Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

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 …

Childhood Abuse Types And Adult Relational Violence Mediated By Adult Attachment Behaviors And Romantic Relational Aggression In Couples, Tabitha Nicole Webster

Theses and Dissertations

The current study investigated how three distinct types of childhood abuse—witnessing of parental domestic violence, experiencing physical abuse and total in-home violence, and experiencing sexual abuse—predicted partner reports of relational violence through the mediating factors self-perceptions of attachment and partner reports of relational aggression. The study used paired dyadic data from 1,658 couples who had completed the RELATionship Evaluation (RELATE). The Family Violence, the Brief Accessibility and Responsiveness, Couples Relational Aggression and Victimization, and the Conflict Tactics scales were the measures used. Data was analyzed by using structural equation modeling to estimate an actor-partner interdependence model exploring these relationships. Results …

U.S. Ethnic Groups In The Journal Of Family Psychology: A Content Analysis, Jessica Croft Gilliland

Theses and Dissertations

Articles published in the Journal of Family Psychology over a 23-year period (1990-2012) were analyzed for their attention to ethnic groups in the United States. Articles were analyzed in terms of their ethnic population of interest, topic of study, funding sources, sample characteristics, and use of measures. Findings indicated that the journal has showed an increased focus on and sensitivity to issues relevant to ethnic groups in the U.S. However, there are several gaps in research for some groups, especially for Native American populations. Recommendations are offered to family science researchers, psychologists and other mental health professionals and educators.

A Content Analysis And Status Report Of Adolescent Development Journals: How Are We Doing In Terms Of Ethnicity And Diversity?, Jason Bernard Lefrandt

Theses and Dissertations

Ethnic minority research in the U.S. is important to study because of the increase of ethnic minorities over the past several decades. Content analyses help to track the progress of ethnic minority research and guide researchers to future areas of study. Journals of adolescence have been analyzed and coded in the following areas of methodology of the article: article topic, article funding by topic, funding agencies, geographic location of sample, and measures used. A steady increase in ethnic minority research by article topic, funding, and measures was found for some groups.

The Effect Of Marital Therapy On Physical Affection, Tiffany Ann Migdat

Theses and Dissertations

Research indicates that marital satisfaction is associated with levels of physical affection between partners. This is important because there is evidence of physical and mental health benefits of physical affection. Although past research has shown that marital therapy increases levels of marital and sexual satisfaction, the association between marital therapy and physical affection has not been explored. This study used a treatment group and a control group of 108 married couples to assess the relationship between marital therapy and physical affection over a course of 12 weeks. Using structural equation modeling and an actor partner analytic model, results indicated that …

Does Self-Esteem Mediate The Effect Of Attachment On Relationship Quality, Alexis Lee

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the possible mediating effect of self-esteem on the relationship between attachment security and relationship quality. Previous studies have found a positive association between attachment style and relationship quality. One possible explanation for this link may be self-esteem, which has been shown to consistently predict relationship quality. Therefore, I hypothesized that self-esteem may mediate the relationship between attachment and relationship quality. A sample of 680 married couples that completed the sections on attachment, self-esteem, marital satisfaction, marital stability, and problem areas in the relationship of the RELATE questionnaire between 2011 and 2013 was …

Pathways To Marriage: Relationship History And Emotional Health As Individual Predictors Of Romantic Relationship Formation, Garret Tyler Roundy

Theses and Dissertations

The process of forming a committed, romantic relationship is described as a developmental phenomenon that cannot be accurately viewed without the context of prior relationship experiences because the social competencies that facilitate successful navigation of the tasks of relationship formation are developed in relationships. Furthermore, a cumulative relationship history that has a negative influence may lead to poor emotional health, further disrupting relationship formation processes through that mechanism. Hypotheses were tested using data from a prospective longitudinal study of participants (218 women, 174 men) who were not in a romantic relationship at initial data collection and reported on their relationship …

