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Articles 1 - 30 of 62
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Influencing Legislation For Juveniles In The Adult Judicial System: A Phenomenological Examination Of Legal Advocates, Krista F. Franklin
Influencing Legislation For Juveniles In The Adult Judicial System: A Phenomenological Examination Of Legal Advocates, Krista F. Franklin
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
INFLUENCING LEGISLATION FOR JUVENILES IN THE ADULT JUDICIAL SYSTEM: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF LEGAL ADVOCATES Krista Franklin Antioch University Seattle Seattle, WA This phenomenological study explores the lived experience of Washington State lawmakers and legal activists regarding their involvement in passing Washington State Senate Bill 5064 in February 2014. In response to the 2012 landmark federal Supreme Court decision, Miller v. Alabama, Senate Bill 5064 reduced the number of crimes for which juveniles could be sentenced as adults to life without parole. Six interviewees were selected from those who testified in Olympia, WA. Individual interviews were conducted in an open-ended …
“They Let Me Loose, Will You Hold Me Tight?” Adult Adoptees And Their Romantic Partners' Experience Of Attachment After Participating In The Hmt Program, Bethany Baker
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
Adult adoptees may be blocked from feeling securely attached to their romantic partners and they may not even know it or what to do about it. The literature shows adult adoptees being overrepresented in insecure attachment styles, and not enough attention has been paid to the effect this has had on adoptees in their romantic relationships. In fact, no known study, to date, has provided an attachment-based psychoeducational approach for this marginalized population. The purpose of this introductory qualitative study was to explore the experiences and meaning-making of attachment, specifically related to adoption, for the adult adoptee and their romantic …
Circling The Wagons: A Re-Entry Program For Substance Use In Nh, Angela Leigh Walter
Circling The Wagons: A Re-Entry Program For Substance Use In Nh, Angela Leigh Walter
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
This dissertation aimed to adapt Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA) to a substance-involved population in New Hampshire (NH). CoSA is a volunteer-based community program that provides accountability and various forms of support to previously incarcerated individuals rejoining the community. Program recommendations were created through qualitative realist thematic analysis of a literature review and interviews. Recommendations were integrated with existing CoSA manuals to create the proposed program. NH CoSA, through the principles of narrative reconstruction, risk-need-responsivity, and the Good Lives Model, aims to help individuals successfully re-integrate into their community over a period of about a year. The program will …
Decolonizing Food Systems Research – The Case Of Household Agricultural Food Access In Bikotiba, Togo, Katryna Maria Kibler
Decolonizing Food Systems Research – The Case Of Household Agricultural Food Access In Bikotiba, Togo, Katryna Maria Kibler
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
Indigenous West African farmers are among the most climate change threatened globally. Food insecurity is prevalent in West Africa because ecological, social, political, and economic instabilities, and globalization worsen climate pressures. In this study, I collaborated with the community of Bikotiba (bih-CO-ti-buh), Togo, to understand their household agricultural food access, one aspect of resilience to food insecurity. I adopted a feminist approach of reflexivity, radical vulnerability, and radical empathy, combined with decolonizing principles, to argue that there could be an ethical way for well-trained Western researchers to engage Indigenous communities, if negotiated carefully. Together, Indigenous Research Assistants and I developed …
Internet Pornography Addiction In The Treatment Of Heterosexual Dyadic Relationships: A Literature Review, Sarah Ogier-Bloomer
Internet Pornography Addiction In The Treatment Of Heterosexual Dyadic Relationships: A Literature Review, Sarah Ogier-Bloomer
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
The following dissertation provides a thorough literature review of internet pornography and internet pornography addiction for psychologists treating heterosexual couples in therapy and those training said clinicians. Factors that contribute to the development of compulsive sexual behavior are discussed, as well as how the addiction is maintained through reinforcing cycles. Factors including neuropsychological effects of neurotransmitters on the pleasure-reward system, insecure attachment, and childhood development provide insight into the manifestation of an addiction to pornography. Therefore, a thorough literature review on these aspects is necessary for current clinicians, as well as for those who are training clinicians. In addition, questionnaires …
The Relationship Of Societal Pressures And Disordered Eating Among Lebanese Women, Rita Hage
The Relationship Of Societal Pressures And Disordered Eating Among Lebanese Women, Rita Hage
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
Messages that women receive from the media, family, and peers are often intended to promote the female thin ideal, and these messages may contribute to the development of eating disorders. In Lebanese society, unrealistic standards for thinness are a central component of how Lebanese society defines glamour. The following paper examined the relationship of societal pressures on Lebanese women to meet these beauty expectations and how those pressures are related to disordered eating. Ninety Lebanese women between the ages of 18 and 39 responded to two questionnaires: (a) the Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26) and (b) the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance …
