Education Commons^™

Early Termination And Barriers To Treatment In Parent And Child Therapy, Brittany Lynn Gresl

Dissertations (1934 -)

Young children typically experience challenging behaviors. However, 10-15% of young children experience clinical behaviors that can impact the child's typical development. These challenging behaviors are even more common in children from low-income, urban settings. If left untreated, such challenging behaviors may lead to more severe behaviors including aggression, violence, and anti-social behaviors. Research has demonstrated that participation in parent and child therapy (PCT) programs significantly reduces problematic child behaviors while increasing positive behaviors in both the child and the parent. However, PCT programs report rates of early termination as high as 70%. Research to reduce these early termination rates has …

The Impact Of Personal Therapy On Graduate Training In Psychology: A Consensual Qualitative Research Study, Eric Everson

Dissertations (1934 -)

While broad support exists for trainees in professional psychology who decide to seek personal therapy, surprisingly little literature has focused on their perspective of the experience of attending therapy while in training. The impact of such experiences could have important implications not only for trainees, but also for their training programs. Given the relative lack of empirical attention in this area, this study hoped to provide a rich understanding of how trainees are affected by personal therapy while in training, as well as how this experience was viewed by their graduate programs. Eleven master’s- and doctoral-level trainees were interviewed. Most …

Inspiring The Wonderment: Emotional Intelligence In Higher Education, Kurt H. Gering

Professional Projects

The purpose of this research was to shed insight on the degree to which instructor Emotional Intelligence (EI) may moderate the student/teacher relationship. Interviews were conducted to gather qualitative data on the experience of several students at a private university in the Midwest. The findings suggest that there appears to be a positive relationship between instructor EI and a positive academic experience by the student. Further research on this topic may indicate that institutions may also benefit from incorporating the tracking and evaluating of EI in their faculty body to enhance academic success student.

Development Of The Self-Efficacy For Medication Adherence For Buprenorphine (Sema-B) Assessment, Matthew Krug

Dissertations (1934 -)

Each year in the United States, over 4 million people aged 12 or older are treated for substance use disorders, and a growing percentage of those being treated are suffering from opiate addiction. Research suggests that many variables should be considered in a biopsychosocial approach to treating substance use disorders, and especially when treating opiate addiction. Two of the variables that show a strong correlation with positive treatment outcomes are self-efficacy and medication adherence. Buprenorphine is a relatively new medication that has shown significant efficacy is treatment of opiate addiction. Successful treatment also requires appropriate adherence to taking buprenorphine as …

Black Faculty Perceptions Of Classroom Interactions With Students At A Predominantly White Institution, Robyn Clarke Ngwabi

Dissertations (1934 -)

Current research generally reveals the classroom experiences of black professors at predominantly white institutions (PWI) as largely negative, whether or not issues of race are featured prominently in course content. The literature on this overall topic is, however, sparse and no published research study exists involving the use of originally conducted fieldwork observations and interviews. Consequently, this exploratory case study uses an interpretive (qualitative), ethnographic fieldwork research approach to examine a black professor’s perceptions of her interactions with her students during instruction at a PWI. This study yielded eight overarching themes pointing to a generally negative perception of classroom interactions …

The Relationship Between Dispositional Attachment And Caregiving Styles, Values, And Prosocial Personality And Behavior, Robert Scott Dubois

Dissertations (1934 -)

A growing body of descriptive and experimental research evidence and theoretical analysis suggests that attachment security, an inner confidence or sense that one's self and others are reliably available, sensitive, responsive and effect sources of support through difficult times, may prompt compassionate thoughts, feelings, values and behavior consistent with the Golden Rule. The current research contributes to this important body of scientific research by positing, testing, and as appropriate revising a theoretically and empirically meaningful structural model that outlines justifiable direct and indirect paths through which dispositional attachment security, developmentally transmitted in part across and within generations by one's caregivers, …

Is Institutional Sexual Misconduct Predictive Of Sexual Recidivism Amongst Male Sex Offenders?, Angela Marie Fleck

Dissertations (1934 -)

