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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 …

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 …

The Inventory Of Cognitive Distortions-Youth Version: The Development And Validation Of A Psychometric Test For The Measurement Of Cognitive Distortions In Youth, Kelsey Jones

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Cognitive distortions are systematic biases in an individual’s thinking that maintain a person’s belief in their negative views of themselves or others, even in the presence of contradictory evidence. The Inventory of Cognitive Distortions (ICD), created by Yurica and DiTomasso, measures distorted thinking in adults. Currently, there is not a youth measure of distortions that adequately encapsulates the range of distorted thinking that may be present in youth. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to create and validate a newly designed instrument of cognitive distortions, The Inventory of Cognitive Distortions-Youth Version (ICD-YV), with youth ages 11 to 17. …

School Guidance Counselor Perceptions On Reintegrating Students To School After Mental Health Treatment, Maddie Roxandich

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study examined the perspectives of school guidance counselors to determine current and best practices in planning and supporting student returns to school after absences for mental health reasons. The literature review highlights the sharp decline in adolescent mental health over the years, the rise in hospitalizations for mental health concerns, and the need for attention to school practices that support student mental health when a student requires hospitalization. The intent of this study was to build upon previous literature that examined practices existing in schools to help reintegrate students after absences. It sought to investigate whether schools have a …

African American Women’S Perspectives On Mental Health, Kristine Smalls

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

African American women endure multiple stressors from such forms of social oppression as racism and sexism that impact their lives in many ways. Despite those stressors, several barriers impede African American women from seeking the professional mental health they need to cope. Instead, they rely on cultural and historical methods for managing stress, such as religious beliefs and the support of the church community, or they create their own. In this study, 25 women were interviewed to explore the barriers interfering with African American women seeking professional mental health treatment. This study specifically identified and examined three potential barriers: the …

Differences In Internalizing Symptoms And Cognitive Functioning In Adults With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder And Sluggish Cognitive Tempo, Avery B. Ducey

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) is a recently identified mental health construct. Currently, no widely accepted diagnostic criteria for SCT exist, and it is not recognized in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5). There is debate in the psychological community as to whether SCT is better conceptualized as an atypical presentation of attentiondeficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or a unique symptom cluster comprised of ADHD and additional psychological and neurocognitive symptoms. When controlling for ADHD symptomatology, SCT has been found to be associated with internalizing symptoms, such as anxiety and depression, as well as …

Does Knowing The Mental Health History Of A Mass Shooter Heighten Stigma And Negative Attitudes Toward Mental Illness?, Lianna Artessa

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Mass-shooting incidents are an ongoing epidemic that continues to take countless lives. Despite the prevalence of gun-related mass-shooting events, the research on this phenomenon is scarce. Following these events, individuals often receive news from differing media outlets and programs. The current media portrayal of mass-shooting events often appears to support a widely accepted connection between mass shootings and mental illness. This portrayal may reflect an existing and perhaps growing misunderstanding and negative stigma toward individuals diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder. This experimental study sought to determine the degree to which individuals’ attitudes toward and opinions of a perpetrator of a …

Examining The Impact Of Educational Modules On Self-Care, Burnout, And Professional Impairment On Graduate And Medical Students, Samantha Giangrande

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Graduate school is a time of academic rigor, personal growth, stress, change, fear, and confrontation. It is important for medical and other graduate students to prepare themselves to serve and treat their patients effectively. An important part of this involves learning skills to better manage challenges and demands through ongoing self-care. However, little research has examined what knowledge students have of self-care strategies and burnout or whether education about these constructs is lacking in higher education. The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of self-care and impairment modules for medical and other graduate students enrolled in an …

Long-Term Use Of Beta-Blocker Medication In Pediatric Long Qt Syndrome Patients: Neuropsychological Profiles, Kara J. Rudisill

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a heart rhythm disorder characterized by a disruption of the heart’s electrical activity that may cause accelerated and uncontrolled heartbeats referred to as ventricular fibrillation. LQTS is primarily treated with beta-blocker medications, which reduce the risk of experiencing an arrhythmia through regulating the heart rate. However, the potential neuropsychological side-effects associated with the use of beta-blocker medication may impact the executive functioning skills, mental health, and behavior of the affected pediatric population at home. As a result, a child’s academic performance and emotional regulation etiology may be misunderstood by his or her parents, caregivers, and …

What Type Of Training Predicts Adherence To Cbt-I Among Professionals Specializing In The Treatment Of Insomnia?, Mark D. Delguercio