Assessment Of The Potential For Youth Engagement In Mountain Gorilla Conservation In Uganda, Samson Elijah Werikhe
Assessment Of The Potential For Youth Engagement In Mountain Gorilla Conservation In Uganda, Samson Elijah Werikhe
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
Young people can play a vital role in contributing to protecting natural resources. However, their participation in efforts to support existence of the endangered mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) is relatively new and not well understood. Mountain gorillas are critically endangered and continue to face threats from the local farmers, although several mountain gorilla conservation strategies are under way. This study evaluates the potential of involving young people in the conservation of mountain gorillas by assessing their knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy and intentional behaviors. Attitudinal factors contribute to guiding behavior. Self-efficacy and outcome expectations are beliefs that influence young people’s capability …
Motivational Interviewing In Vocational Rehabilitation: Why It Matters For People With Disabilities, Alicia Wein-Senghas
Motivational Interviewing In Vocational Rehabilitation: Why It Matters For People With Disabilities, Alicia Wein-Senghas
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
Motivational Interviewing (MI) is increasingly being trained within and integrated into public vocational rehabilitation (VR) programs based on its efficacy in related fields and yet research specific to the efficacy of MI in public VR programs is almost nonexistent. This study used a quantitative sequential design to explore relationships between MI training, MI proficiency, and VR customer outcomes within the State of Vermont’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (VT DVR) program. The study occurred in two phases. In the first phase, 30 VR counselors were recruited, and their level of MI proficiency was established using the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity Measure …
Parents Of Non-Binary Children: Stories Of Understanding And Support, Brooks Bull
Parents Of Non-Binary Children: Stories Of Understanding And Support, Brooks Bull
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
Parents of non-binary children undergo profound changes as they learn to first understand and then support their child. In order to provide family therapists with a foundation from which to work with these families, a thorough review of the literature is provided as well as a narrative research study. Chapter one provides an introduction to the topic of non-binary gender and transgender identities, defines the terms non-binary, transgender, and transsexual, and clarifies the conceptual frameworks at use in the dissertation: social constructionism and transfeminism. Chapter two is a review of peer-reviewed literature on therapy with children and adolescents who identify …
Gender Role Beliefs, Household Chores, And Modern Marriages, Jaquoya Carreiro
Gender Role Beliefs, Household Chores, And Modern Marriages, Jaquoya Carreiro
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
A primary change in modern marriages is the shift from traditional marriages to modern dual-earner marriages. With this change comes significantly higher divorce rates with traditional marriages averaging over forty years and modern marriages averaging seven years. This paper reviews research studies conducted from the 1980s to present day on heterosexual dual-earner couples and marital satisfaction, particularly in regards to gender role beliefs and household chore division. The social construction of gender remains virtually unaltered and resistant to change; therefore, it follows that individual beliefs regarding gender roles remain unchanged. While dual-earner marriages contributed significantly to changing gender roles external …
The Relationship Between Concussion And Violent Criminal Behavior In Professional Football Players, Sarah Jeanne Boucher
The Relationship Between Concussion And Violent Criminal Behavior In Professional Football Players, Sarah Jeanne Boucher
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
This dissertation explored the relationship between head injury and violent crime among professional football players. This study was particularly focused on determining if the frequency or severity of head injury was related to the severity of violent crime among National Football League (NFL) football players. Additionally, this study explored possible differences in violence severity and concussion history among offensive and defensive positions. Based on information gathered from publicly available archival databases, sixty-three participants were placed into four groups based on their concussion and violent crime histories. Pearson correlations were conducted to determine the relationship between concussion history and violent crime …
The Student Experience Of Psychoeducational Assessment: A Phenomenological Study, Teresa Hoffman
The Student Experience Of Psychoeducational Assessment: A Phenomenological Study, Teresa Hoffman
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
Emerging adults with specific learning disabilities (SLD) are interviewed to understand the student experience of the psychoeducational assessment process that is codified by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA). The assessment practice is well established to qualify students for special education and related services (SERS) to ensure every child in the United States has the opportunity for free and appropriate education. An overview of the general psychoeducational assessment practice and specific assessment for SLD is supplemented by the literature regarding best-practices for psychological assessment with children/adolescents to set the context for a process that is encountered triennially …
