Digital Commons Network^™

“Learning To Read With The Magic Seeds”: A Pilot Test Of A Parent Shared Reading Program, Mary Jean Strong

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The current study was a pilot study to assess the feasibility of “Learning to Read with the Magic Seeds,” a four-week shared reading program, and its effectiveness in changing parental beliefs about literacy. Two groups of parents of preschool-aged children with different demographics participated in the study. Parents completed the Parental Reading Beliefs Inventory prior to and after the four sessions. The first session included an introduction, assessments, and a conversation about literacy beliefs, practices in the home, and the importance of talk. Subsequent sessions focused on extending book talk, phonological awareness, and developing print awareness. During the session, the …

Social Problem-Solving, Stress, Social Support As Predictors Of Distress Among First-Generation Students, Marisa Leib

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

First-generation students are steadily increasing in the United States, and currently comprise one third of today’s college undergraduate population (Stebleton & Jehangir, 2020). First-generation students are more likely to face various academic, social, economic, and cultural challenges when transitioning to higher education. The culmination of these stressors put first-generation students at risk for developing mental health conditions. Social problem-solving (SPS) is one variable that has been shown to buffer against the negative effects of stress among the general college student population. The purpose of the current study was to examine how specific variables contribute to psychological distress among the population …

Screen Time And Problematic Behavior: Piloting A Family- Based Intervention, Naomi Morissette

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

School-aged children are increasingly growing up in a technology-driven society. The amount of time children spend engaged with screens is problematic, as is the subsequent impact on the development of their executive functioning skills. The current study investigated the feasibility of an online, asynchronous, family-based intervention to limit screen usage for elementary-aged children. It was hypothesized that removing screens from children’s bedrooms and one hour before bedtime was a feasible strategy to limit screen use and would result in positive behavior change, specifically regarding the ability to self-cue the use of executive skills. Additionally, it was hypothesized that an online …

School Refusal, Anxiety, And Executive Functioning In Adolescents, Marissa Kimmel

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

School refusal behaviors impact students nationwide, negatively affecting their academic performance and social-emotional well-being. The current study was a two-part study looking at the factors influencing student attitudes toward attendance and then building and reviewing a program based on these findings. During the first part of the two-part study, a secondary data analysis was conducted to analyze the factors influencing student attitudes toward attendance. The secondary data analysis included correlational, regression, and hierarchical regression studies, utilizing responses from 1,056 teenagers attending a suburban high school. Based on the findings, a second study reviewed a program created to address the factors …

Transitioning From The Juvenile Justice System For Students With Disabilities, Michelle Cain

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Youth with disabilities are disproportionately involved in the juvenile justice system. However, there is limited research on how individuals with disabilities interact with support services or how their experiences may differ from youth without disabilities. The present study examined transition supports for youth exiting juvenile justice placements. The study utilized a semi-structured appreciative interview process. The purpose of utilizing an appreciative inquiry lens was to push past problem-focused ideas and highlight transition supports that have been successful. The primary research questions addressed the supports and services that have allowed youth with disabilities to successfully return to the comprehensive educational setting, …

Examining Correlations Between Graphic Indicators In Projective Tests And Clinical Criteria Of Ptsd In Children And Adolescents, Melissa Brennan

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The use of art and drawing has been known to be a well-suited assessment and treatment modality with children, especially children who have been traumatized, due to their hesitancy or inability to verbalize complex emotional thoughts and experiences. The use of projective arts-based assessments can be an effective approach for facilitating engagement, reducing resistance, and offering an alternative for self-expression that can provide insight into a child’s experience that words alone cannot. This study aimed to examine whether specific graphic indicators of the House-Tree-Person (H-T-P) assessment correlated with particular clinical or psychometric criterion according to the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale …

Parent Assessment Of Children's Executive Capacities, Matthew J. Davis

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Family environments function in a way determining that all children are expected to perform at certain levels based on their age and developmental stage. Academic tasks require using numerous executive skills simultaneously, sometimes making it challenging to pinpoint specific executive strengths and weaknesses. Understanding a child's challenges with executive control can provide insights into areas where they might benefit from extra help and support. The present study examined parents’ ratings of executive functions collected during the standardization of the MEFS-PR given the students’ ages and level of academic competence. The data used in this study were the parent ratings of …

Building Technology Breaks Into Classroom Instruction To Reduce Media Multitasking And Increase Learning, Lisa Decicco

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The current study was designed to investigate the impact of media multitasking on learning outcomes in the classroom. The goal was to develop an instructional intervention that reduces the negative effects of media multitasking on learning outcomes by incorporating technology breaks into the instructional design. High school students in an all-girls school took part in three learning sessions, each with a different instructional strategy related to media multitasking in the classroom: Condition 1: Instruction as Usual; Condition 2: No access to technology; Condition 3: Technology Breaks. Students completed a pre and post-test knowledge-based assessment to measure their retention of the …