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study explored the relationship between certain educational and professional variables that influence the adherence to empirically supported practices in cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). The variables of interest included the practitioner’s level of training as measured by the number of hours of advanced training in CBT-I, the total number of hours practicing CBT-I out of the total annual clinical practice hours, and the total number of years practicing CBT-I. The final variable of interest was treatment preference and practice knowledge. The study used a one-time, cross-sectional, web-based survey. The participants consisted of 165 mental health and medical professionals of …

School Personnel’S Knowledge And Perception Of School Refusal Behavior, Joshua M. Foy

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study examined the knowledge of school personnel regarding risk and protective factors, the four-function model, assessment, and treatment of school refusal behavior. This study also explored the perceptions of school personnel regarding the understanding of school refusal behavior as an emotional condition versus its being delinquent behavior and the climate of understanding at their work setting. Two hundred, ninety-six mental health and non-mental professionals who currently work in school settings across the United States participated in this study by completing an online survey pertaining to this topic. Results indicate that mental health professionals demonstrated a higher level of knowledge …

Testing The Efficacy Of A Brief Psychoeducational Video On Improving Mental Health Literacy, Gregory Amatrudo

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Mental health literacy (MHL) is defined as knowledge and beliefs about mental health disorders which aid in recognition, management, or prevention (Jorm et al., 1997). The concept of MHL is essential in helping individuals understand and recognize symptoms of mental health disorders. In addition, MHL encompasses components related to stigma and attitudes that serve to facilitate or inhibit help seeking behaviors. Although the public has benefited greatly from initiatives aimed at improving knowledge about physical disease, similar initiatives aimed at improving MHL have been comparatively neglected. Many members of the public have difficulty recognizing specific types of psychological distress (Jorm, …

Evaluating The Relationship Between Physician Characteristics And Opioid Knowledge And Use Of Opioid And Non-Opioid Chronic Pain Management Strategies, Erin Hopkins Stern

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a mental health condition that has high personal, societal, and emotional costs. Opioid use disorder, misuse, and abuse is a national epidemic. Many factors have contributed to the increased use of opioids and OUD. One such factor is the heightened emphasis on pain management in the medical community, one that that began nearly two decades ago. This has led to increased prescribing of opioid-based medication for chronic pain patients. This contributed in part to the development of OUD in many individuals who became addicted to opioids. For this reason, current guidelines discourage the use of …

The Impact Of Treatment Beliefs, Caregiver Participation, And Treatment Adherence On Treatment Outcome In Childhood Mental Illness, Alexandra Gallagher

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

One in five children in the United States is diagnosed with a mental health disorder; however, not all of them receive the appropriate services (NAMI, 2015). When services are accessible, lack of engagement in treatment can contribute to high dropout and to limited treatment success (Staudt, 2007). In literature on adults, one well studied factor that contributes to participation and engagement in treatment is an individual’s treatment beliefs and expectations. In the case of children, however, it is important to consider not only their treatment beliefs and expectations, but also the beliefs and expectations of their primary caregivers, because they …

Therapists' Attitudes To Using Spiritual And Religious Interventions With Orthodox Jewish Clients, Schmuel Brachfeld

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Literature on Orthodox Jews and their needs in therapy is limited. However, research on approaching therapy with highly religious, or spiritual clients, shows that addressing R/S in therapy is highly recommended. Studies have shown that although acknowledging the importance of addressing R/S is important, therapists may be hesitant to bring it up with clients. Therapists’ attitudes have been shown to have impact not only if R/S is addressed in therapy, but also how and when it is addressed. One of the factors that impacts if therapists address R/S is therapists’ own religious identity and attitudes to R/S in general. This …

An Analysis Of The Self-Disclosure Practices Of School-Based Mental Health Practitioners, Kristen Rudiger

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The study presented in this document examined school-based mental health practitioners’ views regarding the use of self-disclosure (the sharing of personal information or thoughts with their clients) in their current practice. This study also collected school-based mental health practitioners’ opinions concerning their graduate-level training and other preparation related to the use of self-disclosure. Research questions investigated whether school-based mental health practitioners engaged in self-disclosure, whether participants viewed self-disclosure to be ethical, and if participants had utilized self-disclosure, did they believe their graduate-level training adequately prepared them to do so. Sixty-five school-based mental health practitioners, self-identifying as school psychologists, school counselors, …

Mental Health Attitudes And Stigma Among Medical Students: An Evaluation Of The Student Mental Health Initiative, Jennifer Hess Kengeter

