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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

An Alcohol Intervention Model With College Students: Effectiveness Of The Basics Program, Francisco Gil-Del-Real Jan 2012

An Alcohol Intervention Model With College Students: Effectiveness Of The Basics Program, Francisco Gil-Del-Real

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS) program was designed at the University of Washington to provide treatment for high-risk drinkers in the college population. This program was evaluated in 2002 as a part of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA, 2002) report on college drinking. However, this evaluation was based exclusively on a narrative review of the available intervention literature. The purpose of the present study was to conduct meta-analyses on select empirical literature related to the efficacy of the BASICS program in order to serve as a complement to the already extant …


How Managed Behavioral Health Care Impacts Psychotherapeutic Practices, Beth S. Abramson Jan 2012

How Managed Behavioral Health Care Impacts Psychotherapeutic Practices, Beth S. Abramson

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The cost of health and mental health care is a growing problem for the United States. Managed care evolved as a way to continue providing quality services in a cost-effective fashion. In the mental health field, some individuals believe managed care reduces the quality of treatment. This exploratory study investigates current sentiments among mental health clinicians regarding managed care’s impact on mental health treatment and looks at how clinicians practice in light of managed care’s guidelines for treating patients. This study explores the current impact of managed care compared with managed care’s first detectable impact in the 1980s.


Is Suicide Training Sufficient For Psychology Trainees To Respond Appropriately To Suicidal Clients?, Nicole M. Bromley Jan 2012

Is Suicide Training Sufficient For Psychology Trainees To Respond Appropriately To Suicidal Clients?, Nicole M. Bromley

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This study reports the frequency of suicide training for current psychology trainees. Additionally,the research uses the Suicide Intervention Response Inventory - Second Edition (SIRI-2) to assess psychology trainees' ability to respond appropriately to suicidal clients. This study compares scores on the SIRI-2 between participants who are in pre-internship years of training and those currently in internship or having completed internship training. Finally, this study compares SIRI-2 scores between high training, low training, and no-training groups, as well as the scores of no-training versus training groups. Findings indicate no statistically significant difference in SIRI-2 scores between participants early in their programs …


Perceived Stress And The Buffering Hypothesis Of Perceived Social Support On Facebook, John G. Lynch Jan 2012

Perceived Stress And The Buffering Hypothesis Of Perceived Social Support On Facebook, John G. Lynch

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Online social networking sites have experienced a surge in popularity since their inception. Serving as a hub for communities of all ages, Web sites such as MySpace, Friendster and Facebook bridge geographic and time limitations and offer their members the opportunity to connect with anyone on the Internet at any time. The growing accessibility of technology for computer-mediated communication, outside of such Web sites offers similar opportunities. Although critics share concern over potential for the loss of intimacy, the possibility for increased levels of perceived social support through limitless networking options should not be overlooked. When we consider the strong …


Exploring The Role Of Identity Development In Social Networking Web Pages, Jacqueline F. Stahl Jan 2012

Exploring The Role Of Identity Development In Social Networking Web Pages, Jacqueline F. Stahl

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This study investigates young adults’ social networking web pages for aspects related to identity development. The study is primarily based on the theory of identity development presented by Berzonsky (1997). Raters assessed selected web pages for characteristics associated with different styles of identity development. A principal component analysis was used to determine that there are three components that relate to identity development that are manifested in the web pages. It was established that there were three main components that described aspects of identity within the social networking pages. These components were determined to be a “Self Focused Type,” an “Inconsistent …


Hoof Prints For Healing: An Equine-Assisted Therapy Program For A Unique School, Alison M. Roy Jan 2012

Hoof Prints For Healing: An Equine-Assisted Therapy Program For A Unique School, Alison M. Roy

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The unique and meaningful relationship that can develop between humans and horses has been well documented for centuries. More recently a hypothesis has emerged that humans can improve self-concept and social competence from having a horse in their lives. To date, few studies have empirically explored this hypothesis. The hypothesized social and emotional benefits of interacting with horses have inspired Equine-Assisted Therapy (EAT) programs which utilize horses in goal-directed treatment. EAT programs have been shown to be especially effective for socially and emotionally disadvantaged children and youth. In the current project, the author created an EAT program for the socially …


