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Comparing Cognitive And Behavioral Profiles In School-Aged Children With Specific Learning Disorder And Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Anna Van Asselt

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Two of the most common childhood disorders are Specific Learning Disorder (SLD) and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), frequently co-occurring, and both impacting academic performance. Given the overlap between these disorders on cognitive and behavioral/emotional factors, assessment research has explored how they are differentiated on standardized tests. The present study investigated cognitive functioning and behavioral/emotional functioning in school-aged children with SLD (n = 31), ADHD (n = 17), and ADHD + SLD (n = 18). The archival data for this study consisted of 66 students from a rural community. Results indicated that students with SLD demonstrated more difficulty with auditory processing …

The Relationship Between Therapist Adverse Childhood Experiences, Personal Therapy, Resilience, And Treatment Outcomes, Elizabeth J. Nunez

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

With the development of the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) questionnaire, Felitti et al. (1998) established that childhood trauma has a wide-ranging impact on adult health. Subsequent studies have identified a myriad of relationships between childhood adversity and negative physical, psychological, social, vocational, educational, and developmental outcomes in adulthood (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020; Hughes et al., 2017; Kalmakis & Chandler, 2015). New research has uncovered higher rates of ACEs among those in helping professions (Butler et al., 2018; Harris, 2019; Thomas, 2016), but it is unclear how these experiences impact their work as helpers. This study investigated the …

Relational Variables Associated With Self-Reported Political Idealogy, Dalton Young

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

This dissertation examined the relationship between self-reported political ideology and the relational variables of attachment, shame, and grace. Previous research on political ideology has focused on conservatism, as well as morality and personality differences across the political spectrum. This study combined two samples of 155 adult participants gathered through Qualtrics and 79 undergraduate students. Each participant completed a demographics questionnaire, Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ; Feeney et al., 1994), Dimensions of Grace Scale (DGS; Bufford et al., 2017), Duke University Religion Index (DUREL; Koenig et al., 1997), and Internalized Shame Scale (ISS; Cook, 1988). Additionally, 19 of the undergraduate students completed …

Impact Of Covid-19 Quarantine On U.S. Adults, Shelby Rubino

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

In 2019 a novel virus spread quickly and vastly throughout the world. The coronavirus was transmitted easily, resulting in a sudden increase in infection and death rates and overwhelmed hospitals. This sudden pandemic resulted in government and health officials mandating physical and social quarantines. These mandates were initially implemented to separate the ill from the healthy, and significantly limit physical contact between healthy and ill persons to decrease the spread of Covid-19. All these unexpected factors induced traumatic stress in populations across the world. The impact of this trauma is seen to date, as many studies reported adverse mental health …

Vicarious Trauma And Doctoral-Level Trainees: Self-Care Practices, Elisabeth B. Gibson

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Research reflects correlations between trauma history and motivation to pursue a career in clinical psychology and mental health professions. Professional longevity is a concern for clinicians in general, especially for clinicians with a trauma history who work with people suffering with trauma conditions. Trauma histories measured by adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), are likely to be present within students of doctor of psychology training programs, and may influence doctoral trainee readiness and ability to engage clients in clinical work. Self-care is thought to not only support overall well-being, but to also mitigate the negative consequences of stress associated with clinical work. …

Personality And Behavioral Characteristics: A Study Of Court Populations, Markayla Shattuck

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Despite the growing body of research for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) within adults, there remains a lack of research addressing the prevalence of FASD in the legal system. Over the last several decades it has become apparent that alcohol consumption during pregnancy can have devastating long term impacts on the developing fetus including facial abnormalities, cognitive deficits, adverse life outcomes, and behavioral challenges (Brintnell et al., 2019; O’Neil, 2011; Sarman, 2018; Streissguth et al., 2004). Within the legal system, FASD is about 30 times higher than the general population (Lange et al., 2017). Initially, the prevalence of FASD was …