Passion And Sexuality In Committed Relationships, Emilie Iliff

Theses and Dissertations

Researchers have noted the important role which passion plays in people's lives. This study investigated an existing theoretical framework of passion and suggests an additional construct, inhibition, to this framework in regards to sexual passion. Additionally, this study investigated the constructs of passion and how they relate to sexual and relationship satisfaction. A sample of 1,429 men and women completed the Sexual Passion Scale, the Sexual Satisfaction Scale, and the Relationship Satisfaction Scale. Confirmatory factor analyses revealed that sexual passion may represent three distinct approaches (harmonious, obsessive, inhibited). In terms of sexual and relationship satisfaction, data analyses revealed that the …

The Relationship Between The Poor Parenting In Childhood And Current Adult Symptoms Of Anxiety And Depression: Attachment As A Mediator, Kayla Lynn Burningham

Theses and Dissertations

Both anxiety and depression have been shown to be a result of early negative attachment experiences. The quality of parenting is one variable that affects attachment security, therefore correlating with the development of anxiety and depression in adulthood. The purpose of this study was to examine the mediating effect of attachment in the relationship between mother and father's parenting in childhood and adult symptoms of anxiety and depression. The study focused on 680 married or remarried heterosexual couples that took the RELATE questionnaire between 2011 and 2013. Results indicated insecure attachment mediates the relationship between poor parenting and symptoms of …

Predicting Externalizing Behaviors In Latino Adolescents Using Parenting And Educationalfactors, Sergio Benjamin Pereyra

Theses and Dissertations

Externalizing behaviors among adolescents continue to concern researchers and clinicians nationwide, especially among Latinos who are part of the largest and fastest growing minority population in the U. S. This dissertation begins by describing an eco-developmental model, which provides the theoretical framework used to conceptualize the systemic factors being studied and by reviewing the relevant literature regarding the influence of parental warmth, parental behavioral control, the adolescent-teacher relationship, and academic achievement on externalizing behavior among Latino adolescents. This study uses the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health survey (Add Health) data to analyze direct and indirect effects of parenting and …

Examining The Link Between Exercise And Marital Arguments In Clinical Couples, Bailey Alexandra Selland

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the following research question: Are couples that exercise on a given day more likely to experience fewer and less intense arguments in their relationship that day? Other variables examined include relationship effect, stress level, and argument topics. Participants were 36 couples in a treatment-as-usual setting who completed the Daily Diary of Events in Couple Therapy (DDECT). Results suggested that female hours of exercise were significantly related to increased report of relationship argument intensity for both men and women. Male hours of exercise were not significantly related to any variables, however male daily stress was significantly related to …

Psychotherapy Utilization And Presenting Concerns Among Polynesian American College Students, Kawika Allen, Jon Cox, Timothy B. Smith, Ofa Hafoka, Derek Griner, Mark Beecher

Faculty Publications

In this study, we examined psychotherapy utilization, presenting concerns, reported distress levels, and psychotherapy outcomes among Polynesian American students presenting for services at a counseling center. We collected data at intake, during therapy sessions, and at termination for 415 Polynesian American and 18,117 European American students over a 17-year period. Polynesian American students were equally likely to utilize counseling services as European American students but were more likely to drop out earlier. At intake, these students reported higher numbers of presenting concerns and greater levels of emotional and psychological distress than European American students. Polynesian American students reported significantly higher …

Shame, Relational Aggression, And Sexual Satisfaction: A Longitudinal Study, Austin Ray Beck

Student Works

This longitudinal study examined the relationship between husband and wife shame and husband and wife sexual satisfaction one year later with husband and wife relational aggression as mediating variables. The sample included 353 heterosexual married couples who participated in the Flourishing Families Research Project, a longitudinal study of daily family life. Results showed that husband and wife shame was negatively related with husband and wife sexual satisfaction, respectively. Husband love withdrawal was negatively related with both husband and wife sexual satisfaction, while wife love withdrawal was negatively related with only husband sexual satisfaction. Each partner's use of social sabotage was …

Parent And Adolescent Attachment And Adolescent Shame And Hope With Psychological Control As A Mediator, Natasha K. Bell

Student Works

The purpose of this study was to determine if parent adolescent attachment is correlated with adolescent hope and shame two years later with parent psychological control in the year in between as a mediator. Data at wave four, five, and six for 308 families from the Flourishing Families Project were used. In previous studies attachment has been shown to be important in adolescent development. This study found that the adolescent's perception of the relationship is negatively correlated with shame and positively correlated with hope in the adolescent. Additionally the adolescent's perception of their relationship with both mother and father was …

