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More Than “Just A Friend”: Exploring The Therapeutic Needs Of Adult Survivors Of A Suicide Loss Of A Friend, Kat R. Mcconnell

Dissertations (1934 -)

Individuals who are bereaved by the suicide loss of a loved one (also known as “suicide survivors”) face high rates of complicated grief, mental illness, social isolation, experiences of stigma, and suicide attempts. While suicide loss therapy (or “postvention”) attracts many individuals grieving familial suicides, those impacted by the suicide loss of a close friend are underrepresented in both individual and group therapies, despite indications that friend suicide survivors are impacted at an equivalent level and frequency to family members. Using a constructivist grounded theory method, this study aimed to investigate the lived experiences and therapeutic needs of 8 adults …

Treatment Of Dual Diagnosis Post Traumatic Stress Disorder And Substance Use Disorders: A Meta-Analysis, Joshua Dolan

Dissertations (1934 -)

The dual diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder and substance use disorders affects a large number of people. Various treatments have been used for addressing these co-occurring disorders and have now been empirically tested. These treatments can be divided into two categories: sequential and integrated. The goal of this study was to meta-analytically examine the effectiveness of these treatments and compare these two categories of treatment. Secondary objectives included the exploration of potential moderator variables and the symptom interplay between the two disorders after treatment. The results of the study suggested that treatment for the dual diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder …

Military Mental Health: Problem Recognition, Treatment-Seeking, And Barriers, Laura Bein

Dissertations (1934 -)

Substantial numbers of military troops are serving overseas in military operations and are returning home with elevated reports of psychological symptoms; however, a treatment gap exists between those reporting mental health problems and those receiving appropriate treatment. Stigma has been cited as a potential barrier to treatment-seeking, although few studies distinguish between perceived and public stigma or between stigma for having a mental illness versus that for seeking treatment.

In the present study, Army National Guard soldiers returning from deployment to Iraq were asked to complete questionnaires assessing psychological symptoms, as well as reports of perceived stigma from self and …

Influences On Father Involvement: Testing For Unique Contributions Of Religion And Spirituality, Mark Lynn

Dissertations (1934 -)

The role of the father in children's development historically has been neglected. Studies examining family processes were primarily limited to mothers, under the assumption that mothers' influences encapsulated what (little) effects could also be attributed to the father. Although theory and research have begun to address fathers' roles in families in earnest, there is still much work to be done, particularly in regard to understanding the determinants of father involvement. One direction that has received attention from researchers is towards a conceptualization of environmental and contextual influences on fathers' interactions with their families. The goal of this study was to …

The Primary Prevention Of Sexual Violence Against Adolescents In Racine County And The Community Readiness Model, Theresa A. Dewalt

Dissertations (1934 -)

Sexual violence affects tens of thousands of people annually in the United States. The majority of sexual assault victims are under the age of 18. Victims of sexual violence often experience severe, long-lasting ramifications, including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, interpersonal problems, suicidal ideation, self-harm behaviors, and eating disorders. As a result of these effects, it is imperative that communities provide effective primary prevention of sexual violence programs. However, it is challenging to effectively implement sexual violence primary prevention strategies for a variety of reasons. One challenge is because it is difficult to construct a prevention program that changes the …