Through The Eyes Of The Family: A Collective Case Study Of Family Business Consulting, Cynthia L. Waisner Jan 2012

Through The Eyes Of The Family: A Collective Case Study Of Family Business Consulting, Cynthia L. Waisner

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Interest in family businesses has increased over the last 50 years. Little empirical research, however, has been devoted specifically to the study of family business consulting. Various practitioners have offered their insights regarding approaches and tools, and a few empirical studies have offered the practitioners’ viewpoints regarding the practice area. The purpose of this study was to add to this small body of research by providing a view of family business consulting through the lens of the family business member. The chosen method of inquiry was collective case study, to allow for both contextual understanding and cross-case comparison. A total …


Formative Research And Community Resilience: A Case Of Under Addressed Youth Problem Gambling, Michea Caye Jan 2012

Formative Research And Community Resilience: A Case Of Under Addressed Youth Problem Gambling, Michea Caye

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The overarching research topic for this study is the issue of effectively engaging and informing community and government decision makers about health issues that can negatively impact a community's resilience. The question guiding this study is how can formative research engage and inform community and government decision makers about the under addressed issue of youth problem gambling (YPG) in Windham County, Vermont? The study has two aims: 1) to develop a formative research conceptual framework and evaluate its effectiveness in addressing the public health issue of youth problem gambling, and 2) to use the formative research methodology to develop a …


Wholeistic EducationTm, Cerissa Leigh Desrosiers Jan 2012

Wholeistic EducationTm, Cerissa Leigh Desrosiers

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation introduces Wholeistic EducationTM (WEDTM), an innovative, values-based, interdisciplinary pro-social theory that is the culmination of centuries of scientific and philosophical learning and exploration about optimal mental health and human development. WED is based on basic human nature and universal human rights, and so it applies to all variations of human society- racial, ethnic, religious, or otherwise. WED is a foundation theory to which any targeted implementation strategy can be applied. It is both a proactive strategy for seeking and maintaining health before a crisis arises in families, schools, and organizations as well as a treatment …


What's In A Name? The Influence Of An Adhd-Inattentive Type Label On Perceived Social Competence As Viewed By Mental Health Professionals And Teachers, Jason Arkin Jan 2012

What's In A Name? The Influence Of An Adhd-Inattentive Type Label On Perceived Social Competence As Viewed By Mental Health Professionals And Teachers, Jason Arkin

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Objective: To determine whether the presence of an ADHD-PI label influenced adult perceptions of a female adolescent’s social competence. Method: Forty four primary and secondary teachers and 54 mental health professionals rated their perceptions based on a vignette that included or did not include the label ADHD-PI. Results: The ADHD-PI labeled vignettes elicited more negative perceptions of the child’s social acceptance and ability to make close friends. Also, mental health professionals rated the girl as more socially accepted, regardless of diagnosis. There were no other significant main effects and there were no significant interaction effects. Conclusion: The presence of an …


Computer-Based Cognitive Training For Age-Related Cognitive Decline And Mild Cognitive Impairment, James Fortman Jan 2012

Computer-Based Cognitive Training For Age-Related Cognitive Decline And Mild Cognitive Impairment, James Fortman

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Cognitive Training has been shown to be an effective tool in enhancing cognitive functioning. Research has also shown video game playing can improve certain aspects of visual attention and cognitive processing speed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of both a specific computer-based cognitive training program and non-specific video game playing in improving cognitive functioning for individuals with age-related cognitive decline and mild cognitive impairment. Twenty-nine older adults were recruited into the study and randomly assigned to either the cognitive training group or video-game playing group. Nineteen participants completed the study, engaging in either cognitive training …


The Wounded Healer: Finding Meaning In Suffering, Garret B. Wyner Jan 2012

The Wounded Healer: Finding Meaning In Suffering, Garret B. Wyner

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

In modern history, no event has more profoundly symbolized suffering than the Holocaust. This novel “Husserlian-realist” phenomenological dissertation elucidates the meaning of existential trauma through an interdisciplinary and psychologically integrative vantage point. I use the testimony of a select group of Holocaust witnesses who committed suicide decades after that event as a lens to examine what their despair may reveal about an unprecedented existential, moral, and spiritual crisis of humanity that threatens to undermine our faith in human history and reality itself. By distinguishing what they actually saw about our condition from what they merely believed about reality, I show …


