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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
An Exploratory Study Of The Impact Of Stigma And Acculturation On The Perception Of Mental Illness In The Black Community, Louis Appiah-Kubi
An Exploratory Study Of The Impact Of Stigma And Acculturation On The Perception Of Mental Illness In The Black Community, Louis Appiah-Kubi
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Mental health stigma serves as a chronic barrier to help-seeking and in some cases exacerbates mental health conditions (SAMHSA, 2013). Researchers and clinicians have tried many different methods to reduce these negative attitudes. A popular and usually successful method is education on what mental illness is, its causes, prognosis, and the availability and effectiveness of treatment. Large scale educational efforts have not been adequate in addressing these issues. Therefore, studies are being tailored to find stereotypes within specific communities so as to come up with matching educational protocols (Corrigan & Penn, 2015). The current study explored attitudes among African Americans …
A Needs Assessment Of Providers For The Integration Of Behavioral Health Services At A Safety-Net Clinic, Anna Kathryn Hayburn
A Needs Assessment Of Providers For The Integration Of Behavioral Health Services At A Safety-Net Clinic, Anna Kathryn Hayburn
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The availability of behavioral health services within primary care meets the high patient need for mental health care within a familiar setting, which is especially impactful in safety-net settings where patients face higher levels of stress and psychosocial barriers that impact health outcomes (Kamimura et al., 2014). Behavioral health consultants (BHCs) may encounter challenges to successful integration of services, but adapting to the unique clinic environment, assessing needs, and facilitating effect collaboration with providers can lead to greater success (Hunter, Goodie, Oordt, & Dobmeyer, 2017). A needs assessment was conducted with volunteer providers at the safety-net clinic Reach Out of …
Gender, Adverse Family-Of-Origin Experiences, And Current, Nichole M. Kuck
Gender, Adverse Family-Of-Origin Experiences, And Current, Nichole M. Kuck
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Prior research has determined that there is a trend within the military that military women experience more relationship disruption than military men and no conclusive findings as to why this may occur. There has been preliminary research indicating that military women experience more Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE)s than military men. Civilian research has shown definitive findings that there are long-term physical, emotional, and relational consequences of ACEs. This purpose of this study was to determine if an adverse family-of-origin environment characterized by traumatic events and a conflictual and less cohesive family-of-origin environment impacted current relationship functioning as a possible explanation …
Sexual Minority Women And Lifetime Risk Of Alcohol Use Disorder, Jennifer Smith
Sexual Minority Women And Lifetime Risk Of Alcohol Use Disorder, Jennifer Smith
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Sexual minority women demonstrate higher rates of Alcohol Use Disorder, or AUD, compared to their heterosexual counterparts. Factors that potentially impact how likely a sexual minority woman is to develop an AUD during her lifetime has received limited attention in existing research. These include sexual minority stress, stress and cognitive appraisal, and hardiness theories. While many factors are suggested, and some supported, no consistent risk or protective factors have emerged. This study sought to change that by testing whether proposed risk and protective factors for stress, both in general and unique to sexual minority individuals, impacted the likelihood of the …
A Comparative Study Of The Naart And Wrat4 Word Reading Subtest To Estimate Reading Level, Elizabeth B. Campbell
A Comparative Study Of The Naart And Wrat4 Word Reading Subtest To Estimate Reading Level, Elizabeth B. Campbell
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Clients are often asked to fill out paperwork in medical settings, but varying reading levels can affect the ability to self-report. By screening for literacy level, clinicians can prevent potential patient confusion, frustration, and embarrassment. Clinicians can also avoid problems leading to misdiagnosis and providing materials that patients will not be able to understand or follow. The Wide Range Achievement Test – Fourth Edition (WRAT4) Word Reading subtest provides an estimation of literacy level as well as an estimation of premorbid ability. The North American Adult Reading Test (NAART) only provides an estimation of premorbid abilities, but it is quick …
Attitudes On Legal Insanity And The Impact Of Race, Jerie J. Bolin
Attitudes On Legal Insanity And The Impact Of Race, Jerie J. Bolin
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Jurors, representatives of the communities from which they are selected, are tasked with the responsibility of reaching a verdict in an impartial, unbiased manner. Previous research has found that bias and negative attitudes impact juror decision-making, despite practices that are in place to dismiss potentially biased jurors, such as voir dire. Studies have found a correlation between racial biases and juror verdicts. Additionally, a correlation has also been found between insanity defense attitudes and a juror’s propensity to favor (or not favor) a Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (NGRI) acquittal. However, there has been limited examination of the impact …
Misdiagnosing Borderline Personality Disorder: Does Setting Bias And Gender Bias Influence Diagnostic Decision-Making?, Gillian Christina Larue
