And Sexual Assault, Michelle Seulki Lee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Heavy alcohol use and sexual assault are significant problems among women attending college. The current study examined the relationship between sexual assault and alcohol use across a four-month period and the role of executive function (EF) and alcohol-sex schema in this relationship. Participants were 176 women undergraduate students with a mean age of 19.50 years (SD = 1.30), with 85 participating in a second survey four months later. Participants completed self-report questionnaires regarding alcohol use and sexual assault, a battery of EF tasks, and a lexical decision task assessing alcohol-sex schema. Sexual assault significantly predicted alcohol use four months …

Determinants Of Well-Being Among Military Caregivers, Ludwig Marcello Martinez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although the current body of research in the field of informal caregivers is extensive, this research focuses on the experiences of civilian caregivers. This focus contributes to limited knowledge regarding factors that influence the experiences of individuals who provide care to ill and/or wounded service members. Although limited, this research suggests that military caregivers often experience higher levels of distress when compared to the national average. The present study aimed to examine the relationship between the veteran’s level of disability and dyadic stress on the military caregiver’s overall sense of well-being. Additionally, this study examined the moderating effects of attachment …

Predicting Help-Seeking Attitudes And Intentions In A Diné Sample, Chesleigh N. Keene

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between cultural factors, psychological distress, barriers, and attitudes toward seeking psychological help among Diné tribal members. This study is in response to calls to consider psychological and cultural factors in the underutilization of mental health services by ethnic minorities. The present study examines psychological and cultural antecedents to seeking professional psychological help among Diné tribal members (N=119). It examined the mediating role of attitudes toward help seeking in the relationship between psychological distress, barriers to care, three acculturation variables, and intentions to seek counseling. Mediation was assessed with …

Development Of A School-Based Restorative Practices Training For Parents: Impacts On Parent And Child Outcomes, Christopher R. Hughes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Restorative Practices (RP), a science of proactively building trusting and mutual relationships, is an effective framework focused on three key features of positive student discipline: building behavioral competence, addressing negative behavior, and fostering school climate. While educators are trained to use RP preventatively and reactively, parents are often only given information to use RP reactively. Strategies for proactively inviting parents to learn about and utilize RP at home are necessary to foster homeschool consistency regarding preventative discipline strategies. For the present study, 11 parents volunteered to participate in a preliminary school-based parent training designed to elicit critical parent outcomes: knowledge …

Predicting And Shifting Attitudes Toward Immigrants And Immigration: Testing A Model And Communication Strategy, Tejaswinhi Srinivas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research in intergroup relations has found evidence for economic and moral explanations for negative attitudes toward immigrants and immigration (NATII), and has evaluated various communication strategies for shifting these attitudes. However, no research to date has provided a cultural explanation for NATII, or tested and compared the impact of communication strategies for reducing NATII, in the American context. This study extended prior research in three ways. First, we tested a model that linked various psychosocial factors together (i.e., right-wing authoritarianism, intergroup contact, cultural essentialism, and symbolic threat) to provide a cultural explanation for NATII. Second, we tested the effect of …

Relationship Variables In Group Psychotherapy Treatment For Sexual Trauma Survivors, Sarah Gooch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the aftermath of sexual trauma, many survivors face painful emotions and experiences that impact their mental health and relationships. This study examined relational group psychotherapy processes including group cohesion and bond with the group leaders as vital components in treatment for sexual trauma survivors. The construct of shame was highlighted and the relationship between shame and group cohesion was explored. Outcome measures were used to assess PTSD symptomatology. A repeated-measures design was used to assess groups that were currently occurring in the community for adult, female survivors of sexual trauma. Five treatment groups were evaluated, with 27 members consenting …

Sexual Assault And Health: Understanding The Interplay Of Trauma-Related Appraisals And Physical Health Outcomes, Kerry Lyn Gagnon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Women who have been sexually assaulted are at risk for negative mental and physical health outcomes; however, limited research has tested how psychological responses to sexual assault may influence physical health. The present study tested a longitudinal model examining the association between posttrauma appraisals and physical health problems. Drawn from a larger study, the sample included 156 ethnically diverse women who had been sexually assaulted within the last year. The study used cross-lagged panel models to test for reciprocal relationships between posttrauma appraisals and physical health problems over time. A secondary aim of the study was to test whether other …

An Examination Of The Impact Of Racial Ideology And Conversations About Race On Relationship Processes Among African American Couples, Aleja M. Parsons

