Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy Commons^™

Mental Health In M*A*S*H: An Analysis Of The Changing Portrayal Of Mental Health Topics In The 1970s And Early 1980s, Lyndsey Clark

Student Research Submissions

This paper studies all eleven seasons of the hit television show M*A*S*H (1972-1973) and examines how the portrayal of mental health changed in the show’s plotlines in response to changing guidelines and mental health policy in the 1970s and early 1980s. This study focuses on the association of mental illness with homosexuality, the changes made to the American Psychological Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in the 1970s and early 1980s, the rise and fall of mental health policies from the Kennedy Administration to the Reagan Administration, and the portrayal of several pertinent mental conditions, such as …

Eating Disorders In Men: A Comprehensive Summary, Connor James Spratt, Liam Alexander Mackenzie Myles, Emanuele Maria Merlo

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Eating disorders (EDs) have detrimental effects on an individual’s physical and mental health, along with significant interpersonal, social and economic effects. Furthermore, men who are suffering with an ED face unique challenges with this. Men suffering with EDs have historically received little attention within ED research, diagnosis and intervention. However, the number of men suffering with these issues is significant and growing. Understanding of EDs tend to ignore male experiences, meaning many are left to suffer in silence until the ED has developed to a critical point. However, many now recognize the need to understand the issues facing men suffering …

Partial Hospitalization Programs And Adolescents: The Impact Of Brief Art Therapy Treatment, Andrea Sepe

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This paper evaluates partial hospitalization programming and art therapy practices with the adolescent population. The adolescent experience is a time of complex biopsychosocial development marking personal identity exploration and independence. Adolescent mental health challenges range from depressive, anxiety, conduct and mood disorders. Partial hospitalization programming is a means of acute integrative care founded in milieu therapy that caters to the unique mental wellness needs of the adolescent population. Among the most impactful psychotherapeutic interventions for adolescent mental health is art therapy, an evidence-based practice incorporating creativity and theory. This paper explores the adolescent developmental experience, current treatment methods of partial …

Protocol For An Ehub As An Systemic Intervention For Homeless Shelter Staff And Resident Psychosocial And Behavioral Needs, Celeste Sangiorgio, Cory Crane, Cassandra Berbery, Caroline Easton

Frameless

Homeless shelter performance is presently operationalized as shelter success in linking homeless individuals to housing; however, there is a cluster of individuals with co-occurring serious mental health issues who engage in chronic and episodic re-entry into homeless shelters. Persistent and chronically mentally ill individuals who re-enter shelters increase demands on staff, who are inadequately trained to de- escalate, manage their internal distress, and connect these homeless residents to appropriate services. This protocol outlines an alternative intervention mechanism for shelters that targets a key, untreated pathway where staff and resident symptoms and skills are linked to shelter performance. We propose that …

Designing A Digital Interactive Emotion Measure (Diem) For Digital Media: Theoretical Foundations And Validation Protocols, Celeste Sangiorgio, Cassandra Berbary, Cory Crane, Caroline Easton

Frameless

Awareness of emotions is often a treatment target in psychotherapy, but it is difficult to assess emotions due to ambiguity in measurement or scale design. Lack of clarity in scale design may increase risk that participant interpretations of scale items may not align with emotion constructs those scales were designed to capture. Furthermore, emphasis on verbal or written cues leads to low scientific representation of patients who cannot read emotion scales (e.g., low literacy). Touch-screen applications provide a unique opportunity to create a visual emotion measure which has low barriers but can be used to assess a high level of …

Ecopsychologists' Vital Importance In The Time Of Climate Crises, Nicole B. Auckerman Psyd

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Ecopsychology is a systems-based philosophy that expands the therapeutic lens to include client interactions with and perceptions of the natural environment as an integral element of well-being or pathology. Ecopsychology, known forward as EP, also looks at the pathology of our culture and what kind of diagnoses lead to practices that put our planet at risk. In recent decades, the field has amassed a substantial amount of empirical evidence supporting its effectiveness but remains largely underutilized. First generation EP suggested a cultural reordering shifting away from consumer culture and reordering our way of life. Second generation posits working within the …

Social And Cultural Considerations In Accessing Mental Health Treatment In The Gambia, West Africa, Safiya Njai