A Survey To Assess Adhd Symptoms And Detect Feigning In Adult Adhd: Initial Scale Development, Michelle Babcock
A Survey To Assess Adhd Symptoms And Detect Feigning In Adult Adhd: Initial Scale Development, Michelle Babcock
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
Adult attention-deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnoses have significantly increased over the last 20 years, and in some cases, adults seek an ADHD diagnosis to procure stimulant medication and academic accommodations. With the ease of access to the internet, adults can acquire the knowledge to misrepresent symptoms for secondary gain. The falsification of symptoms or feigning is problematic for the individual seeking the diagnosis, the psychological profession, and society at large. This study aimed to develop a multipurpose self-report scale comprised of the DSM-5 ADHD criteria, executive functioning, and embedded symptom validity indexes to assess ADHD and detect feigned responses. …
"The Candy Problem, Solved!": White Children And White Parents Grappling With Dysconscious Whiteness, Lindsay E. Olson
"The Candy Problem, Solved!": White Children And White Parents Grappling With Dysconscious Whiteness, Lindsay E. Olson
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
During an amplification of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, white children and parents have faced multiple interruptions to their protective territory of dysconscious whiteness—an uncritical approach to a structural status quo that favors white lives. Through semi-structured activities and interviews with ten children ages 3 to 9 and nine of their parents who observed these activities, I discovered a parent–child subsystem of dysconscious whiteness. White children and parents revealed aspects of this subsystem by grappling with dysconscious whiteness (grappling) as they struggled to avoid implicating skin color in resource inequality. Through grounded theory analysis of the process of grappling, …
I’M So Satisfied: A Qualitative Approach To Understanding The Process Of Marriage Satisfaction Among African American Couples, Rashida Spence
I’M So Satisfied: A Qualitative Approach To Understanding The Process Of Marriage Satisfaction Among African American Couples, Rashida Spence
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
The current study uses a strengths-based framework to identify the process of marriage satisfaction among 1 same-sex African American married couple and 5 heterosexual African American married couples. Six themes emerged through qualitative analysis demonstrating that marriage satisfaction is a co-constructed experience created between couples through a series of interactions cultivating healthy conditions that strengthen relationship functioning and promote well-being. Based on the results the experience of marriage satisfaction is formed by the organizing concepts of connection, intentionality, purpose, sentiments of peace, authentic communication, and well-being. Results are discussed in association with existing research, as well as, Self-Determination, and Relationship …
Homelessness And Adhd: A Hidden Factor?, Elizabeth A. Shepherd
Homelessness And Adhd: A Hidden Factor?, Elizabeth A. Shepherd
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, henceforth known as ADHD, is a common psychiatric problem recognized and diagnosed in children; however, it is not recognized or diagnosed as often in adults. There has been some research illustrating a relationship between ADHD and homelessness. The purpose of this study was to further explore if ADHD could be a hidden factor contributing to homelessness in adults. This descriptive study utilized archival data of patients at a health center in the United States to examine the relationship between homelessness and ADHD. Two analyses were completed using IBM SPSS version 25. Starting from a master dataset including …
Flourishing With Chronic Pain, Michelle A. Taylor
Flourishing With Chronic Pain, Michelle A. Taylor
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
Recognizing the need to include individuals with chronic pain in mainstream well-being profiling and to move beyond the debilitating factors inherent in this population, this study aimed to understand how individuals with moderate to severe chronic pain experience well-being in the light of positive psychology. Guided by the PERMA model, the goal was to track enhancers and challenges for well-being in reference to the model’s five components: positive emotions, engagement, positive relationships, meaning, and accomplishment. Participants included six individuals living with daily moderate to severe chronic pain. One in-depth interview was conducted with each participant. Results pointed to overall moderate …
The Inclusion Of Autism Spectrum Disorder In Mainstream Classrooms: Teachers’ Perspectives, Alyssa Maiuri
The Inclusion Of Autism Spectrum Disorder In Mainstream Classrooms: Teachers’ Perspectives, Alyssa Maiuri
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
This dissertation explored the unique experiences of general education teachers teaching in an inclusive classroom (which will also be referred to as a “mainstream classroom”) with a combination of students with and without autism (which will also be referred to as “autism spectrum disorder” and “ASD”). This was a qualitative research study that applied the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) research method, as presented by Smith, Flowers, and Larkin (2009). The participants in this study were seven general education teachers, each of whom taught kindergarten or fourth grade. Purposive sampling was used to gain a better understanding of the teachers’ experiences …