Misdiagnosing Borderline Personality Disorder: Does Setting Bias And Gender Bias Influence Diagnostic Decision-Making?, Gillian Christina Larue
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Inaccurate diagnoses due to clinician bias may lead to the facilitation of inappropriate mental health treatment and poor prognosis for treating clients presenting concern, as the cause of the disordered behaviors that led to their incarceration are not being addressed. The current study sought to determine whether clinician gender bias and clinician setting bias affects the diagnosis of Antisocial Personality Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder amongst clients in correctional settings. Determining whether bias affects diagnosis of these disorders amongst clients in correctional settings is important in order to assure clients are receiving appropriate mental health treatment. Incarcerated individuals who receive …
Exploring The Social Construction Of Masculinity And Its Differential Expression In Culturally Different Populations Using A Mixed Method Approach, Bryan Davis
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Previous research on gender conflict and strain quantitatively measured traditional masculinity ideology from western societal norms. The current study added to the previous research and qualitatively studied masculinity performance in men from different cultures: Black, Asian, Latino. Results from this study added to masculinity research due to the mixed method approach of both quantitative and qualitative research in males from diverse groups. Information gained from this study enabled masculinity to be operationally defined by different cultural focus groups and compared in order to explore distinct masculinity expression. Information was gained by measuring traditional masculinity ideology quantitatively on the Male Role …
A Study Of Dementia Assessment Practices In Ohio Prisons, Elizabeth Kate Turner
A Study Of Dementia Assessment Practices In Ohio Prisons, Elizabeth Kate Turner
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Dementia is a chronic disorder of the mental processes generated by brain injury or disease, and is characterized by gradual, irreversible loss of memory, judgment, functional abilities, health, and identity. While dementia can occur in individuals that would not be considered "aging" it primarily occurs in people over 60 (Christodoulou, 2012). Dementia recognition and assessment in prison is currently an overlooked issue in the United States. There are few examples of research regarding best practices for addressing dementia in corrections, including the standard protocols, policies, and procedures for screening and managing the needs of inmates with dementia. This qualitative study …
Safety-Net Medical Clinic Behavioral Health Integration, Melanie K. Stephenson
Safety-Net Medical Clinic Behavioral Health Integration, Melanie K. Stephenson
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The purpose of the study is to obtain an improved understanding of behavioral health needs and social determinants of health among the patient population at the safety-net clinic Reach Out of Montgomery County (ROMC). The aims of the study include: 1) identify valid and reliable screening tools that are appropriate for use in primary care to measure behavioral health concerns, 2) identify valid and reliable screening tools that are appropriate for use in primary care to measure social determinants of health, 3) administer the developed survey to a representative sample of patients served by ROMC, 4) conduct statistical analysis of …
Sport Factors, Body Image, And Eating Behaviors In College Student Athletes, Kelsey Moran
Sport Factors, Body Image, And Eating Behaviors In College Student Athletes, Kelsey Moran
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Eating disorders are a common psychological disorder with athletes being at a higher risk. The rates of clinical and subclinical (i.e. subthreshold, partial diagnosis, or other specified feeding and eating disorder in DSM-5). There are several sport-specific risk factors that increase the prevalence rate of clinical and subclinical eating disorders and body image concerns. Several eating disorder development models exist for the general population, but one specific sport specific factor: coaches, has been left out, despite their significant impact on athletes. This study examined the relationship between coaching behaviors, eating disorder symptomology, and body image concerns. Potential moderators of teammate …
Development Of A Psychoeducational Parenting Group For Mothers Addicted To Opioids With Infants With Neonatal Abstinance Syndrome, Kaitlyn Marie Eichinger
Development Of A Psychoeducational Parenting Group For Mothers Addicted To Opioids With Infants With Neonatal Abstinance Syndrome, Kaitlyn Marie Eichinger
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Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome occurs when an infant is exposed to opioids in utero and has many associated health concerns post-partum. In the US in 2012, approximately 22,000 infants were born with NAS. Mothers of these infants have a unique set of needs that affect their ability to adequately care for their infants as they transition home with their infant after giving birth. However, few programs specifically address the needs of this population. The program described in this dissertation is based upon a thorough review of the literature and seeks to fill the gap in the available programming for women with …
The Impact Of Feminist Identity Development On The Internalization Of Sociocultural Pressures And Body Dissatisfaction, Jill R. Klotzman
The Impact Of Feminist Identity Development On The Internalization Of Sociocultural Pressures And Body Dissatisfaction, Jill R. Klotzman