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This study examines the social and cultural considerations in accessing mental health treatment in The Gambia, West Africa. Participants were recruited from The Gambia for a qualitative study that included semistructured interviews (N = 17). A team of analysts identified five themes. The results highlighted social and cultural conceptualizations of mental health and mental illness, sociocultural determinants of health, interventions, barriers to care, and the legal framework to support mental health change. These findings are important for counselors to understand different perceptions of mental health and mental illness and the associated stigma. Furthermore, several opportunities for advocacy in The Gambia …

Treatment Access For Dual Diagnosis Substance Use And Mental Health Disorders, Pedro Banuelos

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

In 2018, of 1.3 million Latinx adults in the United States facing concurrent issues with substance use disorders (SUD) and mental health disorders (MHD) 93% remained untreated for either diagnosis. This is concerning since Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) data reveals that this population is at greater risk for suicidal thoughts, plans, and attempts. They also face structural barriers such as employment, housing, legal involvement, and insurability that further impede access to treatment.

This study’s purpose was to examine barriers to accessing treatment for Latinx populations confronting co-occurring SUDs and MHDs. This study used a qualitative design …

Levels Of Engagement In Mental Health Services Regarding Minorities, Karla Salazar Rendon

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study focuses on analyzing if the level of engagement when receiving mental health services affects how many mental health providers an individual has. Although mental health impacts everyone, minorities encounter barriers such as language, transportation, and residential segregation. Obstacles such as these discourage individuals in regards to pursuing mental health services. Minorities make up a significant amount of the U.S. population: however, they are underrepresented in the mental health field. The challenges they encounter need to be addressed to provide efficient services. This study includes male and female participants over the age of 18 in San Bernardino County. The …

Historical Trauma Response Scores As A Function Of Unresolved Grief And Substance Use Disorder In American Indian Populations, Andrew R. Saunders

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Abstract

Researchers are interested in the outcomes of interventions, specifically, measuring historical trauma (HT) among American Indian/Alaska Native communities and the long-term distress and substance abuse as a result of historical trauma response (HTR). Previous literature has implicated limitations in the clinical conceptualization of the relationship between intergenerational transfer of HTR and substance abuse. The aim of the current study is to examine treatment efficacy of 50 homosexual, American Indian males randomized to a culturally-adapted juxtaposition of (1) Group Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), (2) Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and (3) Historical Trauma and Unresolved Grief Intervention (HTUG), or (4) waitlisted on …

The Efficacy Of Ketamine In Adult Patients With Obsessive Compulsive Disorder With Symptoms Refractory To Standard Of Care Treatment., Brooke Thornton

Capstone Showcase

First line pharmacologic treatments for adult patients with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) involve selective serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SSRI/SNRIs). These drug classes often fail to deliver timely relief of symptoms as well as maintain longevity of symptom recurrence. This research analyzed the use of ketamine in adult patients suffering with OCD for the purposes of more efficacious management of symptoms. Although ketamine demonstrated a timelier relief of symptoms in some small clinical studies, its effects were ultimately unable to be sustained long term. Additionally, a wide range of adverse effects including dissociation, and rebound symptoms were observed. As a result, large …

Help-Seeking From A Counsellor Or Psychotherapist: A Cross-Sectional Study Of Irish Adults, Damien Cassells

Articles

The factors that contribute towards an individual seeking help from a counsellor or psychotherapist for a mental, nervous or emotional problem are explored in this study. A multivariate logistic regression is applied to analyse data from the 2006 National Psychological Wellbeing and Distress Survey. Individuals living in rural areas and in towns with populations of between 5,000 and 10,000 people are found to be less likely to seek counselling, relative to individuals living in Dublin City. Respondents earning the lowest income were less likely to enter therapy compared with respondents earning the highest, while having private health insurance increased the …

Healing The Black Mind, Vanessa Etienne

Capstones

Due to an oppressive history, the African American community is more likely to have issues regarding mental health, but less likely to pursue professional treatment for it. However, as the perception of mental health care in the Black community starts to shift, many are finding unconventional ways to approach healing. http://vanessaetienne.tilda.ws

An Examination Of The Impact Traumatic Events Has On Psychosocial Impairment In Eating Disorder Patients, Jennifer Parker Hackett

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Research suggests that trauma has an impact on eating disorders. While prior research has demonstrated that the trauma from abuse has a significant impact on eating disorders, research has failed to explore other types of trauma. In addition, previous studies have stopped short of examining the impact trauma has on functioning among individuals with an eating disorder. This study aimed to address that gap in the literature. The purpose of this study is to examine whether traumatic life events impact psychosocial functioning among individuals living with an eating disorder. Furthermore, this study aimed to identify which traumas are shown to …

Transgender Resiliency: A Comparison Of Transgender And Cisgender Therapy Clients’ Family Functioning And Psychological Symptomology, Deborah Coolhart , Ph.D., Lmft, Anibal Torres Bernal , Ph.D., Kimdy Le , Ph.D.