The Invisible Load Of Motherhood: Exploring Parental Stress Differences Among Caucasian And African American Mothers, Angena Mombrun

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Parental stress can be defined as the perceptions and feelings that are experienced in a parental role because the demands that are related to the role are unable to be fulfilled with the resources that are available (Abidin, 1992). Research suggests that African American women may experience more parental stress than their Caucasian counterparts due to various factors (Coll & Pachter, 2002). However, there is not sufficient evidence to support this notion as the majority of research available on parenting stress is comprised of middle-class Caucasian women (Coll & Pachter, 2002; Nomaguchi & House, 2013). The purpose of this study …

Supporting Teachers In Supporting Students: Facilitating A Successful School Reintegration Post Psychiatric Hospitalization, Alicia J. Gialanella

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Given the increasing mental health needs and high rates of psychiatric hospitalization among children today, school-based supports are needed to mitigate potential areas of difficulty for students upon their return to school. This study provides a review of the school reintegration literature, including current issues, medically-based transition plans, and teacher and student perceptions of the reentry process. The overarching purpose of this study was to facilitate a more successful school reintegration for students post psychiatric hospitalization. For the present pilot study, an online course was developed and assessed through review by 15 education professionals gathered through a convenience sample. The …

Promoting Caregiver Mental Health Literacy: A Pilot Study Of The Online Program “Mental Wellness At The Lake”, Erika Baylis

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The mental health needs of children are growing in the United States. Caregiver’s mental health knowledge and attitudes about help-seeking can impede the awareness of help-seeking behaviors. The Baylis Model is a framework for caregivers to increase their mental health knowledge. This research is a pilot study to provide elementary caregivers with mental health knowledge to increase their awareness to access treatments for their children. Participants completed a pre-test to determine mental health knowledge to begin the study. A total of 14 families completed a 10-module course (Mental Wellness At The Lake) on canvas, a web-based learning management system. Throughout …

Relationship Quality And Metacognitive Beliefs On Grief Outcomes Of Bereaved Cancer Caregivers, Katelyn Anderson

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Cancer caregivers are a unique population among grief literature due to the typical experience of preparedness for the loss. Nevertheless, their responses may vary, with some experiencing significant distress resulting in prolonged grief disorder (PGD). PGD has higher risks for mental and health problems, creating an urgency to understand the underlying factors for appropriate treatment interventions. Research mainly examines automatic thought processes in grief coping processes, but there is minimal research on the influence of metacognitive beliefs on PGD. Furthermore, there is a limited understanding of how the quality of the relationship between the deceased and the caregiver influences PGD …

Ptsd, Chaos, And Subjective Executive Dysfunction, And Its Impact On Qol, Emmy Y. Velazquez Santiago

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Research with veterans suggests executive dysfunction associated with PTSD often results in problems with quality of life. Objective impairments in executive functions do not significantly correlate with subjective reports; despite this discrepancy, the perception of dysfunction impacts quality of life. Research indicates that perception of chaos/unpredictability can undermine the ability to perform executive functions. This study explored how the perception of chaos impacts the relationship between PTSD and subjective executive dysfunction and quality of life among veterans. A Pearson product-moment correlation was used to determine whether a relationship exists between PTSD symptomatology and subjective executive dysfunction and between subjective executive …

School Psychologists Supporting Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Families Through The Evaluation Process, Jacqueline A. Oluoch

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study examined factors that predicted higher cultural skills in practicing school psychologists, and if these skills could be improved through a professional development session. Participants were school psychologists who attended a cultural skills professional development workshop during the National Association of School Psychologists Annual Convention 2024. A Mann-Whitney test was used to examine the change in cultural skills pre- and post-workshop. Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to examine cultural skills by career stage and work settings. The results showed an overall increase in cultural skills post-workshop. Working in public schools or non-public schools was not related to higher cultural skills …

Nonmedical Prescription Stimulant Use, Mood, And Quality Of Life Among Graduate Students, Anastasia Skliros

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is commonly diagnosed in childhood, yet research indicates that symptoms persist into adulthood for approximately two-thirds of clinical cases. Stimulant medications are the primary treatment for all ADHD presentations across developmental ages. This prospective study investigated the relationship between nonmedical prescription stimulant use (NMPSU), mood, anxiety, and quality of life among graduate college students. Quantitative data from 321 participants were obtained using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for depression, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) for anxiety, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHO-QOL) measure. Four participant groups were examined: those with ADHD engaging in NMPSU, …

