Student Counseling and Personnel Services Commons^™

The Relationships Among Self-Regulation, Executive Functioning, Coping Resources, And Symptomatology Following A Traumatic Event, Rebecca A.C. Blood

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

Traumatic events have the capability to alter people’s psychological, biological, and social functioning to a significant degree (van der Kolk & McFarlane, 1996). As a result, there has been a growing need to develop increasingly more sophisticated models to understand the complexities of people’s responses to trauma (Luxenberg & Levin, 2004). Undergraduate students (N = 391) completed surveys designed to measure past trauma, trauma-related symptoms, self-regulation, executive functioning, and coping abilities. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, a modified version of the Early Trauma Inventory Self-Report – Short Form (ETISR-SF; Bremner, Vermetten, & Masure, 2000), the Trauma Symptom Inventory – Alternate …

The Relationships Among Childhood Sexual Abuse, Self-Objectification, And Sexual Risk Behaviors In Undergraduate Women, Laurel B. Watson

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

On a routine and daily basis, women are exposed to sexually objectifying experiences, which result in a number of harmful psychosocial outcomes (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997). Five-hundred and forty-sex women attending a large, Southeastern university participated in this study that investigated a conceptual model of how childhood sexual abuse (CSA) contributes to sexual risk behaviors (SRBs) via self-objectification (S0). In order to assess the causal relationships among variables, measured variable path analyses were conducted in order to test two theoretical models. The following instruments were used in this investigation: the Sexual Abuse Subscale of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (a measure …

A School-Based Intervention For Third Grade Students Experiencing Test Anxiety, Laura S. Tenenbaum

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

With the advent of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB, 2001), students are regularly faced with high stakes tests and classroom-based assessments to determine if they are meeting grade level educational standards. Estimates suggest that up to 40% of children may experience significant anxiety surrounding evaluations (e.g., McDonald, 2001; Turner, Beidel, Hughes, & Turner, 1993) and research shows that this test anxiety can negatively impact school performance (e.g., Abu-Rabia, 2004; Putwain, 2008) and mental health (e.g., Barksdale-Ladd & Thomas, Weems et al., 2010). As a result, test anxiety has become a topic of concern for researchers, educators, and mental …

Removing A Barrier To Widen The Door To Recovery: Working Alliance Development With African American Women Substance Abusers, Telsie A. Davis

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

Two groups of therapist characteristics were explored as predictors of working alliance (WA) with African American women substance abusers (n = 102). This study tested the hypotheses that Population Sensitive Therapist Characteristics (PSTCs; i.e. multicultural competence [MC], egalitarianism [EG], and empowerment [EM]) would explain an additional and significant amount of the variance in WA beyond that explained by general therapist characteristics (GTCs; i.e. empathy, regard, and genuineness); and that GTCs partially mediate the effect of each individual PSTC on WA. Hierarchical multiple regression revealed that PSTCs explained an additional 12% of the variance in WA, after controlling for GTCs. …

Understanding School Counselors' Ability To Implement School Counseling Activities Following Participation In Professional Training, Focusing On Adventure Based Counseling Training, Tara S. Morgan

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

A concern following school counselors participation in professional training is whether or not they are able to implement information learned. One such professional training that school counselors attend is Adventure Based Counseling (ABC). ABC groups are effective for addressing a myriad of concerns with young people. ABC groups address problem-solving skills, self-esteem, responsibility, goal setting, cooperation, and interpersonal skills. Although many school counselors have participated in ABC training, there is a lack of research that supports whether they are actually utilizing these techniques with their students. Additionally, current research does not provide information as to how training programs and school …

Potentials And Impediments To Universal, School-Based Screening For Behavioral And Emotional Risk: A Critical Discourse Analysis Of Current Case Law, Natasha D. Gardner

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

Disproportionality in special education is a long-standing issue. Some scholars have proposed group or universal screening for emotional and behavioral risk in schools as a method of addressing disproportionality. Considering previous case law, questions exist as to the legality of such screening programs in public schools. The purpose of this inquiry was to apply critical discourse analysis (CDA) to the federal case of Rhoades v. Penn-Harris (2008) to explore how court discourse reflects issues of social power and multidisciplinarity in the context of a school mental health screening program. CDA is usually interdisciplinary and focuses on explaining discourse structures related …

Coping Resources, Coping Styles, Mastery, Social Support, And Depression In Male And Female College Students, Kristen J. Aycock