Counseling and Family Therapy Scholarship Review

Existing literature often suggests transgender people face increased vulnerabilities in comparison to cisgender people and poorer mental and physical health outcomes. However, studies are increasingly exploring resilience of transgender people and factors contributing to positive coping. The current study compared transgender to cisgender clients at a University-based couple and family therapy center on self-reported psychological symptomology and family functioning. Transgender individuals did not differ significantly from cisgender individuals on family functioning, however transgender individuals reported significantly fewer symptoms on all twelve subscales of psychological symptomology, despite lower income and lower levels of education. Results suggest transgender individuals may develop unique …

Evaluating The Attitudes And Practices Of Exercise Prescription Among Psychotherapists, Igor Vasilj

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Exercise has been shown to improve mood, anxiety, stress, and promote neuroplasticity (Conn, 2010; Donaghy, 2007; Josefsson, Lindwall, & Archer, 2014; Silveria et al., 2013; Stathopoulou et al., 2006). However, limited research on the topic suggests that many psychologists and mental health providers are not incorporating exercise into psychological treatment, and many lack the confidence to do so (Burton, Pakenham, & Brown, 2010; Weir, 2011). The purpose of this study was to evaluate current exercise prescription trends among practicing psychologists and trainees, including identifying their current beliefs, attitudes, training, and the perceived barriers hindering psychotherapists from recommending and prescribing exercise. …

An Integrative Study Of Motivation And Goal Regulation Processes In Subclinical Anxiety, Depression And Hypomania, Joanne M. Dickson, Sheri Johnson, Christopher Huntley, Peter Taylor

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Research has implicated motivation and goal regulation in susceptibility to mood disorders. We studied for the first time key facets of motivation and goal regulation concurrently in relation to affective symptoms. The cross-national sample comprised 510 university students from the United States (n = 279) and United Kingdom (n = 231). Participants completed self-report measures of motivation, conditional goal setting, urgency, depression, anxiety, and mania risk. Structural Equation Modeling results found that behavioral activation system scores correlated negatively with depression and positively with mania risk, but were unrelated to anxiety. High conditional goal setting correlated uniquely with higher …

Conquering Invisible Elephants: The Effects Of Family Involvement On Adolescent Recovery From Mental Illness, Christina Ditolla

Honors Theses

This paper explored the extent to which current treatments for adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN), conduct disorder (CD), and depression have involved families in therapy. Various past and present therapies for all three adolescent disorders were reviewed and effective treatment components of family therapy were identified and compared across the treatment approaches. A review of the literature indicated that family therapy was more effective and beneficial for the adolescent patient than individual treatments not involving families. While individualized treatments helped to improve adolescent symptomatology, family therapy provided a more comprehensive approach as it focused not only on symptom reduction but …

Sacred Approaches To Mental Health Issues, The University Of Maine College Of Liberal Arts And Sciences

Cultural Affairs Distinguished Lecture Series

The Judaic Studies Program at the University of Maine has invited Rabbi Richard Address, Founder and Director of www.jewishsacredaging.com to campus in October 2015 to deliver a presentation entitled "Sacred Approaches to Mental Health Issues." Using Jewish tradition as a starting point, this lecture offers ways of thinking about mental illness and examines how the sacred impacts our understanding and approaches to it. Specifically, the program will "explore the traditional definitions of a person dealing with mental illness, trace the diagnostic approach that tradition gives us and examine how the sources can inform us in dealing with current situations" (www.jewishsacredaging.com)

Clinical Social Work In A Digital Environment: Ethical And Risk-Management Challenges, Frederic G. Reamer