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The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between perceived sociocultural pressures and internalization of the thin ideal and to determine whether or not high levels of feminist identity development moderate this relationship. The study also investigated the relationship between internalization of the thin ideal and body dissatisfaction and whether or not high levels of feminist identity development moderated the relationship. Two multiple hierarchical regression analyses were performed using data collected from a female undergraduate student sample (N=403) from Wright State University. These data were derived from a survey containing the Perceived Sociocultural Pressure Scale (PSPS; Stice …
A Therapeutic Storybook For Adjustment And Acculturation In Middle Eastern Refugee Children, Christina E. Zawalski
A Therapeutic Storybook For Adjustment And Acculturation In Middle Eastern Refugee Children, Christina E. Zawalski
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The current global sociopolitical climate has resulted in the influx of refugees to the United States from all over the world. Those coming from the Middle East represent a large portion of refugees in the U.S., and children within this group make up a large percentage. The refugee process is characterized by stressful experiences in the premigration, migration, and resettlement stages. These experiences put refugee children at risk for distress and other mental health difficulties. Refugees must learn how to adjust and acculturate once in the host country, which can be a difficult task. Teachers are in a unique position …
Self-Compassion And Its Relation To Nonsuicidal Self-Injury, Justin M. Wiseman
Self-Compassion And Its Relation To Nonsuicidal Self-Injury, Justin M. Wiseman
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There have been relatively few studies that have empirically explored the relationship between self-compassion and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). Previous studies have found that engagement in self-injurious behaviors is closely related to being self-critical (Glassman, Weierich, Hooley, Deliberto, & Nock, 2007; Hooley, Ho, Slater, & Lockshin, 2010).Therefore, it has been suggested that higher levels of self-compassion may be associated with less engagement in NSSI. The current study explored the relationship between self-reported self-compassion and past self-reported occurrences of NSSI. This study used Neff's (2003a) 12 item Self-Compassion Scale- Short Form (SCS-SF) to measure one's level of self-compassion and a Client Information/Demographics …
Levels Of Self-Compassion Among Injured Division I Athletes, Samantha Sanderson
Levels Of Self-Compassion Among Injured Division I Athletes, Samantha Sanderson
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While there are numerous health benefits that result from engaging in athletics, sport participation also comes with an intrinsic risk of injury. In order to understand the injury process (i.e., injury risk factors and recovery variables), researchers have used various models to conceptualize preinjury risk factors and postinjury response. Although personality factors, stress, coping skills, emotional response, and other factors have been studied, self-compassion is a relatively new construct to the western world that has not been examined in the injured athlete population. Self-compassion requires being kind to oneself and taking a nonjudgmental approach to one's suffering. High self-compassion is …
Barriers To Group Psychotherapy For Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual College Students, Sarah Peters
Barriers To Group Psychotherapy For Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual College Students, Sarah Peters
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While research has been conducted into the utilization and efficacy of group therapy with college students and with individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB), there is very limited research on their intersection. The purpose of this study was to determine barriers to group psychotherapy with college students who identify as LGB. Twenty-eight LGB undergraduate and graduate students from colleges and universities nationwide were recruited to complete an online survey including: a modified version of the Barriers Scale (Harris, 2013), which examined willingness to participate in group therapy, expectations of group psychotherapy, expectations of group members, expectations of …
Women With Disabilities Who Have Been Sexually Assaulted: What Responders Need To Know, Kaitlyn Mccarthy
Women With Disabilities Who Have Been Sexually Assaulted: What Responders Need To Know, Kaitlyn Mccarthy
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Information about women with disabilities who have been sexually assaulted is vastly missing from psychological research and literature. This gap in literature is very concerning as more information is needed to ensure that women with disabilities are receiving care, and that prevention and care giving programs are tailored to meet their needs. Women with disabilities encounter unique sexual assault experiences that at times go unnoticed because their experiences are not often discussed in the literature, nor are they appropriately assessed. Through a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach, the present study attempted to respond to these issues by modifying an existing …
Testing In Adoption Evaluations: Selections And Usage Determined From Surveying Psychologists, Erin Marie Sylvester Nichting
Testing In Adoption Evaluations: Selections And Usage Determined From Surveying Psychologists, Erin Marie Sylvester Nichting