Women's Leadership In Philanthropy: An Analysis Of Six Giving Circles, Deborah A. Witte Jan 2012

Women's Leadership In Philanthropy: An Analysis Of Six Giving Circles, Deborah A. Witte

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Women have played an essential role in the development of philanthropy in the United States. While their giving behavior and financial contributions have been studied extensively, other aspects of their philanthropy-namely leadership-have not been documented as completely. The giving circle-a new trend within philanthropy where groups of individuals pool their money, and through educating themselves about issues in their community, decide together where to award their funds-provides an ideal case for this study, as the majority of giving circle members are women. In order to gain a better understanding of women's leadership, focus groups were conducted with more than 35 …


Facilitating Emergence: Complex, Adaptive Systems Theory And The Shape Of Change, Peter Martin Dickens Jan 2012

Facilitating Emergence: Complex, Adaptive Systems Theory And The Shape Of Change, Peter Martin Dickens

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This study used Principal Component Analysis to examine factors that facilitate emergent change in an organization. As organizational life becomes more complex, today’s dominant management paradigms no longer suffice. This is particularly true in a health care setting where multiple sources of disease interacting with each other meet with often-competing organizational priorities and accountabilities in a highly complex world. This study identifies new ways of approaching complexity by embracing the capacity of complex systems to find their own form of order and coherence. Based on a review of the literature, interviews with hospital CEOs, and my organization development practice experience …


Emancipation From Affluenza: Leading Social Change In The Classroom, Merri Mattison Jan 2012

Emancipation From Affluenza: Leading Social Change In The Classroom, Merri Mattison

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to determine if one's level of affluenza could be reduced through education and awareness. In particular, this study measured whether or not exposure to the benefits of community involvement, and the harm of overconsumption could alter the intentions that college students have regarding their behavior, as it pertains to materialism, consumption, and civic responsibility. The data were collected from college students in the form of pre-tests and post-tests utilizing an affluenza scale created for this research. Over the course of a semester, information and activities that elucidated the benefits of community involvement and …


Family Value Transition In A Changing Turkey, Yudum Akyil Jan 2012

Family Value Transition In A Changing Turkey, Yudum Akyil

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation consists of two articles. The first article presented is a literature review written to identify and review studies of intergenerational value transmission and social change. The main outcomes fell into five subsections (a) culture and values (b) social change and values, (c) continuing and changing values in Turkey, (d) parent-adolescent relationship adaptation to social change, and (e) implication for clinicians working with changing families. Overall, the literature review illustrated the complexity of value transmission process for families in rapidly changing societies and the need for more understanding of those families' experiences for the clinicians. The second article extends …


The Management Of Feral Pig Socio-Ecological Systems In Far North Queensland, Australia, Gabriela Shuster Jan 2012

The Management Of Feral Pig Socio-Ecological Systems In Far North Queensland, Australia, Gabriela Shuster

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The development of management programs for socio-ecological systems that include multiple stakeholders is a complex process and requires careful evaluation and planning. This is particularly a challenge in the presence of intractable conflict. The feral pig (Sus scrofa) in Australia is part of one such socio-ecological system. There is a large and heterogeneous group of stakeholders interested in pig management. Pigs have diverse effects on wildlife and plant ecology, economic, health, and social sectors. This study used the feral pig management system as a vehicle to examine intractable conflict in socio-ecological systems. The purpose of the study was …


Measuring The Effect Of Supported Employment Treatment On Self-Efficacy In Individuals With Severe Mental Illness, Meghan E. Szczebak Jan 2012

Measuring The Effect Of Supported Employment Treatment On Self-Efficacy In Individuals With Severe Mental Illness, Meghan E. Szczebak

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Competitive employment is a common goal for those with severe mental illness (SMI), and evidence shows that the majority of those with SMI want to work. However, despite the desire to work competitively, those with SMI have the highest unemployment rate of any disability group (Mueser, Salyers, & Muesar, 2001). The Recovery Model is an approach to Supported Employment that has provided hope for those with mental illness, as well as challenged treatment providers to adopt a more collaborative, optimistic approach to helping clients live fulfilling, self-directed lives. To increase employment for those with SMI, effective vocational rehabilitation methods must …