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

There is a plethora of literature on the formation and prevalence on mental health stigma; however, literature on anti-stigma programs is scarce. The current mixed method study evaluated an anti-stigma program for medical students that contained a peer testimony component. A total of 25 participants were included in the quantitative component of the study. Data were collected over 3 consecutive years. All participants attended the Student Mental Health Initiative (SMHI) and completed a pre- and post-survey examining stigmatizing beliefs and negative attitudes toward mental illness. The qualitative portion of the study was a focus group with two participants who examined …

Raising A Child With A Disability: Coping Mechanisms And Support Needs, Noelle Cauda-Laufer

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Raising a child with a disability can affect parents, siblings, and family members in various ways and can be determined by the way in which a parent copes with and appraises the situation. The first goal of this study was to investigate the relationship between a parent’s coping mechanism (confrontive coping, distancing, self-controlling, seeking social support, accepting responsibility, escape-avoidance, planful problem solving, and positive reappraisal) on his or her mental health or distress (depression, hopelessness, anxiety, and anger) when raising a child with a disability. The second goal was to investigate whether positive and adaptive coping would result in better …

Primary Care Physicians’ Ability To Detect Ptsd, John Michael Della Porta

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex condition that has many medical and mental health sequelae. Research has shown that PTSD patients are often not accurately identified, particularly in primary care settings. The result of this underdetection is that these patients often utilize more health care resources. This investigation sought to determine whether the complex nature of PTSD, particularly the frequent presence of comorbid physical symptoms that may overshadow PTSD, makes the disorder difficult to detect in primary care settings. Other factors that could contribute to this underdetection were also investigated. A two-group between-subjects design was utilized for this investigation, …

Staff Knowledge And Attitudes Toward Recovery Principles Among Mental Health Professionals Who Work With Adult Psychiatric Inpatients, Hussain Alhashem

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Recovery from serious mental illness (SMI) promotes a lifestyle that enables individuals to overcome obstacles related to mental illness and to become hopeful, responsible, and empowered to contribute to society (Anthony, 1993; Jacobson & Greenley, 2001). This study addressed the mental health worker’s knowledge and attitudes toward recovery principles, utilizing an online survey method to examine the relationship between staff knowledge of and attitudes toward recovery principles among mental health professionals who work in inpatient psychiatric settings that serve adult patients. Participants in this study included staff members at inpatient psychiatric hospital facilities in the United States. Results from this …

Therapeutic Effectiveness, Stress, And Burnout In Mental Health Professionals, Christina Pimble

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Therapists face a great deal of stress in their day-to-day work, which arises from issues regarding psychotherapy effectiveness, therapist gender, client population, and job dissatisfaction. These stressors make therapists susceptible to personal mental health issues, which can lead to burnout. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between therapist perception of therapeutic effectiveness, perceived stress, and burnout experienced by the therapist as influenced by, but not limited to, therapist gender, client population, the type of setting in which the therapist works, and length of time in the field. Findings from this study may provide insight into stressors …

The Effects Of Therapist Self-Disclosure Of A Mental Health Condition On Client Perceptions Of The Therapist, Samantha E. Kaufman

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Therapist self-disclosure is a controversial intervention that is defined in numerous ways and includes a variety of content. Little is known about how therapist self-disclosure of a mental health condition affects clients’ and non clients’ perceptions of the therapist. The first goal of this study was to investigate the effects of therapist self-disclosure of a mental health condition on client perceptions of the therapist on three social influence factors (Attractiveness, Expertness, Trustworthiness) and two facilitative conditions (Empathy and Level of Regard). The second goal was to investigate if client perceptions of the therapist’s social influence factors and facilitative conditions varied …

Predicting Attitudes Towards Telemental Health Therapy Among U.S. Military Veterans, Rebekah L. Gingras

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The recent U.S. military conflicts have brought to light the destruction of war. The amount of stress involved in deployment and exposure to combat has been found to increase the risk of mental health disorders. Many veterans are at risk for mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, alcoholism, post-traumatic stress disorder, and traumatic brain injuries. The purpose of this study was to examine age, education level, computer technology skills, personality, and barriers to seeking treatment to determine if these variables would predict attitudes towards the use of telemental health (TMH) treatment. Participants from student veterans’ organizations across the country …

Testing A Brief Treatment To Reduce The Frequency Of Panic Attacks In A Clinical Outpatient Population, Benjamin N. Daniels