Resilience, Spirituality And Cultural Connectiveness Within The Native American/American Indian Indigenous Population, Lindsay Price

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Native Americans, also known as the American Indian or Indigenous population, were colonized over four centuries ago by Europeans who brought many diseases which decimated this population. This immense trauma continued for generations as the settlers continued to violate Native American life and identity on every level. Hundreds of indigenous tribes endured massacre, annihilation of traditional culture, forced religious assimilation, stolen land, broken treaties, betrayal of rights, removal of identity, neglect, and constant abuse without any recompense. These violations still widely occur, yet the strength and flourishing of Native Americans remain ever-present. Their deep-rooted protective factors within resilience, like cultural …

The Relationship Of Medical Provider Humility, Empathy, And Competency On Patient Satisfaction, Stephanie Burkhard

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Previous research has shown that provider humility, empathy, and competency all impact patient satisfaction. However, the research lacks in examining how all three elements, when examined together, impact patient care. This study surveyed patients and providers from two primary care clinics to examine the relationship between provider humility, empathy, and perceived competency and patient satisfaction. The brief HEXACO Inventory humility measure, the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy, and a single question to identify providers perceived competence were used in this study. It was hypothesized that providers with the highest levels of all three characteristics (humility, empathy, and perceived competence) would …

Nature And Perspective On God: The Differential Impact Of Long Versus Short Adventure Programming For College Students, Alexandra Heinle

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

This clinical dissertation focused on the shift in one’s perception of God after time spent in nature in the context of a spiritual adventure program. There are studies that find spiritual adventure programs increase a participant’s spirituality (Bobilya, 2011). However, there is a gap in the literature surrounding how spiritual outdoor programs, specifically the one in this study, influences a person’s God-image. This dissertation aims to close the gap in research regarding spiritual adventure programs and shift in God-image by studying if a person’s image of God shifts after time spent in nature, and if it shifts differently depending on …

Physiological Coregulation Intervention Over Video Call In New Relational Dyads, Zachary G. Buckles

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Physiological linkage, the degree to which physiological behavior of one partner in a relationship is related to the physiological behavior of the other partner, is a well-documented process. Electrodermal activity (EDA) and heart rate variability (HRV) are two physiological measures for which physiological linkage has been observed (Timmons, et al., 2015). A more specific term, coregulation, has been proposed to specify a process of mutual physiological regulation within a relational dyad towards a homeostatic set point (Butler & Randall, 2013). While an important construct, there is a present lack of intervention studies seeking to increase the capacity for coregulation in …

Psychological Factors That Interfere With Provider Use Of Medication Assisted Treatment For Opioid Use Disorder, Courtney Spencer

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Since the implementation of Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) for treatment of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), providers have struggled to obtain the necessary waiver (X-waiver) due to required federal applications, training, and guidelines around prescribing. Nevertheless, prescribers have gone through this arduous process to gain their X-waiver, but a unique phenomenon has occurred where some providers with an X-waiver are not utilizing their ability to prescribe MAT. The current study sought to uncover trends in providers prescribing practices while assessing possible factors involved including personality, compassion, compassion fatigue, personal connection, and confidence factors that may be associated with a willingness to …

A Meta-Analysis: The Relationship Between Connectedness To Nature And Well-Being, Naomi Wu

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Ecotherapy and nature-based interventions have been shown to be evidence-based treatment for physical and mental health. The rekindling of the human and nature relationship helps cultivate a bi-directional, reciprocal circle of healing. The resulting benefit is the increased well-being of individuals, society, and the earth. This study is a meta-analytic review of 13 articles (22 studies) to examine the relationship between connection to nature and various domains of well-being, including emotional, psychological, social, and overall. Eligibility criteria for the study were the inclusion of at least one measure of connectedness to nature, one measure of well-being or life satisfaction, and …