The Moderating Effect Of Attachment Behaviors On The Association Between Video Game Use, Time Together As A Problem, And Relationship Quality, Stella Christine Dobry

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to test whether video game use is associated with more problems with spending time together among married couples, whether problems with time together are associated with relationship quality, and whether attachment behaviors can moderate the association between time together as a problem and relationship quality. Previous studies have found a negative association between excessive video game use and couple relationship outcomes. Excessive video game use may negatively impact relationships by taking away from time spent on shared leisure and relationship maintenance activities. The Double ABCx model provided a theoretical framework for understanding how attachment …

Individual Personality And Emotional Readiness Characteristics Associated With Marriage Preparation Outcomes Of Perceived Helpfulness And Change, Megan Ann Rogers

Theses and Dissertations

Little is known about the role that personality and emotional readiness factors may play in participation and outcomes of premarital education programs in varying formats. Data collected via the RELATionship Evaluation Questionnaire (RELATE: Busby et al., 2001) was used to analyze how personality and emotional readiness factors affect perceived change and helpfulness in self-directed and workshop formats of premarital education for 384 individuals who participated in such interventions. Depression was significantly and negatively related to participant perception of positive change and helpfulness in a workshop setting. Kindness was positively and significantly related to perceived positive change in both workshop and …

Shame, Relational Aggression, And Sexual Satisfaction: A Longitudinal Study, Austin Ray Beck

Theses and Dissertations

This longitudinal study examined the relationship between husband and wife shame and husband and wife sexual satisfaction one year later with husband and wife relational aggression as mediating variables. The sample included 353 heterosexual married couples who participated in the Flourishing Families Research Project, a longitudinal study of daily family life. Results showed that husband and wife shame was negatively related with husband and wife sexual satisfaction, respectively. Husband love withdrawal was negatively related with both husband and wife sexual satisfaction, while wife love withdrawal was negatively related with only husband sexual satisfaction. Each partner's use of social sabotage was …

Parent And Adolescent Attachment And Adolescent Shame And Hope With Psychological Control As A Mediator, Natasha K. Bell

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if parent adolescent attachment is correlated with adolescent hope and shame two years later with parent psychological control in the year in between as a mediator. Data at wave four, five, and six for 308 families from the Flourishing Families Project were used. In previous studies attachment has been shown to be important in adolescent development. This study found that the adolescent's perception of the relationship is negatively correlated with shame and positively correlated with hope in the adolescent. Additionally the adolescent's perception of their relationship with both mother and father was …

Effects Of Interparental Conflict On Taiwanese Adolescents’ Depression And Externalizing Problem Behavior: A Longitudinal Study, Chih Han Hsieh

Theses and Dissertations

The link between interparental conflict and adolescents’ maladjustment has been well established among European Americans; however, relatively few studies examine these relationships in Chinese societies. This study used longitudinal data from the Taiwan Youth Project (TYP), an on-going longitudinal panel research project focused on adolescent development, in order to examine the relationship between interparental conflict and depressive symptoms and externalizing problem behaviors of adolescents. In addition, this study examined parental warmth as a mediating variable for the relationship between interparental conflict and adolescents’ maladjustment. The results showed that interparental conflict predicted depressive symptoms among adolescents two years later. Mediation analysis …

The Cost Effectiveness Of Psychotherapy For Treating Adults With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Micah Lavar Ingalls

Theses and Dissertations

This paper presents results from cost-analysis research for treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in adults. Data for this research was provided by Cigna, a nation-wide healthcare manager in the United States of America. The sample size was 12,845 adults who were diagnosed with PTSD and received outpatient individual and family psychotherapy from one of the following mental health care providers: Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs), Master’s Nurses (RNs), Medical Doctors (MDs), Professional Counselors (LPCs), Psychologists (PSYs), and Social Workers (MSWs). Results were compared across treatment modality, across practitioner license type and between practitioner educational levels. The results demonstrated that family therapy …