There has been a large body of research conducted on establishing a valid set of predictors of sexual offender recidivism in the past 20 years. However, despite findings that indicate that prior history of sexual offenses serves as a primary predictor of sexual offense recidivism, there has been little focus on the impact of institutional sexual misconduct on sexual offense recidivism rates. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between institutional sexual behavior and sexual offense recidivism rates amongst a sample of male offenders who received a sexual misconduct report while incarcerated and/or was convicted of a sexual offense. Additionally, …

The Impact Of Latino Family Variables On The Sexual Activity Of Latino Adolescents: A Mixed-Methods Study, Brittany Nicole Barber

Dissertations (1934 -)

Researchers' examination of Latino adolescents' cultural values and sexual activity has yielded questions regarding the cultural- and gender-specific attitudes and practices in this area (Deardorff, Tschann, & Flores, 2008). Cultural values include family-related variables such as different aspects of familism, parent-adolescent communication, and parental monitoring, which have been found to decrease adolescents' engagement in other negative activities such as aggressive behavior, (Dishion & McMahon, 1998), substance use (Estrada, Rabow, & Watts, 1982), and juvenile delinquency (Clark & Shields, 1997). Research investigating these risk behaviors has often implicated Latino adolescents' level of assimilation to White, mainstream society as a potential risk …

African American Men Facing Homelessness And Co-Occurring Disorders: A Qualitative Investigation Of Multiple Stigmas, Rebecca C. Mayor

Dissertations (1934 -)

Homelessness is a pervasive and problematic phenomenon, and programs designed to assist individuals experiencing homelessness and reduce homelessness face a number of challenges. One such challenge involves difficulty engaging and retaining clientele experiencing homelessness in supportive services (Bhui et al., 2006; Ng & McQuistion, 2004; Padgett et al., 2008). The literature suggests that one explanation for this difficulty may involve the stigmatization experiences that individuals facing homelessness accumulate over time; previous studies have indicated that holding a marginalized position in society may make individuals experiencing homelessness more reluctant to engage in services (because of social rejection fears) and/or more sensitive …

Relationship Between Psychiatric Diagnosis And Functional Outcome In Physical Therapy, Marc A. Silva

Dissertations (1934 -)

Preliminary research suggests that psychiatric illness is associated with poorer functional outcomes in physical therapy (PT), but there is scant research examining this relationship specifically. In this study, the impact of psychiatric diagnosis on functional outcome in PT was investigated. Study design was a retrospective review of medical records. Participants were 310 veterans (age: M = 72.05 years, SD = 11.86; 96% male, 74% White) admitted for inpatient rehabilitation and referred for PT. Statistical analyses included MANCOVA and ANCOVA. Independent variables were mood disorder diagnosis, substance use disorder diagnosis, and any psychiatric diagnosis. Dependent variables were the sum of Functional …

The Influences Of Acculturation, Marianismo And Ethnic Identity On Sexual Activity Among Latina Adolescents, Keyona M. Jarrett

Dissertations (1934 -)

This mixed methods study examined the influences of acculturation (e.g., assimilation and enculturation), marianismo, and ethnic identity on the sexual behaviors and attitudes of Latina adolescents. In the quantitative portion of the study, 204 Latina adolescents completed measures regarding acculturation, gender roles, ethnic identity, and sexual behaviors. In the qualitative portion of the study, three focus groups were conducted (with a total of 10 participants) in which Latina youth were asked questions regarding their ethnic group membership and its influence on their attitudes about sex.

The results of the quantitative portion of the study revealed that ethnic affirmation was negatively …

Current Practices And Optimal Futures For The Treatment Of Substance Use Disorders Through Client-Treatment Matching: A Delphi Study, Noah Elijah Adrians

Dissertations (1934 -)

While over 4 million people in the United States aged 12 and over are engaged in treatment for substance use disorders each year, much remains unknown about how clients can be optimally referred to available treatment services, settings, providers, and interventions. Historically, clients received treatment in uniform, high intensity settings. Research over recent decades, however, has shown increased cost effectiveness and sustained, if not improved, clinical outcomes associated with efforts to individualize care. This study utilized the Delphi research methodology to examine community experts' (N = 9) perspectives on the real world implementation of client-treatment matching principles within a major …

Content Development Of The Relationships With Alcohol Scale For Late-Adolescents, Rose Lucey Schroedl