The Relational Interpretation Of Dreams: A Book Proposal, Alicia Macdougall
The Relational Interpretation Of Dreams: A Book Proposal, Alicia Macdougall
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
Dream interpretation has been a widely recognized component of psychological practice since the publication of Sigmund Freud’s (1900/2010) The Interpretation of Dreams. By providing initial conceptualizations of the dream’s function, Freud created the foundation for the numerous iterations of dream work to follow. What these modalities of dream work all have in common is the utilization of dream interpretation to uncover information, or the engagement in research and empirical practice to search for answers regarding the how and why of dreaming phenomenon. Dreams, however, have yet to be considered within the context of relationship. This dissertation, in the format of …
An Assessment Of Therapist Attitudes Toward Polyamorous People, Chelsea V. Randall
An Assessment Of Therapist Attitudes Toward Polyamorous People, Chelsea V. Randall
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
Polyamorous people can encounter unique negative experiences in psychotherapy. Western culture perpetuates the ideal of romantic and sexual exclusivity between two people through monogamy as the dominant social norm, to the extent that nonmonogamous relationships are considered abnormal or othered. Polyamorous people have reported experiencing such biases from therapists, resulting in being pathologized, inaccurately labeled as infidelitous, and spending excessive treatment time providing education on polyamory. Research on the therapist’s contribution to polyamorous clients’ negative experiences is lacking, which limits suggestions for affirmative practices and the rationale from which to implement them. The current study sought to directly survey therapists’ …
Understanding The Parent Experience Of Receiving An Early Childhood Autism Diagnosis, Elizabeth Fuss
Understanding The Parent Experience Of Receiving An Early Childhood Autism Diagnosis, Elizabeth Fuss
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
The current qualitative study addresses parents’ experience when their child receives an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis in early childhood. Specifically, the study explores the parent–child relationship, the participants’ perception of autism, and parents’ overall mood before and after their child was diagnosed with ASD. The study used a semistructured interview to collect data from five mothers recruited from the Rhode Island Consortium of Autism Research and Treatment (RICART). The data were analyzed using interpretive phenomenological analysis, which divided the data into superordinate and emergent themes. The discussion section includes discussion of the data in the context of previous literature, …
Exploring Communication Between Staff And Clinicians On An Inpatient Adolescent Psychiatric Unit, Olivia Ray Friedman
Exploring Communication Between Staff And Clinicians On An Inpatient Adolescent Psychiatric Unit, Olivia Ray Friedman
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
This dissertation explored interdisciplinary team functioning on a long-term adolescent inpatient psychiatric unit. It compared staff perceptions (MHCs, clinicians, and nurses) of interdisciplinary coherence and unit effectiveness. This study was particularly focused on understanding MHCs perceptions of team functioning and how satisfied team members are with their level of input and involvement in team decision-making. Additionally, this study explored possible barriers to effective team functioning in this setting. Eighty-four participants in this study completed the Interdisciplinary Team Process and Performance Survey (ITPPS) to assess perceptions of team functioning. Participants answered additional questions assessing barriers to communication and collaboration and levels …
Sickle Cell In A Poor Community In Haiti: Attention, Emotion, And Sleep, Sarajane Rodgers
Sickle Cell In A Poor Community In Haiti: Attention, Emotion, And Sleep, Sarajane Rodgers
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
Hemoglobin disorders or inherited blood diseases affect about 5% of the world population. One main category of these disorders is sickle-cell disease (SCD). SCD can cause many physical complications, such as kidney problems, leg ulcers, and chronic pain. Less frequently discussed symptoms include complications like attention problems and emotion regulation. The study looked at a small sample of pediatric and adult patients (N=22) with SCD at a primary care clinic in a very poor community in Haiti, researching sleep and emotion regulation, given their shared neurobiological systems. As these symptoms can influence attention, the relationships among attention, emotion, and sleep …
An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Of Older Adults And Subjective Well-Being, Averie A. Zdon
An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Of Older Adults And Subjective Well-Being, Averie A. Zdon
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
Older adults are rapidly aging. It is estimated that by 2030, 1 in every 5 adults will be 65 years old or older (Administration on Aging, 2018). With this increase will undoubtedly come an increase in older people seeking mental health services. It is paramount the field of psychology attempt to prepare for this increase by better understanding older persons. Subjective well-being (SWB) is a popular construct with a vast body of literature as it pertains to a variety of diverse people. However, there has been little research on SWB as it pertains to older adults. This study examined the …