Faculty Publications

Clinical social workers’ use of digital and other technology to provide distance counseling services is proliferating. Increasing numbers of contemporary practitioners are using video counseling, email chat, social networking websites, text messaging, smartphone apps, avatar-based websites, self-guided web-based interventions, and other technology to provide clinical services to clients, some of whom they may never meet in person. The advent of this technology has produced a wide range of ethical challenges related to social workers’ application of traditional social work ethics concepts: client informed consent; client privacy and confidentiality; boundaries and dual relationships; conflicts of interest; practitioner competence; records and documentation; …

Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy: A Descriptive Study, Erica Jex Gergely

Dissertations

The current study seeks to examine the program operations and treatment practices of individuals and organizations providing equine-assisted therapy services nationwide. Currently, there are several hundred programs across the United States that utilize equine-assisted therapy to treat common mental health problems in children, adolescents, and adults. Not all equine therapy programs function under the same theoretical model and therefore do not deliver treatment services using equivalent principles or techniques. In addition, program policies, procedures, and ethical guidelines of each provider vary. To date, there exists a paucity of research regarding equine-assisted therapy including both qualitative and quantitative data.

The present …

Reinvention Of Depression Instruments By Primary Care Clinicians, Seong-Yi Baik, Junius Gonzales, Barbara J. Bowers, Jean S. Anthony, Bas Tidjani, Jeffrey L. Susman

Publications from Provost Junius J. Gonzales

PURPOSE Despite the sophisticated development of depression instruments during the past 4 decades, the critical topic of how primary care clinicians actually use those instruments in their day-to-day practice has not been investigated. We wanted to understand how primary care clinicians use depression instruments, for what purposes, and the conditions that influence their use.

METHODS Grounded theory method was used to guide data collection and analysis. We conducted 70 individual interviews and 3 focus groups (n = 24) with a purposeful sample of 70 primary care clinicians (family physicians, general internists, and nurse practitioners) from 52 offices. Investigators’ field notes …

Defining Intimacy In Diverse Asian Cultures, Blendine Hawkins, Katherine Herlein

Graduate Research Symposium (GCUA) (2010 - 2017)

America has continued to diversify as a nation, welcoming people from every race, culture and continent. The US Census Bureau (2004) reported that there were 13.5 million Asians in America and these numbers are increasing (US Census Bureau, 2004). This indicates that there is a greater demand for competent and effective mental health care to meet the needs of this heterogeneous group. Asian Americans can be best helped by a therapist who is sensitive, knowledgeable and has an understanding about the core values which are present in many Asian cultures. There are limited resources and treatment guides for this population …

Therapeutic Alliance And Client Satisfaction From The Client’S Perspective, Colleen Peterson, Armeda Stevenson, Katherine M. Hertlein, Stephen Fife

Graduate Research Symposium (GCUA) (2010 - 2017)

This was the second phase of a two phase mixed methodology study. Presented is the qualitative portion consisting of semi-structured phone interviews conducted with past clients in order to examine the relationship of the therapeutic alliance and client satisfaction with client retention and termination status.Findings were classified into three main categories: therapist characteristics, treatment structural characteristics and process characteristics.

An Uncertain Privilege: Implied Waiver And The Eviseration Of The Psychotherapist Patient Privilege In The Feral Courts, Deirdre M. Smith

Faculty Publications

Twelve years ago in Jaffee v. Redmond, 518 U.S. 1 (1996), the United States Supreme Court first recognized a federal common law psychotherapist-patient privilege and held that federal courts must protect confidential communications arising in psychotherapy despite the "likely evidentiary benefit" of such communications. This article examines the sharply conflicting authority in the federal courts that has developed since that landmark decision on the question of whether a plaintiff to a civil lawsuit waives the psychotherapist-patient privilege merely by seeking emotional distress damages. The federal courts' inconsistent and unprincipled approaches to this question renders the privilege itself nearly illusory and …

Effect Of Comorbid Psychiatric Disorders On Measures Of Group Cohesion In Substance Abusers, Sharon Bradford Robbins

Doctoral Dissertations

Substance dependence and treatment have been the focus of research for a number of years. Recently more attention has been directed toward identifying the most appropriate treatments for people with more complicated substance disorders, those with substance dependence and mental illness. The current study examined three aspects of group cohesion, a necessary condition for effective outcomes, in 64 substance abusers with a comorbid mental illness. The rated aspects of group cohesion included overall group climate, individual group members' self-worth, and each member's perception of the relationship with the group leader. Groups were divided according to profiles based on results from …