The Impact Of Council On Early Adolescents, Denise Jaimes-Villanueva Jan 2012

The Impact Of Council On Early Adolescents, Denise Jaimes-Villanueva

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Throughout history, attempts have been made to influence children’s social behavior through programs and policies in schools. While well-intentioned, such programs are sometimes introduced and perpetuated without evidence about whether they fulfill their goals and objectives. Council is a program that has been implemented in schools since 1980 to foster tolerance and social connection. The Center for Council Training started more than 50 programs in California, Arizona, Washington, Colorado, New York, and Israel. The Council Practitioners Center started to integrate Council into schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and has a goal of expanding Council throughout California …


The Origin Of A Sense Of Self In Women, Kimberly Dewing Robbins Jan 2012

The Origin Of A Sense Of Self In Women, Kimberly Dewing Robbins

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This phenomenological study focuses on how a strong sense of self in women changes social precepts and gender stereotypes empowering women to define themselves instead of being defined by society. A sense of self may be defined as the ability to distinguish one’s own values from those of any outside persuasions, and to do so well enough to be able to protect those ideals from unwanted external influence. Is a sense of self, realized at a young age, an innate feeling or developed over time through adversity and the maturation process? This study will specifically look at what influences can …


Stresses Of Mothers Caring For An Older Adolescent Diagnosed With Autism: A Phenomenological Exploration, Linda Mason Jan 2012

Stresses Of Mothers Caring For An Older Adolescent Diagnosed With Autism: A Phenomenological Exploration, Linda Mason

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

A review of the literature provides ample research about caregiver stress in relationship to healthcare needs, aging, and mental illness. However, there is limited research about caregiver stress in regard to families that care for a child with disability. Further limited in scope is research about mothers who care for an older adolescent with diagnosed autism. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experience of six mothers caring for an older adolescent diagnosed with autism. The question about what causes stress resulted in findings: isolation, coping with their child's challenging behaviors, and frustration with the establishment. The question about what …


A Search For Home: Navigating Change In Battlestar Galactica, Kimberly S. Yost Jan 2012

A Search For Home: Navigating Change In Battlestar Galactica, Kimberly S. Yost

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation explores the various ways in which the multiple leaders portrayed in the science fiction television series Battlestar Galactica (2003-2009) navigate extreme conditions of continual change. In addition, the dissertation contains a discussion of the larger narrative themes of love, forgiveness, redemption, and embracing the Other as principles effective leaders must cultivate. Through an interpretation of this specific popular media text, a deeper emotional sensitivity to and understanding of leadership, positive and negative, during extreme crises is gained. Furthermore, the series serves as a vehicle through which viewers can reflect on and engage in their own self-awareness about issues …


Role Of Foundations In The Changing World Of Philanthropy: A Houston Perspective, Ronnie Hagerty Jan 2012

Role Of Foundations In The Changing World Of Philanthropy: A Houston Perspective, Ronnie Hagerty

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

From the earliest days of the American nation, philanthropy has had a defining role in leading change. Philanthropy has provided vision and voice for nascent social movements ranging from civil rights and the women’s movement to AIDS research and environmentalism. As the 21st century has moved into its second decade, philanthropy finds itself facing significant pressures that threaten to compromise its ability to innovate and advocate for issues and individuals whose voices cannot be heard over the public rhetoric of the day. Once perceived as the purview of the rich and well connected, modern philanthropy cuts across social, economic, and …


The Tangled Web: How Nonprofit Board Members Experience Organizational Crisis, Elizabeth A. Valicenti Jan 2012

The Tangled Web: How Nonprofit Board Members Experience Organizational Crisis, Elizabeth A. Valicenti

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this grounded theory study was to develop an understanding of what board members experience during a time of organizational crisis. Major corporate and nonprofit failures of previously successful organizations in recent years have raised questions and led to speculation about the role of boards of directors through the crises. In this study twenty board members of nonprofit organizations who had experienced an organizational crisis during their board service were interviewed. Participants were asked to share their perceptions and explore how they identified and made meaning of the events and board processes that went on as the crisis …


