Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

When Your Spouse Is Addicted: How To Avoid Enabling And Get To Reality, Jason B. Whiting

Faculty Publications

Addiction manifests in a variety of ways, from the most severe heroin junkie, to the compulsive spender. It can include drug or alcohol dependence, compulsive pornography use, gambling, obsessive eating, lying, toxic relationships, or even Netflix. When does a habit become an addiction? Any behavior can begin as pleasure or escape, but in the case of addiction, the actions become demands. Addictions are secretive habits the person has unsuccessfully tried to stop, and that have disrupted work and home. An addiction takes an outsized role in the addict’s life and affects those they love.

The Effects Of Family Stressors On Depression In Latino Adolescents As Mediated By Interparental Conflict, Jenny Carolina Mondragon

Theses and Dissertations

Extensive literature suggests that Latino youth experience higher levels of depression when compared to youth from other ethnic backgrounds yet relatively little is known regarding why this particular population is especially susceptible to depression. This study focused on family level stressors and the link between interparental conflict and adolescent depressive symptoms in Latino families. The sample consisted of 400 girls and 290 boys, they were distributed into four groups based on gender and family structure. Written surveys were completed in their respective English classes measuring the aforementioned variables. Results indicated a significant relationship across all four groups between family stressors …

Longitudinal Relations Between Interparental Conflict And Adolescent Self-Regulation: The Moderating Role Of Attachment To Parents, Lisa Tensmeyer Hansen

Theses and Dissertations

This study used growth curve analysis to investigate associations between interparental conflict, attachment to parents, and adolescent self-regulation outcomes. Using data from 681 families in the Flourishing Families survey obtained in two western U.S. cities, associations between interparental conflict, mother and father attachment, and initial and growth levels of adolescent self-regulation were analyzed across five time points. Adolescent self-regulation showed steady growth across a five-year period during adolescence, suggesting that self-regulation may continue to develop generally throughout adolescence, a finding not revealed in prior research. Adolescent self-regulation increased significantly more in the first city over the five years of the …

If Gandhi Was Your Marriage Therapist, Jason B. Whiting

Faculty Publications

Mohandas Gandhi was born in India in 1869. As a young man he left to study law in Great Britain, and later he moved with his wife and children to South Africa, where he began a legal practice. There he experienced painful discrimination and abuse, and once was beaten by a stagecoach driver for refusing to give up his seat for a European. This galvanized Gandhi’s resolve to fight injustice through principles of satyagraha (“truth and firmness”) he had learned from his mother.

Multiculturalism And Social Work: A Content Analysis Of The Past 25 Years Of Research, Lauren Christine Smithee

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this content analysis was to analyze the past 25 years of research in two major social work journals, Social Work and Research on Social Work Practice, to provide a status update on the amount of ethnic-focused research being published within the discipline. This analysis examined trends in ethnic-focused publications, the change across time in percent of focused articles, the top topics studied, per ethnic group, the top funded topics, most and least involved funding agencies, geographical groupings of focused samples, the setting of the samples, measures used, and the percentage of samples based in a clinical …

A Pilot Study Examining The Role Of Treatment Type And Gender In Cortisol Functioning, Stephanie Young Davis

Theses and Dissertations

This pilot study examined the effectiveness of Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT) compared to Treatment As Usual (TAU) in improving cortisol functioning among distressed couples. It also investigated the role of gender in cortisol functioning. Measures for cortisol were collected at five time points, both at pre- and posttreatment. Data were collected from a total of 60 couples, 20 of which received EFT and 40 of which received TAU. Overall, results from a two-way analysis of variance suggest that there are no significant differences between men or women, nor among couples in EFT and TAU, in posttreatment cortisol functioning. Directions …

Multiculturalism And Social Work: A Content Analysis Of The Past 25 Years Of Research, Lauren Christine Smithee

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this content analysis was to analyze the past 25 years of research in two major social work journals, Social Work and Research on Social Work Practice, to provide a status update on the amount of ethnic-focused research being published within the discipline. This analysis examined trends in ethnic-focused publications, the change across time in percent of focused articles, the top topics studied, per ethnic group, the top funded topics, most and least involved funding agencies, geographical groupings of focused samples, the setting of the samples, measures used, and the percentage of samples based in a clinical …