Is Ego Strength A Trait That Contributes To Trauma Resilience?, Matt Hiltebrand,

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Given the ubiquitous experience of trauma among first responders, there is a critical need to understand the traits that contribute to resilience in experiencing traumatic events. Strength of identity is associated with resilience in several meaningful life events including negative peer review, adjustment to significant change, and recovering from depression or anxiety (Kim & Choi, 2013). There is a scarcity of research that has examined ego strength as a trait that contributes to trauma resilience. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between ego strength and the experience of trauma among veteran first responders (including, paramedics, firefighters, …

The Psychological And Physiological Markers Of Christian Meditation: A Quasi-Experimental Study Of Centering Prayer, Sean E. Robertson

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Research seeking to understand the various practices of meditation has expanded greatly in frequency and quality in the past century. Many have documented the effects of secular and eastern forms of meditation on psychopathology, well-being, executive functioning, and physiological changes of brainwaves, heart rate variability, and stress reduction (Cahn & Polich, 2006; Kok et al., 2013; Newberg et al., 2010). However, few have attempted to understand meditation in a Christian context. This study seeks to delineate the effects of a Christian form of meditation, known as Centering Prayer, on novice, college undergraduate practitioners as compared to non-practicing peers in areas …

Bipolar Screening Among Spanish-Speaking Us Residents Using The Mood Disorder Questionnaire, Emanuel T. Recinos

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

The Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ) is a self-report screening instrument used to detect Bipolar Disorder (BD). Psychometric properties of Spanish translations of the MDQ are from communities where both language and cultural differences are present. A Spanish version of the MDQ not been validated among United States individuals who identify Spanish as their preferred language of communication.

Objective

We propose that the validation of a Castilian Spanish version of the MDQ is needed for cross-cultural adaptation, determining optimal cut-off scores, and as an aid to the literature on BD prevalence, specifically BD among Spanish speakers of the United States.

Methods …

Predicting Sexual Offense Treatment Completion Through Specific Responsivity Factors, Blain Cameron Stumpf

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Sexual offending is a serious, harmful, and costly behavior that impacts the safety of a community (Barros et al., 2020; Peterson et al., 2017; Severson & Pettus-Davis, 2013). To improve community safety and reduce further harm, several specialized treatments have been developed to rehabilitate individuals convicted of a sexual offense (ICSO). Recent meta-analytic studies have suggested that specialized cognitive-behavioral treatments for ICSO do in fact lead to a reduction in sexual recidivism (Gannon et al., 2019; Harrison et al., 2020; Kim et al., 2016). To increase engagement with and completion of treatment programs, and subsequently to reduce the risk of …

Adverse Childhood Experiences Among Chinese Adults: Patterns And Comparison Between Adults Who Grew Up As Single And Left-Behind Children, Yuan Qu

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Over the last 40 years, China implemented many socioeconomic policies, among which the “open-door” and “single-child” policies were two of the most noteworthy. Therefore, in China, the study of child maltreatment requires understanding the impact of family constellation changes that resulted from national policies. This study sought to examine adverse childhood experiences (ACE) differences among Chinese adults who grew up as left- behind children (LBC) and single-children (SC). In addition, as a response to the Ho et al. (2019a) call for “further investigations on cultural specific patterns of ACEs” (p. 187), this study examined patterns of ACEs among the Mainland …

Prayer Of The Body: Reflections On Archetypal Divine Feminine Figures In Embodied Spirituality, Sarah Bond

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Archetypal figures of divine femininity exist within Judeo-Christian faith traditions, yet their presence has historically been neglected in Western cultures and religions. These feminine archetypes are thought within Jungian theory to bridge the spiritual and physical worlds, thereby unifying bodily and spiritual wisdom. As such, these figures have important implications for furthering current conceptualizations of embodiment. While embodiment research has recently expanded, little has focused on the intersection of spirituality and embodiment. Archetypal divine feminine figures appear to be located at this intersection. Therefore, the present study examines the experiences of individuals participating in Judeo-Christian traditions who have encountered divine …