A Phenomenological Investigation Of Physician Job Satisfaction In Rural Integrated Primary Care, Jacob Brendan Austin Jan 2012

A Phenomenological Investigation Of Physician Job Satisfaction In Rural Integrated Primary Care, Jacob Brendan Austin

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The job satisfaction of rural primary care physicians is of import given the crucial role these physicians play in rural health care systems and their consistent decline in numbers nationwide. The professional isolation of practicing in rural areas, particularly in accessing specialty care, creates greater burdens for rural physicians than their more urban counterparts, which likely contributes to their low level of job satisfaction. The shortage of mental health providers in rural areas in particular is thought to create a burden for rural primary care physicians, who generally neither have the time, training, nor expertise to adequately deal with complex …


Youth And Community Development Through Rites Of Passage: A Pilot Evaluation Model, Jason R. Emery Jan 2012

Youth And Community Development Through Rites Of Passage: A Pilot Evaluation Model, Jason R. Emery

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This project presents a pilot program evaluation model for measuring the effectiveness of rites of passage strategies for youth and community development. It begins by clarifying the key elements and meaning of modern day, community-based rites of passage experiences for youth transitioning into and through adolescence. An effective rite of passage for adolescence is an intentional and transformative process that increases the youth’s community status while supporting and challenging youth to adopt attitudes, behaviors, and skills for a healthy transition through this developmental period and beyond. Next, the project applies a systems-based program evaluation model (Wasserman, 2010) to a rite …


Exploring Ethical And Boundary Challenges In Outreach Psychotherapy: A Training Model, Susan M. Rogers Jan 2012

Exploring Ethical And Boundary Challenges In Outreach Psychotherapy: A Training Model, Susan M. Rogers

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The need for outreach psychotherapists has increased considerably over the past few decades. Research suggests graduate training has not kept up with this phenomenon. Graduate students continue to be trained for in-clinic work, and are not prepared for the challenges of going into clients’ homes and into the community. The literature supports the necessity for therapists who will be doing outreach psychotherapy to be trained in working in these atypical settings, as many innate challenges exist in this work. Challenging mental health issues, distracting environmental issues, safety concerns, lack of collegial support and supervision in the field, feelings of isolation, …


Comparing Static-99 Scores Of Incarcerated White, Black, And Latino Sex Offenders, Michele O. Waldron Jan 2012

Comparing Static-99 Scores Of Incarcerated White, Black, And Latino Sex Offenders, Michele O. Waldron

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Risk assessments contribute to sentencing and parole decisions, and thus are among the highest stakes assessments in the mental health field. The Static-99 has become a standard element of risk assessments for sex offenders, yet its norms and predictive accuracy have been established primarily with Caucasian samples, while the incarcerated population is disproportionately minority. Scoring of the Static-99 depends heavily on history of criminal offenses; if patterns of offenses differ along ethnic lines, the possibility that offense history should be understood to have ethnically-specific predictive validity (that is, the predictive significance of a given factor differs by ethnicity) becomes more …


Raising Children On The Autism Spectrum: Parental Needs, Kathleen A. Ryan Jan 2012

Raising Children On The Autism Spectrum: Parental Needs, Kathleen A. Ryan

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The rates of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnoses have increased rapidly in the past few years. This increase is affecting many American families but the current research literature fails to evaluate the needs of parents who are raising children on the spectrum. Parents of children with Autism experience grief, denial, anger, guilt, depression, isolation, stress, financial difficulties, and marital struggles. The author proposed a mixed methods study to determine services received and satisfaction with those services; level of parental interest in specialized services; how well parents’ needs had been met with existing services; and what services parents of autistic children …


Voices Of Adoptees: Stories And Experiences Within Schools, Elizabeth S. Donalds Jan 2012

Voices Of Adoptees: Stories And Experiences Within Schools, Elizabeth S. Donalds

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Adoption is an emotional topic for many families. Today there are between 5-7 million adoptees in the United States alone, and 40% of U.S. adults report considering adoption as a way to form families. With so many children being adopted, therapists who work with children in the public schools need to be educated about the ways in which adoption can affect those involved in the family of adoption. Unfortunately, there is little information about adoption available to professionals working in schools. The following research helps us understand the experiences of the adopted child in schools, as told by adult adoptees. …