Youth Disclosure: Examining Measurement Invariance Across Time And Reporter, Robb E. Clawson

Theses and Dissertations

Measurement invariance across time and reporter is rarely reported in the literature for measures of youth disclosure, even though it is often necessary to establish at least strong invariance before proceeding to further analyses such as comparing means across time or reporter. Measurement invariance was examined across time (ages 11, 14, and 17) and across reporter (youth report of disclosure to mother, youth report of disclosure to father, mother report of youth disclosure, father report of youth disclosure) with a sample of 348 youth and their parents. Youth report of disclosure to mothers demonstrated strong invariance across ages 11-14 and …

Transcendent Matters: Family Relationships Associated With How One Experiences God, Hilary Dalton

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

For religious families, an important but understudied aspect of spirituality is

how their perceptions of God influence their family lives. Most research

addresses religious behaviors such as attendance, prayer, or degree of salience

(how important/central is religion) or degree of literal belief (e.g., biblical

inerrancy). Relatively little research has addressed both substantive beliefs about

God as well as their potential impact on specific relational processes. Mahoney

has called for more research on the influence of substantive, specific beliefs as a

way to further our understanding of the religion-relationships linkage (Mahoney,

2013). Specifically, she has used the concept of relational spirituality …

Physiological Attunement And Influence In Couples Therapy: Examining The Roots Of Therapeutic Presence, Julia Campbell Bernards

Theses and Dissertations

Extensive interdisciplinary common factor research has identified the therapeutic relationship as a consistent factor influencing therapeutic outcomes. We use Polyvagal and Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) theories to guide an examination of the physiological mechanisms at work in the therapeutic relationship. Both Polyvagal and IPNB theories provide understandings about how humans are neurophysiologically wired for social connection. Each points to a sense of safety as being essential for meaningful connection to occur and clarifies that physiological attunement is an observable indicator of interpersonal connection. In this study, we use these theories to guide an examination of therapist physiological influence on clients in …

Perceived Perfectionism From God Scale: Development And Initial Evidence, Kawika Allen, Kenneth T. Wang, Hannah I. Stokes, Han Na Suh

Faculty Publications

In this study, the Perceived Perfectionism from God Scale (PPGS) was developed with Latter-day Saints (Mormons) across two samples. Sample 1 (N = 421) was used for EFA to select items for the Perceived Standards from God (5 items) and the Perceived Discrepancy from God (5 items) subscales. Sample 2 (N = 420) was used for CFA and cross-validated the 2-factor oblique model as well as a bifactor model. Perceived Standards from God scores had Cronbach alphas ranging from .73 to .78, and Perceived Discrepancy from God scores had Cronbach alphas ranging from .82 to .84. Standards from God scores …

The Impact Of Timing Of Pornography Exposure On Mental Health, Life Satisfaction, And Sexual Behavior, Bonnie Young

Theses and Dissertations

As pornography has become more widespread, young people are being exposed to pornography at earlier ages. Research examining the relationship between timing of exposure to pornography and outcomes in adulthood of mental health, life satisfaction, sexual behavior and attitudes, and pornography viewing patterns is limited. This study focuses on the relationship between timing of exposure to pornography and individual outcomes in adulthood. Results indicate that earlier exposure to pornography may significantly influence mental health, life satisfaction, sexual behavior and attitudes, and pornography viewing patterns in adulthood. Implications of this study include greater awareness of the risks of early exposure to …

Cost Outcomes For Major Depressive Disorder And Bipolar Disorder Across Professional License Types And Modalities, Julia H. Jones

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes for patients with Bipolar Disorder or Major Depressive Disorder based on severity of diagnosis. This study also compared psychotherapy providers and therapy modalities on total cost, number of sessions, and dropout. Our data set (N=136,439) came from Cigna, a national health care company. Results showed significant differences by severity of diagnosis. The comparison of providers showed that psychologists had higher costs and session numbers, while the other providers were not significantly different. However, all providers successfully provided low cost treatment on both MDD and BD. There is no support for the …