The Use Of Problematic Behaviors As Predictors Of Suicidal Ideations And Attempts In Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatients, Jessica Lamont-George

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Suicidality is a health concern among adolescents. Approximately, one million people attempt suicide each year and it is the second leading cause of death for those aged 10 to 19. Inpatient hospitalizations may be beneficial for individuals who pose a danger to themselves or others since it provides a safe environment for the individual to receive individualized care. Many individuals who have been admitted for psychiatric inpatient hospitalization have suicidal ideations or attempts. The Child and Adolescent Behavior Assessment-Youth Scale (CABA-Y) explores an individual’s stressors and problem behaviors that may be contributing to the reasons for hospitalization. While inpatient, some …

Loss Of Mooring And Acculturational Resilience: Understanding Resilience, Adversity, And Trauma Among Female Muslim Arab Refugees In The United States: A Qualitative Study, Norah Fahad Aldawsari

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The phenomenon of resilience is found in the literature reviews of trauma and is considered an important element in overcoming adversity and traumas (Brown, 2015; Civan Kahve et al., 2021; Saul, 2022). Resilience is considered to be a cultural, contextual, and historical concept, and its conceptualization, illumination of influential factors, and identification of coping strategies can be considered unique from one culture to another (Saul, 2022). Many research studies highlight the importance of resilience when coping with adversity and trauma, as well as incorporating a strength-based therapeutic approach. This approach incorporates one’s social and communal interventions and elements and cultural …

Assessment Of Trauma In Youth With Intellectual Disabilities: Comparison Of Research And Clinical Practice, Olga Joyce Bilardi

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study seeks to assess clinician use of trauma assessments when working with youth with lower cognitive and adaptive functioning who meet criteria for having an Intellectual Disability. Given the limited assessment instruments discussed in the literature, it is essential to determine what practices clinicians use to assess trauma with intellectually disabled youth. This study aims to determine the prevalence of trauma measures used with the Intellectual Disability population and assess clinician comfort with this population. This study will highlight the necessity for further development of appropriate and standardized trauma measures in the Intellectual Disability population and training for clinicians …

An Examination Of An Online Program For Parents With Anxious Adolescents, Tracy Sciulli

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The researcher conducted a mixed-methods study to investigate the effectiveness of an online parent coaching program in influencing parental beliefs about anxiety and enhancing parenting self-efficacy for managing adolescent anxiety. The researchers developed the piloted parenting program to determine whether a brief online intervention for parents could alter parental self-efficacy and beliefs about adolescent anxiety to bring about positive outcomes for adolescents undergoing treatment for anxiety. The team recruited parents of adolescents diagnosed with or receiving treatment for anxiety symptoms from Philadelphia Integrative Psychiatry for a pre-intervention and post-intervention study. The proposed parenting program aims to address the shortcomings in …

The Relationship Between Impulsivity, Avoidance, And Overly Positive Maladaptive Thinking In Adults With Adhd, Morgan Hagner

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience many difficulties in executive functioning and mental health. The literature supports cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) as an evidence-based treatment, for many mental health disorders, including the cognitive and behavioral issues associated with adult ADHD. There is evidence that some of the problems associated with adult ADHD are related to cognitive distortions, functional impairment, and deficits in executive functioning. Previous studies have found a preliminary relationship between cognitive distortions and ADHD, but these studies did not assess overly positive cognitions, the latter, also theorized to be related to this disorder. The purpose of the current …

Improving Care For Adults With Visual Impairment Through Interprofessional Education, Marissa L. Ferrito

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Introduction: There is a significant negative impact on the quality of life of individuals with visual impairment. The number of adults with visual impairment is growing and health professionals will need to be able to respond with effective care and as part of interdisciplinary teams

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to explore the impact that interprofessional education (IPE) has on the knowledge, skills, and attitudes held by future health professionals regarding their ability to treat adults with visual impairment.

Hypotheses: It is hypothesized that after an IPE module, future health professionals will demonstrate more knowledge …

The Relationship Between Burnout And Cognitive Distortions For Clinicians Working With Sex Offenders, Emily Stover

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Burnout affects approximately 21% to 61% of mental health providers throughout their careers (Morse et al., 2012). Various precursors may lead to burnout, such as caseload, the severity of the clients, workplace climate, and lack of professional support. Burnout is a significant issue for mental health providers working with perpetrators of sexual offenses, specifically due to the increase in stressors when working with this population. Individuals working with this population have the additional risk of being objectified or threatened during a session and could experience vicarious trauma when listening to the details of the offense. Due to the continuous emotional …

Sex Differences In Cognitive Distortions In Individuals With Fibromyalgia, Corey Adams