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A significant amount of children are adopted each year both within the United States and internationally. In fact, the United States Department of State reported that 242,602 international adoptions had taken place from 1999 to 2012 and also indicated that in 2012 alone, 52,035 children had been adopted domestically. However, research is lacking in many areas of the adoption process. One such area includes an absence of knowledge in regards to adoption evaluations, even though they may be required for both prospective parents and adoptive children during the adoption process. Another area includes how psychological instruments are incorporated into these …
Barriers To Group Psychotherapy Among Racially And Ethnically Diverse College Students, Raghav Suri
Barriers To Group Psychotherapy Among Racially And Ethnically Diverse College Students, Raghav Suri
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Group psychotherapy has become a preferred modality of direct clinical psychological services offered by many University Counseling Centers (UCCs), primarily because of the effectiveness of group psychotherapy in addressing the unique developmental issues that college students experience. However, there is a need for empirically supported data to identify barriers to group psychotherapy among college students, particularly related to multicultural identity variables. The present study examined barriers that college students face when considering joining a psychotherapy group. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire and either the original or the modified version of the Barriers Scale, (Harris, 2012). Participants were divided into three …
An Interview With Three Deaf Lesbians: Intersectionality And Saliency Of Identity Variables, Amanda L. Schaad
An Interview With Three Deaf Lesbians: Intersectionality And Saliency Of Identity Variables, Amanda L. Schaad
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LGBQ and Deaf communities have experienced parallel histories of oppression, medicalization, and discrimination that results in poor access to sexual health information and support around sexuality. Moreover, when the two identities intersect the impacts are magnified. Both populations experience vulnerabilities to sexual abuse, and inadequate sexual health information and /or sex education, compared to the majority population. Therefore, there needs to be a better understanding of their experiences with sex education and how mental health services could be helpful, particularly when these identities intersect. The aim and purpose of this study was to explore the interaction between LGBQ (Lesbian, Gay, …
Burnout, Work Engagement, And Well-Being In The Healthcare Professions: A Proposal For A Digital Intervention, Eric T. Reinhart
Burnout, Work Engagement, And Well-Being In The Healthcare Professions: A Proposal For A Digital Intervention, Eric T. Reinhart
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Burnout is a chronic problem for individuals in the helping professions and is particularly pronounced in healthcare settings. Burnout is an extreme stress response characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization of patients, and a decreased sense of personal accomplishment. Factors unique to healthcare settings include high patient to staff ratios, evaluations of effectiveness based on patient outcomes, and the competing demands of policy makers, patients, and clinicians. Work engagement is a product of the positive psychology movement and developed out of the study of burnout. Work engagement is an affective-emotional state of work-related well-being and is characterized as being positive and …
The Predictive Power Of Non-Pathological Psychological Variables In Weight Loss Surgery, Tiffany Milligan
The Predictive Power Of Non-Pathological Psychological Variables In Weight Loss Surgery, Tiffany Milligan
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According to the World Health Organization and National Institutes of Health, obesity is a global health problem. Worldwide, obesity is the fifth-leading cause of death. Weight loss surgeries such as gastric banding, sleeve gastrectomy, and gastric bypass surgery have become increasingly popular methods to manage intractable obesity in the United States. Such surgeries have inherent risks, both medical and psychosocial, and as a result, candidates for weight loss surgery routinely undergo pre-surgical evaluations to determine their suitability for weight loss procedures. The current study was done in partnership with Kettering Bariatrics in Kettering, Ohio, and is an analysis of the …
The Effectiveness Of "The Tunnel Of Oppression": An Exposure Approach To Increasing Awareness Of Oppression Among Freshman Students At Wright State University, Jennifer B. Stoyell
The Effectiveness Of "The Tunnel Of Oppression": An Exposure Approach To Increasing Awareness Of Oppression Among Freshman Students At Wright State University, Jennifer B. Stoyell
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While diversity-training programs have gained popularity in the US, limited research has been done to establish the effectiveness of these programs in increasing awareness of oppression. The present study explored the effectiveness of the Tunnel of Oppression in increasing awareness of oppression among freshman students at Wright State University. Participants (N= 1736) were given a survey before and after participating in the Tunnel where they rated their awareness of levels of oppression for nine different oppressed groups. Data for this survey was analyzed employing descriptive and non-parametric statistics to determine significance in change of scores (Wilcoxon Signed-Rank and Wilcoxon Rank-Sum) …
A Preliminary Perspective For Identifying Resilience And Promoting Growth Among Survivors Of Sex Trafficking, Michelle Sobon