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study aimed to explore how considering unique cultural factors and experiences may advance the fields knowledge on relationship dynamics among African American couples. In a sample of 172 self-identified African American adults who were in opposite sex relationships, the current study explored how individual’s own and perception of partner’s racial ideology are associated with romantic processes, if, when, and how African American couples talk about race within their relationship, and the association between “dyadic racial ideology” and relationship processes. Results indicated one’s own racial ideology, conceptualized by individual subscales and cluster profiles, and discrepancy between one’s own and …

College Athletes And Romantic Relationship Conflict: The Moderating Effects Of Sport-Relationship Conflict And Enrichment, Keaton Clauss Muzika

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Relationships that college athletes develop outside of their sports have the potential to positively and negatively impact sport, relationship, and mental health outcomes. Existing research focuses on the importance of the coach-athlete, parentathlete, and athlete-athlete dyads and suggests that these relationships affect athletes’ satisfaction and commitment to sport. However, few studies examine the influence of romantic relationships on these outcomes. This study, which is founded on work-family conflict and enrichment theories, used an experimental design to examine the moderating effects of sport-relationship conflict and enrichment on the relationship between romantic relationship conflict and athlete burnout, sport commitment, depression, and perceived …

Examining The Clinical Prediction Of Cohesion In Group Psychotherapy And Potential Moderators, Ron Dolgin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Group cohesion, or the way in which group members relate and work toward the primary task of a therapy group, is a predictor for positive outcome in group psychotherapy and the building block for most group development models. Research has shown that interventions are most effective when tailored for the developmental stage of the group (Burlingame, Fuhriman, & Johnson, 2001). Logic follows that if best practice dictates that interventions be implemented based on developmental stage which, in turn, is largely informed by group cohesion, then group leaders should be competent in accurately assessing the cohesion of the group. To date, …

Utilization Of Telehealth Technology In Addiction Treatment In Colorado, J. Michael Faragher, Ying Shan Doris Zhang, Virginia Low, Demi Folds, Mita Johnson

Counseling Psychology: Faculty Scholarship

The growing presence of electronic technology in the health service professions is redefining the boundaries of counseling services. Commonly referred to as telehealth, utilization of electronic communication strategies to expand connectedness has opened new frontiers in behavioral health through applications ranging from digital phones, interactive video sessions, to virtual supervision. Substantial research suggests that telehealth is generally equal in effectiveness to traditional forms of treatment, especially for those individuals struggling with substance abuse problems. Unfortunately, research also suggests that telehealth is often underutilized when it comes to providing addiction treatment services. Telehealth trends in Colorado were examined using a Telehealth …

Motivational Valence Alters Memory Formation Without Altering Exploration Of A Real-Life Spatial Environment, Kimberly S. Chiew, Jordan Hashemi, Lee K. Gans, Laura Lerebours, Nathaniel J. Clement, Mai-Anh T. Vu, Guillermo Sapiro, Nicole E. Heller, R. Alison Adcock

Psychology: Faculty Scholarship

Volitional exploration and learning are key to adaptive behavior, yet their characterization remains a complex problem for cognitive science. Exploration has been posited as a mechanism by which motivation promotes memory, but this relationship is not well-understood, in part because novel stimuli that motivate exploration also reliably elicit changes in neuromodulatory brain systems that directly alter memory formation, via effects on neural plasticity. To deconfound interrelationships between motivation, exploration, and memory formation we manipulated motivational state prior to entering a spatial context, measured exploratory responses to the context and novel stimuli within it, and then examined motivation and exploration as …

Vmpfc Activation During A Stressor Predicts Positive Emotions During Stress Recovery, Xi Yang, Katelyn M. Garcia, Youngkyoo Jung, Christopher T. Whitlow, Kateri Mcrae, Christian E. Waugh

Psychology: Faculty Scholarship

Despite accruing evidence showing that positive emotions facilitate stress recovery, the neural basis for this effect remains unclear. To identify the underlying mechanism, we compared stress recovery for people reflecting on a stressor while in a positive emotional context with that for people in a neutral context. While blood–oxygen-level dependent data were being collected, participants (N = 43) performed a stressful anagram task, which was followed by a recovery period during which they reflected on the stressor while watching a positive or neutral video. Participants also reported positive and negative emotions throughout the task as well as retrospective thoughts …

Recent Advances In The Understanding Of Relationship Communication During Military Deployment, Steven L. Sayers, Galena K. Rhoades

Psychology: Faculty Scholarship

In recent decades, there has been a dramatic increase in the ability of service members and their intimate partners to communicate while the service member is deployed to a combat zone. Communication among partners is a crucial aspect of intimate relationships that has been demonstrated to be highly associated with couples’ satisfaction. In addition, it is often cited by unhappy partners as a primary relationship problem. This special section of the Journal of Family Psychology presents five articles investigating deployment communication among service members and their intimate partners. The studies address the content and goals of deployment communication, the relations …