Dissertations (1934 -)

Level of functioning is an important component of comprehensive assessments of adolescent alcohol use behavior. However, comprehensive adolescent substance use measures fail to provide a clear conceptual framework for understanding how alcohol use impacts functioning. Recent research (Lucey, 2009) suggests that alcohol use does negatively impact late-adolescent functioning and it is important to measure an adolescent's alcohol-use behavior and its consequences in conjunction with level of functioning. Thus, a biopsychosocial measure of the impact of alcohol use on late adolescent functioning entitled the Relationship with Alcohol Scale (RAS) was proposed. Items for the RAS were developed from a review of …

Language Outcome After Left Temporal Lobectomy In Patients With Discordant Fmri And Sodium Amobarbital Testing Results, Julie K. Janecek

Dissertations (1934 -)

The rationale for this study was to examine 1) language lateralization discordance rates between fMRI and the IAT in pre- surgical epilepsy patients and 2) naming outcome after left ATL in a group of patients for whom IAT and fMRI language LIs were discordant. Participants were 229 consecutive pre-surgical epilepsy patients who underwent the IAT and fMRI. IAT LIs (% correct inject right -% correct inject left condition) were calculated based on performance on comprehension, naming, repetition and reading language tasks. The fMRI LIs [(L-R)/(L+R) where L = number of activated left hemisphere voxels and R = number of activated …

The Impact Of Treatment Intensity On A Parent And Child Therapy Program, Jennifer Carrasco

Dissertations (1934 -)

Behavior problems are prevalent in toddlers and preschoolers and can cause significant distress for caregivers and adversely affect young children's development. Research has shown that participation in Parent-Child Therapy (PCT) programs significantly reduces childhood behavior problems while increasing positive parent and child behaviors. Yet past research has not attended to the role of treatment intensity on program effectiveness, and the question of whether greater doses of treatment are associated with stronger outcomes in PCT programs has yet to be explored. The present study investigated the impact of treatment intensity on outcomes in a treatment program for low-income children age five …

The Clinical Utility Of The Conners' Continuous Performance Test In The Evaluation Of Youth With Conduct Disorder, Stephanie Raszkiewicz

Dissertations (1934 -)

The purpose of this study was to investigate neuropsychological factors related to performance on the Conners' Continuous Performance Test, Second Edition (CPT-II) among youth who met criteria for Conduct Disorder when compared to a control group of youth who did not meet criteria for Conduct Disorder (CD). The CPT-II is an instrument commonly used to assess for the presence of ADHD. Since research has shown a strong co-occurrence of CD with ADHD, with some authors reporting it to be as high as 90%, it was important to examine how a group of youth with CD would perform on this instrument …

Therapist Self-Disclosure With Adolescents: A Consensual Qualitative Research Study, Jacquelyn Julie Smith

Dissertations (1934 -)

Surprisingly little empirical attention has focused on therapist self-disclosure as an intervention with youth. Given the dearth of research in this area and the rising interest in evidenced-based practice, this study hoped to provide a deeper understanding of the effective use of therapist self-disclosure with adolescents. Twelve master's- and doctoral-level child therapists were interviewed regarding their use of therapist self-disclosure with adolescent clients. Participants largely felt that it was important to use therapist self-disclosure carefully and for the benefit of the client. Most participants had some level of training on therapist self-disclosure and felt that the intervention can be beneficial. …

Predictors Of Treatment Retention Among Homeless Men With Substance Use Disorders, Walter Matthew Drymalski

Dissertations (1934 -)

Homelessness is a significant problem in the United States. Recent estimates suggest that nearly three million people experience homelessness over the course of a year. Further, the rates of substance abuse are considerably higher among the homeless than in the general population. Substance abuse treatment has been found to be effective in reducing substance use among those persons with substance use disorders, as well as ameliorating other consequences of substance abuse (e.g., reducing rates of crime associated with substance abuse and dependence). One of the more robust predictors of positive outcomes for substance abuse treatment is retention, which is defined …

Bringing Berne Into Conjoint Family Therapy, Emmanuel Arockiam

Master's Theses (1922-2009) Access restricted to Marquette Campus

No abstract provided.