Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Social Competence Of Homeschooled And Conventionally-Schooled Adolescents: A Preliminary Investigation, Denise Lopez Haugen

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Homeschooling is a controversial educational option that has grown dramatically during the past two decades. Socialization concerns contribute strongly to this controversy. Research in this area is sparse, but it indicates that homeschooled students do well academically and socially. Many homeschooling studies suffer, however, from serious methodological issues. This investigation sought to discover whether differences in social competence existed between sample populations of homeschooled and conventionally-schooled students; research in the arena of competence and resilience served to guide the methodology. Where differences were found, specifics were elucidated and factors contributing to these differences were isolated.

Forty-seven homeschooling and conventionally-schooling families …

Shame And Negative Body Image In Adolescent Females, Erin K. Anderson-Fortier

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Current research in the fields of shame, body image, and adolescent female weight has had little convergence until recently. Biological changes that occur during adolescence, particularly weight gain for females, may result in feelings of shame. Shame is an involuntary reaction to the belief that the self is inherently flawed. Body image begins to form in early childhood, and "is a multidimensional construct that refers to subjective perceptual and altitudinal experiences about one's body, particularly one's physical appearance" (Cash, Melnyk, & Hrabosky, 2004, p.305). Body image may be negatively impacted when the adolescent female's belief that her actual body is …

Resilience And Emotional Depletion As Predictors Of Dyadic Satisfaction Of Psychologists In Pennsylvania, Kevin R. Ganey

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Although psychologists have been practicing for nearly one hundred years, relatively little research has been conducted on the impact of the profession upon the psychologist's personal life. Historically, most studies have attempted to determine whether the practice of psychology leads to burnout or impairment rather than what helps a psychologist to function well. A growing body of research on self-care places an emphasis on the personhood of the clinician and his or her ability to function well in practice and personal life (Alterman, 1998). The purpose of this study is to add to the growing body of literature that addresses …

Efficacy Of Nild Educational Therapy, Stephanie M. White

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

National Institute for Learning Disabilities (NILD) Educational Therapy™ (NILD therapy) was developed in the 1960s and was first used in private schools in 1973. Since then, the use of NILD therapy has spread to more than 900 programs both in the U.S. and abroad. Despite the widespread use of NILD therapy, little research has been done to support the program. The seven studies investigating NILD therapy, all unpublished, have been lacking in empirical rigor and are subject to charges of potential bias because all were conducted by researchers with connections with NILD. The current study was designed to investigate the …

The Relationship Between Creativity And Psychiatric Vulnerability: A Meta-Analysis Of Empirical Studies, Charity Benham

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

The belief that creativity and madness are interrelated has endured across the centuries. Artists, poets, and philosophers have been perceived as special individuals blessed or cursed with "divine madness" beginning in the days of Socrates. Many of the great minds of classical western civilization have believed that artists are qualitatively different than average people (Becker, 2001). Psychology and psychiatry have addressed the creativity/madness question utilizing a wide variety of approaches. There are numerous review articles, psychobiographical works, empirical studies, and theoretical papers which attempt to determine the nature of creativity and how it relates to psychiatric functioning.

This study utilized …

Development Of The Jewel Equestrian Scale, Valerie A. Tsohantaridis

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Equestrian athletes have not been the topic of systematic study. There is a vast array of folklore and wisdom, lay study, and practice at the grassroots level regarding the relationship of horse and rider. The field of therapeutic horseback riding primarily consists of examining the benefits of riding for the physically handicapped. There is also the relatively fledgling movement of equine-assisted psychotherapy, that typically combines qualified therapists alongside qualified horse trainers. European study is more longstanding, extensive, and includes exploration of the psychotherapeutic benefits of equine therapy. The smattering of work is grounded on the study of the equestrian athlete, …

Performance Of Intellectually Gifted Children On Three Measures Of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Kent S. Rosengren

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

While there is a growing awareness of the co-occurrence of giftedness and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), little is known about the clinical presentation of ADHD in intellectually gifted children. Current diagnostic decisions with this subpopulation are made employing procedures and norms developed using a nonexceptional population. However, it is unknown whether this common practice is appropriate. This study explored how intellectually gifted children perform on three commonly used measures of ADHD, specifically: (a) the Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA); (b) the Conners' Teacher Rating Scale, Revised - Long Form (CTS); and (c) the Conners' Parent Rating Scale, Revised …