A Pilot Study On Facial Expression Recognition Ability Of Autistic Children Using Ryan, A Rear-Projected Humanoid Robot, Farzaneh Askari, Huanghao Feng, Timothy D. Sweeny, Mohammad H. Mahoor

Electrical and Computer Engineering: Graduate Student Scholarship

Rear-projected robots use computer graphics technology to create facial animations and project them on a mask to show the robot’s facial cues and expressions. These types of robots are becoming commercially available, though more research is required to understand how they can be effectively used as a socially assistive robotic agent. This paper presents the results of a pilot study on comparing the facial expression recognition abilities of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) with typically developing (TD) children using a rear-projected humanoid robot called Ryan. Six children with ASD and six TD children participated in this research, where Ryan …

How Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Recognize Facial Expressions Displayed By A Rear-Projection Humanoid Robot, Farzaneh Askari, Huanghao Feng, Anibal Gutierrez, Timothy Sweeny, Mohammad H. Mahoor

Electrical and Computer Engineering: Graduate Student Scholarship

Background: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experience reduced ability to perceive crucial nonverbal communication cues such as eye gaze, gestures, and facial expressions. Recent studies suggest that social robots can be used as effective tools to improve communication and social skills in children with ASD. One explanation has been put forward by several studies that children with ASD feel more contented and motivated in systemized and predictable environment, like interacting with robots.

Objectives: There have been few research studies evaluating how children with ASD perceive facial expression in humanoid robots but no research evaluating facial expression perception …

Symmetry Identified In 2-Dimensional Artwork Compositions Using Visuospatial Ability, Theresa Ferg

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

At the John Langdon Down Foundation A.C. in the La Escuela Mexicana de Arte Down school in Mexico City D.F., Mexico, art students with Trisomy 21 display the use of a mathematical construct in the painting compositions of their artworks. The mathematical construct is a type of symmetry and it carries a positive affect. This is important because there have been no studies that have investigated the use of the symmetry in the artwork compositions of persons with Down syndrome. The geometric construction of the artwork compositions follows the artistic principle of the Rule of Three and the division of …

Binocular Rivalry Of Emotional Expressions, Daniel Stephen Lumian

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A central debate in defining emotional space is whether emotions are organized categorically (e.g., fear, happy, disgust) or continuously (i.e., along the independent dimensions of valence and arousal). Emotional facial expressions are one tool often leveraged in trying to define emotional space. Faces are rich sources of social and emotional information. Faces, like emotions, can be organized in either categorical (e.g., happy, sad) or continuous (e.g., open-closed) ways. Therefore, understanding the relatedness of emotional facial expressions to each other may shed light on the underlying structure of emotions. Binocular rivalry (BR) is a tool which can be leveraged to measure …

A Multi-State Comparison Of Nasp Domains Of Practice And School Psychologist Evaluation Rubrics, Courtney E. Hutchinson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research study compares rubrics used to evaluate school psychologists to the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) 10 Domains of Practice. Using a content analysis of state evaluation rubrics, the researcher determined the extent to which various state evaluation rubrics align with the NASP domains and selected terminology from the NASP domains. Results indicate a need for a comprehensive and NASP-endorsed rubric, to be used by certified and experienced school psychologists for evaluation purposes. This research study will inform efforts at school psychology training programs, local and state education agencies, the United States Department of Education, and the NASP.

Psychotropic Medications And Children: Perceptions Of Mental Health Professionals, Elinor Jane Brereton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project explores mental health professionals' perspectives on the prescription of psychotropic medications to children. It emphasizes the placement of biomedicine within its larger social, economic, and political context, and the influence these structures have on the way mental illness is conceptualized and treated in children. Eight semi-structured interviews were conducted in Denver, Colorado with psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and a pharmaceutical board member to capture multiple perspectives from different positionalities within the field. Participants discussed factors that they believe influence prescribing practices including: professional role changes, issues of access, limited evidence, cost, and institutional pressures to practice within a …

An Exploratory Study Of Session Limited Models Of Therapy Outcomes In An Employee Assistance Program, Ivy C. Donaldson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) have grown increasingly popular over recent years. The prevalence of organizations utilizing and investing in EAP services for their employees has grown; however, companies that purchase EAPs are not well-informed as to which session-models are most effective for various diagnoses. The current study is the first to explore treatment outcomes of session-limited models (measured by Therapist Perception of Change, TPC) for diagnoses (anxiety and depression) in an EAP delivery system. Outcomes were measured by TPC ratings including: a) Regressed, b) remained at Baseline, c) Improved, and d) issue was Resolved. Analyses (Chi-Square and =t-test) were used …