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

Depression is one of the most commonly-diagnosed disorders in college counseling centers (Adams, Wharton, Quilter, & Hirsch, 2008), so effective diagnosis and treatment are paramount to providing adequate care to college students. Treatment direction may depend on gender, however. Not only do males and females experience depression at different rates (Kessler et al., 2003), but there also is some evidence that factors predict depression differently by gender (Tamres, Janicki, & Helgeson, 2002). Specifically, the literature suggests that the choice of coping strategies may be gender-related; that perceived control is higher in males, yet more important to females; that social connectedness …

Parental Stress, Socioeconomic Status, Satisfaction With Services, And Family Quality Of Life Among Parents Of Children Receiving Special Education Services, Heather F. Lundy

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

Family quality of life (FQOL) refers to the degree to which families of individuals with disabilities are able to meet their basic needs, enjoy time together, and pursue leisure interests and activities (Park et al., 2003). Researchers have identified barriers that families of individuals with disabilities encounter as they pursue a life of quality including elevated parental stress (Hauser-Cram, Warfield, Shonkoff, & Kraus, 2001), low socioeconomic status (SES) (Park, Turnbull, & Turnbull, 2002) and inadequate social service support (Soresi, Nota, & Ferrari, 2007). This study utilized data collected from a sample of parents (N = 389) of children receiving …

Pre-Teen Alcohol Use As A Risk Factor For Victimization And Perpetration Of Bullying Among Middle And High School Students In Georgia, Monica H. Swahn, Volkan Topalli, Bina Ali, Sheryl M. Strasser, Jeffrey S. Ashby, Joel Meyers

Public Health Faculty Publications

Objective: We examined the association between pre-teen alcohol use initiation and the victimization and perpetration of bullying among middle and high school students in Georgia.

Methods: We computed analyses using data from the 2006 Georgia Student Health Survey (N=175,311) of students in grades 6, 8, 10 and 12. The current analyses were limited to students in grades 8, 10 and 12 (n=122,434). We used multilogistic regression analyses to determine the associations between early alcohol use and reports of both victimization and perpetration of bullying, perpetration only, victimization only, and neither victimization or perpetration, while controlling for demographic characteristics, other substance …

Social Justice Advocacy Trends Related To Gay/Straight Alliance Advisors' Experiences In Schools, Emily Graybill

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

Social justice within education increasingly has been emphasized over the past decade (Kraft, 2007; Oakes et al., 2000; Riester et al., 2002). Little is known about the demographic trends and the advocacy experiences of school-based social justice advocates such as Gay/Straight Alliance (GSA) advisors despite the established importance of teachers engaging in social justice advocacy within schools. Data were collected from a national sample (N = 262) of GSA advisors to further the understanding of the demographic characteristics and the experiences of these social justice advocates and to investigate the relationships between these variables. An ethnographic survey (Schensul, Schensul, & …

African American Mothers' And Professionals' Perceptions Of Transition To Special Needs Preschool, Jana R. Ladner

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) mandates services from birth through age 21 for children with disabilities and their families (U.S. Department of Education, 2004). Children experience significant transitions between formal parts of special education, including the transition from birth-to-age-three services, to age-three-to-five services (Fowler, Donegan, Lueke, Hadden, & Phillips, 2000). Barriers, problems, and positive factors in these transitions (Christenson, 2004; Feinberg, Beyer, & Moses, 2002; Mitchell & Sloper, 2002; Valle & Aponte, 2002) include stress, satisfaction/dissatisfaction in professional-parent interactions, resistance of professionals to working with parents, and agreement/disagreement over service provision (Christenson, 2004; Ladwig, 2003; Minke & …

Group Leadership Of Experienced Middle School Counselors, Robert E. Rice

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

ABSTRACT

GROUP LEADERSHIP OF EXPERIENCED MIDDLE SCHOOL COUNSLEORS

by

Robert E. Rice

Middle school students experience biological, cognitive, and social changes as they struggle with identity formation, self-concept, self-esteem, and academic success. Psycho-educational groups are an effective and efficient method for confronting social/emotional or academic problems that prohibit middle school students from performing well in schools. An essential component in the successful counseling of middle school groups is the skill and experience of the group leader. Research on school-based groups has focused on all areas with the exception of group leadership. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore …