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Panic attacks, the key symptom of panic disorder and an associated feature of various anxiety disorders, are extremely distressing events that can negatively impact an individual’s mental health, physical health, and quality of life. This study validated a brief treatment for panic attacks, designed to reduce the frequency of panic attacks after the first session, in an outpatient clinical population. One participant was recruited to participate in this single case experimental ABA design with follow-up, where a reversal was not expected, due to the maintenance of positive effects. The treatment included both cognitive and behavioral techniques. The results were analyzed …

Anxiety Disorders And School-Based Treatments: Assessing School Pyschologists' Knowledge And Perceptions, Kelly A. Myhasuk

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Anxiety disorders are common in children and youth. Despite high prevalence rates, most children with anxiety disorders do not receive treatment. In fact, for the few children who are receiving treatment, schools are the primary source of mental health care. When left untreated, children experience significant disruptions in their academic, social, emotional, and behavioral functioning. Therefore, it is important for those working in schools to recognize and treat children with anxiety disorders. The present study surveyed school psychologists (n = 178) to assess their knowledge about anxiety disorders and about empirically supported school-based treatments. Also, this study sought to investigate …

The Effects Of Mental Health Stigma On Treatment Attitude Within The Therapeutic Dyad: Therapist Beliefts In The Mental Health Recovery Process For Patients With Schizophrenia, Michele R. Miele

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

OBJECTIVE: Stigma maintains a belief that a recovery process is infeasible for patients with schizophrenia. As clients internalize stigma and therapists maintain a conceptualization of non-recovery, their core beliefs about recovery may become treatment barriers. This study investigated clinicians’ attitudes towards recovery by evaluating the relationship between knowledge of schizophrenia, attitudes of stigma, and attitudes of tolerance held towards people with schizophrenia; included in the evaluation are years of experience working as a mental health professional.

METHOD: This study is a cross-sectional survey design using a sample of 319 participants. The survey consisted of the following measures: knowledge of …

An Exploration Of The Benefits Of Working As A Certified Peer Specialist (Cps) And Predictors Of These Benefits, Tricia M. Angilletta

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The mental health recovery movement has promoted the use of certified peer specialists (CPS) as an indispensable component of the recovery process when working with individuals with severe mental illnesses (SMI) (Solomon, 2004). In addition to assisting others, the literature indicates that the CPS may gain a shared benefit from the CPS experience (Solomon, 2004). The purpose of this study was to examine the benefits that working or volunteering as a CPS can have on the CPS’s personal recovery process and health care costs. Two benefits that were explored are a CPS’s service utilization (outpatient therapy, case management, and inpatient …

Recovery Knowledge, Skills, And Attitudes Of Doctoral Students In Apa-Accredited Clinical Psychology Programs, And Interns In Apa-Accredited And Appic-Member Internships, Carmella R. Tress

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The concept of Recovery can be understood as an attitude or perspective about people, an attitude that encompasses beliefs about the respect, power, responsibility, empowerment, and hope that people deserve. Knowledge of and attitudes towards Recovery principles are instrumental to the development of Recovery-oriented approaches to mental health care. However, until the present study, information had not been gathered regarding the knowledge and attitudes that clinical psychology doctoral students and pre-doctoral interns have towards Recovery principles and the provision of Recovery-oriented services. A survey of a national sample of 189 doctoral students in APA-accredited programs, and 185 pre-doctoral interns in …

Predicting Initial Mental Health/Substance Abuse Treatment Attendance In Hiv/Aids Patients: An Exploration Of Risk Factors, Rachel D. Amodio

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study attempted to predict mental health/substance abuse treatment initial appointment attendance, utilizing specific social, provider, institutional, medical, and psychological risk factors through the use of a logistic regression model. The initial frequency analysis revealed that only 155 individuals were ever scheduled to attend an appointment of the original data set (N=298). The majority of individuals could not be scheduled due to unavailability, disinterest, latency and other reasons. A new data set was created from individuals who were scheduled and variables were collapsed across categories to include: length of wait time to appointment, CD4 count, prescribed medications, reason for referral, …

Youth Treatment Adherence At A Rural Community Mental-Health Clinic, Asma S. Ali

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study examined the relationships between youth and adult psychopathology, and sociodemographic factors and treatment adherence for youth attending outpatient treatment at a rural community mental-health clinic. “Adherence” was defined as attending more than five sessions, while “non-adherence” was defined as attending fewer than or equal to five sessions. Results revealed no significant differences between youth adhering or not adhering to treatment depending on the relation of caregiver to youth or the mode of transportation taken to the clinic. Furthermore, caregiver and youth psychopathology and caregiver’s estimated travel time to the clinic did not predict treatment adherence. Incidentally, examination of …