The Impact Of Sudden Gains And Deteriorations On The Psychotherapy Process, Joanna Mary Drinane

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Within the field of psychotherapy research, there has been significant evidence to suggest that people change and improve because of treatment (Lambert & Ogles, 2004). One common phenomenon that has been observed when looking more closely at outcome trajectories has been termed sudden gains/deteriorations. These are defined as sudden changes in outcome (either positive or negative) of 25% or more from the pre-change level of symptoms that are in turn sustained over time (Tang & DeRubeis, 1999). Although there are data regarding how people who experience sudden gains end up after treatment, no studies have examined the impact that sudden …

Training Games: An Application Of Game Theory To Clinical Psychology Graduate Training, Benjamin David Cornell

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Contents

Groundwork - 4

Game Theory - 4

Game Theory and the System of Clinical Psychology Graduate Training - 6

Psychological Payouts, Reconciling Game Theory and Clinical Psychology - 8

Games in the Training of Psychotherapists - 15

Prisoners’ Dilemmas, Internship and Graduate Applicant Selection - 15

The Strategic Implications of Learning, Nash Equilibria - 21

Commitment Moves, “The Frame,” Psychotherapy, Supervision - 24

Mechanism Design, The Match - 27

Intra-systemic Conflict, Program Design - 30

Conclusion - 34

Works Cited - 36

Improve Organizational Commitment By Leading Like A Therapist, Anna A. Gibson

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

The 21st-century workplace underemphasizes the importance of relational leadership, at the expense of the bottom line. Although there is a plethora of both popular and academic literature on the importance of good leadership in the workplace, relational leadership techniques have been misunderstood and underutilized. Dynamic psychology theories that emphasize the importance of relationships—such as self psychology—can be used to produce organizational results.

Acceptance And Commitment Therapy As An Intervention For Adolescent Chronic Pain Related To Pectus Excavatum: A Case Study, Hayley N. Roberts

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

The most common chest wall deformity, Pectus Excavatum (PE), is a congenital deformity in which the sternum and adjoining chest wall cave inwards toward the spine (Lawson et al., 2003). While corrective surgical procedures have been shown to have positive effects on the physical and psychosocial well-being of patients with PE (Krasopoulos, Dusmet, Ladas, & Goldstraw, 2006), often surgical procedures, such as those done to correct PE, can result in what is known as Chronic Post-Surgical Pain (CPSP). CPSP has been shown to have great bearing on the patient’s overall well-being (Weinrib et al., 2017), meaning that while the corrective …

Therapeutic Alliance Through Person-Centered Therapy: An Influential Factor In Long-Term Utilization Of Mental Health Services Among Asians In The United States, Lahela Ashlee Rice Jorgenson

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

While the Asian population in the United States is growing vastly and there is an abundance of literature regarding barriers to utilization of psychological services for this population, there remains minimal research on positive or facilitative factors for those who do utilize services and do not prematurely terminate treatment. The purpose of this study was to explore possible factors that promote clients' utilization and commitment to mental health services, as reported by Asian clinicians working with an Asian American population. This study was performed through a descriptive qualitative approach consisting of semi-structured interviews with four clinicians providing mental health services …

Cinematherapy With Inside Out: A Theoretical And Practical Guide, Jessica Rosenfeld

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Since its release in 2015, the Disney/Pixar film "Inside Out" has received widespread critical and commercial acclaim. Despite the film's basis in established psychological theories, little has been published regarding its clinical applicability, particularly for adolescent and adult clients in traditional talk therapy. Through the use of cinematherapy, a deeper examination of the film is offered, and suggestions for treatment use are provided. Via the lens of modern psychodynamic (Intersubjectivity) and behavioral (ACT) techniques, this paper offers diverse options for integrating "Inside Out" in psychotherapy and proves that it contains clinical applicability for a wide range of practitioners.

Utilization Of Behavioral Health Services Among The Latino Population, Jennifer R. Mazzetti

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Limited research exists examining the effectiveness of an integrated primary care model of behavioral health service delivery among the Latino population. This descriptive pilot study addresses this gap in the literature by exploring the mechanisms that influence whether Latino integrated primary care patients who receive a Warm Hand-Off (WHO) will or will not pursue further Behavioral Health Services (BHS). Participants were recruited from Clinica Tepeyac, an integrated primary care clinic located in Denver, Colorado. Results showed that the majority of participants engaged in BHS at the suggestion of their medical provider, as opposed to initiating BHS involvement by their own …