Minority Stress And Life Role Saliency Among Sexual Minorities, Franco Dispenza

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

This study explored the influence of minority stress on the career and life-space developmental trajectory (Super, 1990) with a sample of gay, bisexual, and queer men. Approximately 202 self-identifying sexual minority males were recruited across the United States via the internet. The study tested a model in which dyadic adjustment and career satisfaction mediated the relationship between three specific minority stressors (internalized homophobia, concealment motivation, and stigma sensitivity) and four specific life roles (partner, occupational, homemaker, and parental life roles). A measured variable path analysis (MVPA) was conducted with the following measures: the Internalized Homophobia Scale (Martin & Dean, 1987); …

The Effects Of A Drama-Based Language Intervention On The Development Of Theory Of Mind And Executive Function In Urban Kindergarten Children, Heather Smith

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

Because theory of mind (ToM; Samson, 2009) and executive function (EF; Meltzer, 2010) are important skill domains for children’s academic and social success in school, researchers have focused on evaluating the impact of interventions designed to enhance the development of these skills (e.g., Peskin & Astington, 2004; Dowsett & Livesey, 2000). Using an experimental design, the current study evaluated the effectiveness of the Georgia Wolftrap (GWT) program, a drama-based language intervention, at improving ToM and EF in a sample of kindergarten students from low socioeconomic (SES) backgrounds. Researchers (Cole & Mitchell, 1998; Noble, Norman, & Farah, 2005) have indicated that …

School Size, School Poverty And School-Level Mobility: Interactive Threats To School Outcomes, Sharon M. Thompson

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

ABSTRACT

SCHOOL SIZE, SCHOOL POVERTY AND SCHOOL-LEVEL

MOBILITY: INTERACTIVE THREATS

TO SCHOOL OUTCOMES

by

Sharon M. Thompson

School-level mobility is the flow of students moving in and out of schools and has been defined as the rate of student entries and withdrawals per 100 students enrolled in a school during the year (Pike & Weisbender, 1988). Stakeholders report that school mobility disrupts the delivery, pace and effectiveness of classroom instruction, causes problems associated with classroom adjustment, and renders long-term negative effects on schools’ Adequate Yearly Progress rankings (Bruno & Isken, 1996; GAO, 2007; Kerbow, 1996; Lash & Kirkpatrick, 1990; Rhodes, …

Effects Of Language On The Development Of Executive Functions In Preschool Children, Greer A. Ezrine

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship between language skills and the development of executive functions in a normative preschool population over a 3 year period. Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) was used to examine models of individual change and correlates of change in the growth of 7 executive skills in a sample of 39 children ages 3 to 5. Results of the analyses revealed significant positive linear growth trajectories over time for 5 of the 7 executive skills measured (p < .05). Maturation alone accounted for a significant amount of variance in nonverbal working memory (Block Span, Stanford Binet-5th Edition (SB-5)) and problem solving skills (Tower, NEPSY). Growth in verbal working memory (Memory for Sentences, SB-5) was predicted uniquely by initial receptive vocabulary (Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test–3rd Edition) and oral language (Comprehensive Assessment of Spoken Language) skills, even after considering age. Language variables did not predict rate of change in the 6 other executive skills measured. Thus, the pattern of results extends previous cross-sectional research by documenting that executive skills grow systematically with age in individual children during the preschool period. Furthermore, results suggest that during the preschool years, language ability is an important predictor of growth in working memory for verbal information—a capacity associated both theoretically and empirically with the transition from other- to self-regulation in early childhood. Findings are discussed in relationship to the literature on school readiness and the development of self-regulation. Implications for future research and practice are also suggested.

The Interrelationships Among Coping Resources, Gender Role Stree, Self-Efficacy, And Anxiety In University Women Enrolled In Graduate Counseling Programs, Jessica B. Kordansky

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

College-age women are affected by anxiety disorders at a significant rate. The data suggest that enhancing a sense of control over the negative effects of life events has a greater positive effect on women than men (Matheny, Ashby, & Cupp, 2005). While there is a literature base for stress coping among undergraduate students (McCarthy, Fouladi, Juncker, & Matheny, 2006), little data exists which explores the implications of stress coping among female graduate students in counseling programs. Using a population of university women in graduate counseling programs, this study explored the interrelationships between coping resources, gender role stress, self-efficacy, and anxiety. …

School Mental Health Professionals' Experiences Of Hurricane Katrina Evacuees: A Phenomenological Approach, Stephanie E. Eberts