The Relationship Between Relational Aggression And Sexual Satisfaction: Investigating The Mediating Role Of Attachment Behaviors, Melece Vida Meservy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between relational aggression and sexual satisfaction, as well as the mediating role of attachment on this relationship. Data came from the Relationship Evaluation Survey (RELATE) comprised of the matched-pair responses of 797 couples in serious dating, engaged, or married relationships. Results showed the greater the perceived relational aggression the lower the sexual satisfaction for both self and partner, regardless of gender. Additionally, it appears a more satisfying sexual relationship can occur when an individual experiences a secure attachment base and can feel confident that his/her relationship is safe. For both …

Implicit Family Process Rules Specific To Eating-Disordered Families, Mallory Rebecca Wolfgramm

Theses and Dissertations

Family environment is a significant factor in the development of eating disorders in young-adult females. Clinical experience, research and theories about eating disorders indicate that constrictive implicit process rules within a family are correlated with eating-disordered families. This study identified implicit family process rules that are unique to eating-disordered families and how well these rules predict membership in eating-disordered and non-eating-disordered families. One hundred and two families (51 eating-disordered and 51 comparison families) participated in the study. Mothers, fathers, young-adult female children, and siblings in each family completed the Family Implicit Rules Profile (FIRP). The design included cluster analysis of …

A Longitudinal Examination Of Parental Psychological Control And Externalizing Behavior In Adolescents With Adolescent Internalized Shame As A Mediating Variable, Iesha Renee Nuttall

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between parental psychological control and adolescent externalizing behavior with adolescent internalized shame acting as a mediating variable. Gender differences were also examined. Three hundred eleven two-parent families with an adolescent were included in this study, 154 were male adolescents (Mean age at wave 6 = 16.28 years, SD = .98) and 157 were female adolescents (Mean age at wave 6 = 16.21 years, SD = .99). Results indicate that parental psychological control for both mothers and fathers at wave 4 was positively related to adolescent externalizing behavior for both boys …

Racial Identity, Phenotype, And Self-Esteem Among Biracial Polynesian/White Individuals, Kawika Allen, Patton O. Garriott, Carla J. Reyes, Catherine Hsieh

Faculty Publications

This study examined racial identity, self-esteem, and phenotype among biracial Polynesian/White adults. Eighty-four Polynesian/White persons completed the Biracial Identity Attitude Scale, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Inventory, and a Polynesian phenotype scale. Profile analyses showed participants identified more with their Polynesian parent. A mediation analysis revealed that phenotype did not mediate the relationship between biracial identity and self-esteem.

Racial Discrimination And Psychological Health Among Polynesians In The U.S., Kawika Allen, Hokule'a Conklin, Davis K. Kane

Faculty Publications

There is a dearth of research on the mental health of Polynesians residing in the United States. The aims of this study were to examine experiences of racial discrimination, self-esteem, trait anger, satisfaction with life, and psychological well-being among 628 Polynesians (e.g., Native Hawaiian, Tongan, Samoan, Fijian, Tahitian, Maori; 60% women (n 378) and 40% men (n 249); mean age 28.7). Method: Measures were administered through an online survey to 628 Polynesians residing in the United States. Comparison analyses between men and women, correlations, and path analyses were analyzed for this Polynesian sample. Results: Polynesian women showed higher levels of …

Spiritually Oriented Psychotherapy For Trauma And Meaning Making Among Ethnically Diverse Individuals In The United States, Kawika Allen, P. Scott Richards, T. Lea

Faculty Publications

Esmeralda, a 42-year-old Latina woman from Mexico, had moved to the United States with hopes of a bright new future. Despite not knowing much English, she had worked hard, found and married her husband, and had several beautiful children. She missed her family in Mexico, but loved living in the United States. At least, she had liked it up until the day her 5-year-old son was hit and killed by a truck only a few feet from where she stood. The accident had changed everything. In an instant, Esmeralda went from being a caring and involved mother to barely being …