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Chronic pain is a significant problem in both clinical practice and research, which does not occur equally in all groups of people. Of the 2% of adults with fibromyalgia in the United States, 3.4% of them are women. Understanding these differences may be useful in informing treatment (Jahan et al., 2012). One such area is distorted thinking, which can have a negative impact on symptoms of depression, anxiety, and pain sensitivity (Varallo et al., 2021). This study examined how cognitive distortions may play a role in the disparities seen between men and women diagnosed with fibromyalgia. This study used a …

The Relationship Between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder And Sluggish Cognitive Tempo, Anna Podrasky

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) was first described as a syndrome associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); however, SCT may be a unique construct, independent of the presence of ADHD. Archival data from a specialty outpatient adult ADHD clinic were analyzed to further evaluate the relationship between SCT and ADHD. It was hypothesized that there would not be significant differences between ADHD and SCT on measures of anxiety, depression, neuroticism, and sleep disturbance. Second, it was hypothesized that after controlling for anxiety, depression, neuroticism, and sleep disturbance at level 1 of a hierarchical regression analysis, there would be no additive predictive relationship …

Examining The Relationship Between Outcome Expectancies And Anxiety Severity In Patients Using Medical Marijuana, Paulina Syracuse

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Many states have legalized marijuana for medical and recreational use despite it being classified as a Schedule I controlled substance. Although research regarding its efficacy is limited, one of the most common medical marijuana referral reasons is anxiety and patients often report experiencing reductions in anxiety. Many patients have beliefs about the effects of medical marijuana, called outcome expectancies, which may differ based on previous recreational marijuana use. These beliefs may influence anxiety outcomes, but this relationship is still unclear. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between patients’ medical marijuana outcome expectancies, previous recreational marijuana use, …

Mental Health Professionals’ Perception Of Medications For Opioid Use Disorder, Patrick M. Mullen

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Despite the widespread attention and resources allocated to the current opioid crisis, the public health problem persists. A major target in the efforts to combat the opioid crisis is increased accessibility and utilization of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD). A robust body of evidence supports the effectiveness of medications to treat opioid use disorder (OUD) in reducing overdose deaths and improving overall outcomes. Yet, MOUD continues to be underutilized at alarming rates. Studies have discovered that only one-third of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment sites offer any form of MOUD and approximately 30% of individuals with OUD receive any …

Adopting A Growth Mindset Approach To Interventions For Self-Regulation, Kelly A. Larson

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Research continues to demonstrate self-regulation’s significance in almost all aspects of life, including but not limited to academic success and school adjustment. Incorporating a growth mindset into self-regulation may be a potential missing motivational component in school-based interventions. This pilot study assessed trends in survey results of whether a group of high school students who receive special education with noted difficulties in emotional regulation, organization, and consistent/timely work completion. The survey assessed whether they held a more fixed or growth mindset of self-regulation prior to intervention and whether those students' mindset of self-regulation moved towards a growth mindset of self-regulation …

Closing The Gap: Culturally Competent Consultations In Schools, Kimmely Mechelle Williams

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Poor academic achievement among minority students has historically been identified as one of the most pressing challenges of public education (Dorvil, 2011). However, even before the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) adoption, there has been a focus on what should be done to improve the academic achievement of the nation’s children. With each of its subsequent incarnations and legislative renaming, policymakers, educators, and researchers alike have sought to ensure that all children are afforded the opportunity to receive a high-quality education delivered by competent educators enabling them to reach predetermined but vaguely defined levels of proficiency. Despite best efforts, …

The Clinical Utility Of A Short Form Version For The Rey Complex Figure Test (Rcft) In Identifying Visual Memory Impairments With Older Adults, Adam D. Christmann

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The aim of this study was to examine if a short-form version of the Rey Complex Figure Test (RCFT-SF) was equivalent to the measure’s standard administration procedures as part of a neuropsychological battery for testing visual memory in an older adult population as well as the impact of anxiety on their performance. The RCFT-SF consisted of a similar administration procedure to the standard form (e.g., copy, immediate recall, delayed recall, and recognition trial) while reducing the period between the immediate and delayed recall portions of the measure to 10 minutes. Participants involved with this study were divided into two groups, …

Association Between Trauma History And Body Image, Depression, Posttraumatic Stress, And Relationship Satisfaction In Postpartum Women, Kristen Hawk-Purcell

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The postpartum period can be a time of significant change and transition. Little is known about how a history of trauma may impact functioning during this critical time. English-speaking adult women (age ≥ 18 years, N = 61) who gave birth in the United States in the past year, but not in the last month, were in an intimate relationship, and did not use any assisted reproductive technology to conceive participated in the study. Participants were recruited through social media and online forums related to pregnancy and the postpartum period. They completed a demographic questionnaire, the PTSD Checklist for Diagnostic …