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

Abstract The need for increased training in the area of trauma and crisis intervention has been the subject of discussion in the literature (Mathai, 2002) and in the creation of new training standards (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs [CACREP], 2009). With an increasing number of challenges facing children today, school mental health professionals are positioned to be among the first to intervene on their behalf (Campbell & Dahir, 1997; Paisley & McMahon, 2002). In order for interventions to be successful, school mental health professionals must be able to recognize the signs of trauma (Canada, Heath, Money, …

The Relationship Between Religiosity And Religious Coping To Stress Reactivity And Psychological Well-Being, Andrew M. Ward

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

A significant body of research has identified the deleterious effects of stress on psychological well-being (e.g., Tataro, Luecken, & Gunn, 2004). Religiosity and religious coping have been identified as variables that may impact a person’s experience with stress (Ano & Vasconcelles, 2005). Aukst-Margetic and Margetic (2005) suggest that the connection between stress, religious variables, and well-being can be understood through the frame of psychoimmunodocrinological research, which examines the relationship between neurohormonal functioning (e.g., cortisol level) with psychological factors that may impact health. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether acute stress reactivity, as measured by changes in cortisol …

The Lived Experience Of Economically Disadvantaged, Black Students Attending Predominantly White, Elite Private Boarding Schools, Tameka R. Jackson

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of economically disadvantaged, Black students attending predominantly White, elite private boarding schools. Data were collected utilizing semi-structured interviews with 9 participants, with each interview lasting approximately 90 minutes. The recursive method of data collection and analysis was informed by six steps outlined by Creswell (1998), as well as Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) methods (Hill, Thompson, & Williams, 1997). Findings revealed 9 themes associated with participants' experiences: classroom experiences, value of Black peer networks, caught between two worlds, racial perceptions, desire to connect with people of all races, socioeconomic …

The Effects Of Counselor Trainee Stress And Coping Resources On The Working Alliance And Supervisory Working Alliance, Philip B. Gnilka

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

Counselor trainees’ stress and coping resources have the potential to influence the relationships formed with supervisors and clients. Two hundred thirty two (N = 232) Master-level counselor trainees completed surveys designed to measure perceived stress, coping resources, the working alliance, and the supervisory working alliance. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, the Working Alliance Inventory – Short Form Therapist Version (WAI-S; Tracey & Kokotovic, 1989), the Supervisory Working Alliance Inventory – Trainee Version (SWAI-T; Efstation, Patton, & Kardash, 1990), the Perceived Stress Scale – Short Form (PSS; Cohen, Kamarck, & Mermelstein, 1983), and the Coping Resources Inventory for Stress – Short …

Multiple Interpersonal Traumas And Specific Constellations Of Trauma Symptoms In A Clinical Population Of University Females, Abby Marie Myers

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

Female survivors of multiple forms of trauma are increasingly found to be a significant portion of the university population (Briere, Kaltman, & Green 2008). While there is a strong literature base for understanding the effects of individual trauma on psychological functioning (e.g., Briere, 1992; Kaltman, Krumnick, Stockton, Hooper, & Green, 2005), little is known about specific symptom constellations for those who have experienced multiple traumas (Rich, Gingerich, & Roseìn, 1997). Using a clinical population of 500 female university students, this study explored the rates of multiple interpersonal traumatic experiences, the connection between multiple traumas and symptom severity, and the association …

African American School Psychology Program Leavers, Sherrie L. Proctor

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

This phenomenology used 21 in-depth interviews to explore seven African Americans’ experiences at the school psychology programs they left. The purpose was to investigate what experiences contributed to participants’ decisions to leave programs; if programs used retention strategies and if so, participants’ view of the strategies; and what participants believe might have encouraged their retention. Findings indicate that misalignment between participants’ career aims and their perceptions of school psychology practice as well as poor relationships with faculty and peers contributed to decisions to leave programs. Five participants reported that programs did not utilize retention strategies. Two reported that a sole …

Perceptions Of School Psychology Supervisors And Practitioners About Supervision Practices In The Southeastern Region Of The Us: An Exploratory Study Using Concept Mapping, Brandi J. Wells

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

Supervision is essential to the development of school psychologists. Effective supervision cultivates professional competence and objectivity, enhances service delivery, encourages critical thinking and problem solving, and supports school psychologists to engage in continuous professional development activities. Yet, there is little information available about how school psychology practitioners and supervisors view supervision and in what ways actual supervision practices can improve. This study employed concept mapping, which is a structured analytic methodology that allows qualitative and quantitative data to be expressed as visual models to explore practicing school psychologists’ and supervisors’ perceptions about supervision by: (a) investigating what impediments hindered supervision …