Adoptive Identity: Emerging Adult International Adoptees’ Narrative Coherence Following Early Institutional Care, Samuel Vladimir Highland
Adoptive Identity: Emerging Adult International Adoptees’ Narrative Coherence Following Early Institutional Care, Samuel Vladimir Highland
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
It is well established that, while all orphanages are not equally harsh, none can provide the quality of care found in most homes. The depriving circumstances of many such institutions often leads to lingering delays across social, emotional, cognitive, psychological, and physical domains of development. However, for many international adoptees there is evidence of resilience and catch-up growth across these same domains following adoption. Adoptive identity theory provides the framework for this qualitative exploration assessing the degree of coherence among six previously-institutionalized (PI) international adoptees’ narratives about the meaning and role of adoption in their lives as emerging adults. Adoptive …
Examining The Relationship Between Five Factors Of Mindfulness And Parenting Stress: A Correlational Study Of New Mothers, Jessica L. Lazaro
Examining The Relationship Between Five Factors Of Mindfulness And Parenting Stress: A Correlational Study Of New Mothers, Jessica L. Lazaro
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
It can be tempting to want to dissociate from the stress of parenting. The implication being that the early years of parenthood are meant to simply be endured. In contrast, mindfully embracing all aspects of parenthood, including the difficult moments, may allow the appreciation of beauty, growth, and connection, which is so essential to the human experience, especially as it relates to the parent-child relationship. As the popularity of mindfulness research increases, so does the information we have about using it with parents in general, and mothers in particular. The current study explores what, if any, relationship exists between levels …
Psychometric Development Of The Autism Trait Survey, Gwendolyn S. Barnhart
Psychometric Development Of The Autism Trait Survey, Gwendolyn S. Barnhart
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
There are limited tools for professionals who work with individuals with autism to ascertain individuals’ strengths and challenges within the various facets of symptomology after diagnosis. Professionals can currently use personal interviews and psychological reports to determine individuals’ strengths and challenges to determine the types of services that would benefit them following initial diagnosis. The limitations of this practice are that the levels of understanding, accuracy, and use of these measures vary in the field. Furthermore, the norms of diagnostic measures are the entire population rather than solely individuals on the autistic spectrum/autistics (IOS/A). A new measure is necessary: one …
Adult Attachment Interview Classification: Comparing Two Coding Systems, Patricia M. Hastings
Adult Attachment Interview Classification: Comparing Two Coding Systems, Patricia M. Hastings
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
Research on the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) provides an opportunity to study the ways in which early childhood relational experiences might influence an individual over a lifetime. It is not yet clear, however, whether results from different coding systems for the AAI are equally useful. The first purpose of this study was to compare attachment classification distributions obtained from coding AAIs with the Berkeley and Dynamic-Maturational Model (DMM) coding systems. The second purpose was to explore whether AAI classifications derived from the Berkeley or DMM system were more strongly associated with mother and mother-child dyad outcome variables. Participants were a …
Experience Of Gender Role Expectations And Negotiation In Second Generation Desi Couples, Deepa Patel
Experience Of Gender Role Expectations And Negotiation In Second Generation Desi Couples, Deepa Patel
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
Due to the lack of research on the Desi community, this qualitative study was the first of its kind to investigate the process of gender role expectation and negotiation style among second generation Desi couples. Previous research provided awareness of unequal treatment amongst the male and female genders within the patriarchal structure of the Desi community. However, this study provided a unique understanding on Desi couples’ perspective on gender dynamics. Six couples, ages 25- 35, who were married for at least 3 years and identified as second generation Desi were interviewed in order to gain a deeper understanding of gender …
Managing Natural Resources Through Vulnerability Analysis: An Applied Case Study Into Recreational Activities At Coral Reefs In Puerto Rico, Karin Jakubowski
Managing Natural Resources Through Vulnerability Analysis: An Applied Case Study Into Recreational Activities At Coral Reefs In Puerto Rico, Karin Jakubowski
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
The purpose of this dissertation is to add knowledge to coral reef management by designing and testing a methodology to assess the vulnerability of select coral reefs to diving and snorkeling recreational activities within La Cordillera Nature Reserve, Puerto Rico. Vulnerability research consists of three main components. This includes measuring exposure to the stressor, characterizing the sensitivity of the exposure, and characterizing the capacity to act. In the context of this research, exposure refers to the number of potentially harmful actions that recreational snorkelers inflict on coral reef ecosystems when they contact the reef and includes the number of individuals …