The Virtue Of Solidarity: A Profile And Intervention, Marshal P. George

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

The lack of communal warmth and increased polarization across the globe add urgency to the call for renewed efforts to develop relationally-focused persons and communities. Solidarity, understood as a virtue, is conceptualized to cultivate group-minded individuals able to embody values, motivations, and behaviors inherent to developing social harmony and equity. After conceptualizing solidarity as a virtue, this study implemented an intervention to increase the solidarity virtue trait. The intervention was a 5-day educational and reflective exercise. Analysis of results assessed the relationship between individuals pursuing community flourishing and the intervention via multiple regression. Results were consistent with the theory of …

Religion's Impact On Sexual Experiences And Attitudes Among Women: Exploring Sexual Satisfaction And Sex Guilt, Maria Lytle

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Sexual satisfaction has been linked to higher self-esteem, marital stability, and general relationship satisfaction. The combination of religious values, sex attitudes, and experiences of sex guilt have been shown to significantly impact women’s sexual satisfaction. Two theories of religious values have been defined: identification, a religious perspective which considers sexuality to be a valuable and sacred experience, as well as introjection, which views sexuality as inherently sinful and a symptom of human weakness. This study included 85 female participants; they completed a survey on their experiences of sexual satisfaction, sex guilt, religion (identification or introjection), and sex values. The findings …

Preventing Burnout: The Role Of Personality And Awareness In Early Career Mental Health Professionals In Acute Settings, Whitney J. Standal Schollars

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Burnout among health professionals had been increasing over the last decade, but amidst the global impact of COVID-19, burnout has contributed to a national health care crisis (Bednar, 2019; Sklar et al., 2021). Due to increased demand and patient acuity, entry-level mental health professionals (MHPs) in acute settings are specifically at risk (Morse et al., 2012; Simpson et al., 2018). Moreover, unique variables related to personality disposition and emotional vulnerability from trauma can create a predisposition for burnout (Alarcon et al., 2009). This study explored the impacts of personality and emotional awareness curriculum on managing stress amidst crisis work and …

Prenatal Polysubstance Exposure (Ppe) And Adhd: Comparison Of Behavior Profiles In Children And Adolescents, Rana Tanios

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Previous research reveals pervasive polysubstance use during pregnancy, with widespread neurological, cognitive, and behavioral deficits that have lasting implications for both adults and children with prenatal polysubstance exposure (PPE; Behnke et al., 2013; Forray, 2016). Early PPE identification leads to improved long-term outcomes. However, identifying PPE is difficult due to underreported use, absent dysmorphic features, and behaviorally similar profiles to other psychiatric conditions, with ADHD identified as the most common referral and most prevalent diagnosis assigned for children with PPE (Chasnoff et al., 2010). Despite similar behavioral symptoms, emerging data reveal a specific neurological profile for PPE distinct from ADHD, …

Deployment Stress And Parenting Self-Efficacy Among Spouses Of Members Of The Armed Forces, Luisa E. Miller

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Deployment in the Armed Forces has a ripple effect on the family unit. Research suggests deployment impacts the psychological well-being of military spouses and children. The spouse who stays behind plays an important role in maintaining homeostasis while adapting to the absence of the deployed servicemember. The present study aimed to understand whether there is an association between deployment stress and parental self-efficacy. The study examined these variables in 115 military spouses of active and reserve units whose servicemembers are currently on deployment or deployed within the last two years and who are parents to children between the ages of …

The Effect Of The Political Climate On Latinos’ Wellbeing, Magda E. Mendoza Soto

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

The presidential election of Donald Trump significantly influenced various aspects of the population of the United States. Given Trump’s emphasis on anti-immigrant policies, it is essential for professionals and practitioners to better understand how the Latin population is experiencing and responding to today’s political climate. Participants in this study ranged in age from 18 to 64 and were from Latin descent, which consists of persons, cultures, or countries related to the Spanish language, culture, people, or to Spain in general. Ninety-six participants completed the quantitative measures including The Adult Hope Scale (HS), Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), the Beck Anxiety Inventory, the …