A Preliminary Perspective For Identifying Resilience And Promoting Growth Among Survivors Of Sex Trafficking, Michelle Sobon
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This work offers an analysis of the existing literature on trauma, resilience, posttraumatic growth, and sex trafficking. It argues that the field tends to gravitate toward trauma and overlook resilience and the potential for posttraumatic growth amongst survivors of sex trafficking. This work recommends that the field should attend to both abuses endured as well as the courage and strength gained by survivors. Specifically, it argues that it is the task of the mental health professional to step into trauma trajectories with a strengths-based perspective to promote positive, resilient, and growth-oriented outcomes. Resilience and posttraumatic growth theories have been substantiated …
Mothers Who Kill Children They Have Adopted, Katherine Elizabeth Sunder
Mothers Who Kill Children They Have Adopted, Katherine Elizabeth Sunder
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A mother killing her child is a disturbing and puzzling crime. While extensive research has been conducted on mothers who kill their biological children, little information is known about mothers who kill children they have adopted. Previous research has suggested specific typologies and characteristics of mothers who kill their biological children. The current research reviews these typologies and investigates whether they can be applied to the mothers who kill adopted children. A review of the cases in the United States from 1993 through 2013 that involved mothers who killed children they had adopted was conducted. The similarities and differences between …
Examination Of The African-American Father-Daughter Relationship: Application Of The Marschack Interaction Method, Amber N. Thornton
Examination Of The African-American Father-Daughter Relationship: Application Of The Marschack Interaction Method, Amber N. Thornton
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Early research on the Black family implied an enormous lack of African-American father presence and involvement among African-American fathers. However, more current research negates those findings by highlighting the contributions African-American fathers make when parenting their children (Coley, 2003; Cooper, 2009; Mandara, Murray & Joyner, 2005). In spite of facing unique psychological and social challenges, such as disproportionate levels of poverty, and race related social barriers, such as the invisibility syndrome (Franklin & Boyd-Franklin, 2000), researchers who have studied the African-American father-daughter dyad have discovered that this relationship has many benefits for African-American girls, including cognitive and academic enhancements, reductions …
Disability Identity Formation In People With Severe Mental Illness And Treatment Seeking And Compliance: A Participatory Action Research Study, Kimberly M. Sommers
Disability Identity Formation In People With Severe Mental Illness And Treatment Seeking And Compliance: A Participatory Action Research Study, Kimberly M. Sommers
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The study of facilitators of treatment seeking and compliance in people with severe mental illness represents a significant gap in the current literature. The present study, using a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach, attempted to identify facilitators to treatment seeking and compliance through the lived experiences of people living with severe mental illness. Interviews were used to gather information about the experience of people with severe mental illness regarding disability identity development, recovery, interactions with treatment and treatment providers, the experience of being diagnosed with a severe mental illness, and the impact of psychiatric disability on family, friends, and functioning. …
Batterer's Intervention Program: The Partner's Perspective, Megan Denae Nichols
Batterer's Intervention Program: The Partner's Perspective, Megan Denae Nichols
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The following study attempted to determine the effectiveness of the Preventing Abuse in the Home (PATH) batterer's intervention program from the perspective of the partners of men enrolled in the program. The partner's perspective was obtained through the collection of qualitative data from interviews conducted with women who were currently or recently involved with men who had been participating in the PATH program for a minimum of 16 weeks. Interview questions were created based upon several variables including review of empirical literature and specific questions that researchers were interested in addressing in regards to PATH. Results highlighted the various types …
Mindfulness-Based Interventions And Processes Of Change: A Conceptual Model For Clinicians, Shalagh A. Frantz
Mindfulness-Based Interventions And Processes Of Change: A Conceptual Model For Clinicians, Shalagh A. Frantz
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Mindfulness-based interventions are receiving a great deal of attention from clinicians and researchers and research in this field is increasing dramatically in the past decade. Much of this research is consistent with positive psychotherapeutic outcomes for a wide range of presenting clinical issues. As with any seemingly successful psychotherapeutic treatment, it can be helpful to understand the processes of change underlying mindfulness-based interventions that are responsible for observed positive outcomes. In doing so, the effective components of an intervention can be refined and perfected, while components deemed unneeded can be appropriately discarded. This dissertation critically reviews the literature's current understanding …