Quantifying Social Justice Advocacy Competency: Development Of The Social Justice Advocacy Scale, Jennifer Kaye Dean

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

Social justice advocacy has been a force throughout the history of Counseling Psychology and has been described as more critical to the field than any other time in its long history (Toporek & McNally, 2006). Accordingly, in 2002, the American Counseling Association endorsed the Advocacy Competencies in an effort to advance the status of social advocacy by defining competency for counselors engaged in social advocacy (Lewis, Arnold, House, & Toporek, 2002). However, at the writing of this article, these competencies had not yet been operationalized. Therefore, a comprehensive review of the multidisciplinary literature was conducted and seventy- three skills consistent …

The Moderating Role Of Adult Connections In High School Students' Sense Of School Belonging, Amy Dutton Tillery

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

Researchers have demonstrated that students who had a strong sense of school belonging exhibited greater academic motivation and performance (E. Anderman, 2002; Faircloth & Hamm, 2005), had fewer emotional and behavioral difficulties (Furrer & Skinner, 2003; McMahon, Singh, Garner, & Benhorin; 2004), and were less likely to dropout of school (Fredricks, Blumenfeld, & Paris, 2004; Knesting, 2008). Limited attention has been given to the potential factors that promote school belonging, especially in high school students. The purpose of this research was to examine the unique influence of adult connections on high school students’ sense of school belonging utilizing the framework …

The Relationship Between Intrinsic Motivation, Motivational Interviewing And Physical Activity In An African American Church Population, Simone S. Rahotep

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

African Americans carry a disproportionate amount of the health burden for chronic disease in the United States (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2007). Diabetes, heart disease and cancer, to name a few, are diseases which prematurely capture the lives of African Americans. While chronic, these diseases are preventable with the advent of behavioral change. Physical activity is a primary contributor to longer life expectancy and fewer health concerns (United States Department of Health and Human Services, 1996). While American society, as a whole, struggles to incorporate more physical activity in their lifestyles, African Americans exhibit higher levels of physical …

An Exploration Of The Coping Strategies In Female Counseling Doctoral Students' Marriages, Jung H. Hyun

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

The growing literature on the impact of doctoral programs on marriages has identified four major areas of concern: financial difficulties, change of lifestyle, lack of time, and communication issues (Bergen & Bergen, 1978; Cao, 2001; Giles, 1983; Middleton, 2001; Norton, Thomas, Morgan, Tilley, & Dickins, 1998; Williams, 1977). In addition, Looney, Harding, Blotcky and Branhart (1980) found that psychotherapists were more likely to have marital discord and failure in their marriages than in the general population. Moreover, studies have shown that female doctoral students reported more stress compared to male students (Mallinckrodt, Leong, & Kralj, 1989). With the recognition that …

Structural Extension Of The Cattell-Horn-Carroll Cross-Battery Approach To Include Measures Of Visual-Motor Integration, Janell Hargrove Brooks

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

In spite of the long-standing tradition of including measures of visual-motor integration in psychological evaluations, visual-motor abilities have not been included in the Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) theory of cognitive abilities or its complementary cross-battery approach to assessment. The purpose of this research was to identify the shared constructs of a popular test of visual-motor integration and a test of intellectual functioning, and to investigate how a test of visual-motor integration would be classified within the CHC model. A large normative sample of 3,015 participants that ranged in age from 5 to 97 years completed the Bender Visual-Motor Gestalt Test, Second Edition …

A Phenomenological Investigation Of Supervisors' And Supervisees' Experiences With Attention To Cultural Issues In Multicultural Supervision, Amy L. Mcleod

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

This study investigated the experiences of supervisors and supervisees involved in multicultural supervision, specifically regarding how cultural issues are addressed in supervision, the impact of attention to cultural issues on the supervisory relationship, and the impact of attention to cultural issues on supervisees’ development of perceived multicultural counseling competence (MCC). Six supervisors and nine supervisees who differed from each other on at least one cultural variable (e.g., race, ethnicity, gender, sexual identity, spiritual identity, age, ability status, and socioeconomic status) participated. The participating supervisees were receiving supervision from one of the participating supervisors at the time this study took place. …