The Effects Of Psychoeducation On Emotion Regulation In High School Athletes, Kami Naber

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Approximately one in five adolescents between ages 12 and 18 suffer from at least one diagnosable mental health disorder. Health professionals have referred to the current rising need for mental health treatment as an epidemic. Current approaches to meeting the rising psychological needs of adolescents are proving to be insufficient. Emotion regulation has been identified as a key element in lowering levels of psychological stress, yet many adolescents have inadequate emotion regulation skills. A particularly appropriate modality to train adolescents in the skills necessary to regulate distressing emotions, may be psychoeducation, an evidence-based therapeutic intervention that provides training and information …

The Role Of Hope, Resilience, Religious Coping And Religious Problem Solving In College Students’ Development, Vanessa M. Campo

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

As students attend their chosen college or university day to day stressors and challenges can become overwhelming. The stressors that come with new collegiate expectations and demands can increase the importance for colleges and universities to foster students’ development. Programming or courses that increase students’ hope, resilience, and religiousness could make their college experience much better and more enjoyable. This study hypothesized the following: a will be positive correlation between hope, resilience, and positive religious coping, a positive correlation between religious coping and the collaborative subscale of the religious problem-solving scale, and that religiousness will be higher at George Fox …

Awe In The Helping Professions: Approaching Well-Being For Graduate Trainees Through Transcendent Emotion, Anna Forcelle

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Graduate school is a unique season of life involving high demands and high pressure, leaving adult degree-seeking students vulnerable to stress and negative health outcomes. Students seeking degrees in helping professional programs face additional risks due to the unique amounts of compassion required to engage in others-oriented work, leaving them susceptible to compassion fatigue and burnout. With a recent resurgence in the literature on the self-transcendent emotion of awe, which is associated with greater well-being, this present study sought to examine if experiences of awe can help sustain well-being and reduce the risk of compassion fatigue in helping profession graduate …

Psychometric Validation Of The Brief2 Spanish Version On A Latin Community, Natalia Rich-Wimmer

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Since the early 2000s, the Hispanic population residing in the United States has dramatically grown by 55% (Puente et al., 2015), which increases the importance of understanding how cultural differences may affect neuropsychological test performance. Research demonstrates that pervasive differences exist between the Hispanic community and the dominant culture (Burton et al., 2012). Thus, altering the perception of normative behavior among children (Kärtner et al., 2011). The relative differences in developmental expectations may unfairly disadvantage Hispanic children and potentially lead to the over-pathology of minorities (Burton et al., 2012). The present study aimed to address the potential differences on the …

C.H.A.N.G.E.: Strengthening Resiliency In Pregnancy, Joanna L. Harbets

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Pregnancy and childbirth is a biologically, socially, and psychologically complex period in a woman’s life (Anda, 2010). Carrying an infant in the womb is made even more difficult if a mother has endured her own trauma, potentially transmitting a vulnerability to her child’s development through maternal behavior and emotions (Hudziak, 2018). Additionally, the transition to parenthood is a general life stressor which often activates her attachment system. Symptoms of depression, anxiety, and trauma may also interfere with her ability to bond with her child (Main, 2000). Although the complexity of pregnancy and motherhood can be daunting, a mother’s resilience may …

Experience Of Loss And Resilience In Persons With Chronic Pain, Lauren Abshire

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Chronic pain is one of the most common concerns people seek medical treatment for, yet it is historically difficult to treat. The current best evidence practice in chronic pain treatment is through a multidisciplinary team with psychologists implementing cognitive behavioral therapy or acceptance commitment therapy. These approaches are efficacious in decreasing pain-related behaviors and improving mood and quality of life. Resilience has also been shown to mitigate the impact of chronic pain. However, the sense of loss or grief related to the experience of chronic pain has been inadequately explored in the research literature and may be related to poor …