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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Manifestation Of Grief And Loss In Crisis-Oriented Psychotherapy : Graduate Preparation And Lessons Learned, Francis M. Cwiertniewicz
Manifestation Of Grief And Loss In Crisis-Oriented Psychotherapy : Graduate Preparation And Lessons Learned, Francis M. Cwiertniewicz
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This qualitative study explores insights clinicians have gained about grief and loss through their work with clients in crisis, and their perceptions about the adequacy of their training to confront these clinical issues. Semi-structured interview questions focused on how participants work with someone in crisis, and how issues of grief and loss manifest and are facilitated in the clinical setting. Fourteen experienced mental health practitioners in Western Massachusetts were interviewed. Their narratives revealed a strong belief that grief and loss are often part of what prompts a client to seek counseling. Participants noted that many clients are not aware of …
Meaning Making After Homicide : An Exploratory Study Of Experiences Of People Of Color, Anna Sergeyevna Eliseeva
Meaning Making After Homicide : An Exploratory Study Of Experiences Of People Of Color, Anna Sergeyevna Eliseeva
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This study examined the ways survivors of homicide victims make meaning in the aftermath of homicide as a part of the post loss coping process. The particular focus of the study were survivors of Color because communities of Color experience higher numbers of homicides than Whites. Meaning making was conceptualized through the theory of assumptive structure and the conceptualization of meaning proposed by Janoff-Bulman and Frantz (1997) by distinguishing between meaning as significance and meaning as comprehensibility. Twelve survivors of homicide victims from Massachusetts, ten of them people of Color, were recruited through the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute, Dorchester, …
An Exploratory Study Of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual And Transgender Veterans Of Recent U.S. Conflicts, Kimberly J. Garland
An Exploratory Study Of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual And Transgender Veterans Of Recent U.S. Conflicts, Kimberly J. Garland
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This exploratory study was undertaken for the purpose of expanding the understanding of the experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender veterans who have served under the policy of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Pursue. Twenty Lesbian, Gay and Transgender veterans completed an anonymous, online survey. Diversity within the sample was particularly pronounced in terms of sexual orientation, gender identity, and the roles that these veterans served in the military. The findings of this study indicate that LGBT service members and veterans face much adversity both within and out of the military and that Transgender service members and veterans face …
Bi The Way : A Quantitative, Exploratory Study Of Social Workers' Attitudes Regarding Bisexuality, Tova Emma Feldmanstern
Bi The Way : A Quantitative, Exploratory Study Of Social Workers' Attitudes Regarding Bisexuality, Tova Emma Feldmanstern
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
Attitudes towards bisexuality among mental health professionals in the United States have been vastly understudied. The existing research has been done primarily on and by psychologists and suggests that there is considerable bias against bisexuality found in the psychology field, and in the general population of the United States. There has been no systematic inquiry into social work attitudes towards bisexuality. This quantitative study was designed to make its contribution to filling this gap by surveying social workers' attitudes towards bisexuality, using an existing scale, the Attitudes Regarding Bisexuality Scale (Mohr, 1999), combined with a demographic questionnaire. The complete instrument …
Cutting And Self Psychology : An Exploratory Analysis, Andrea Lynne Galeucia
Cutting And Self Psychology : An Exploratory Analysis, Andrea Lynne Galeucia
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This study explored the relationship between cutting and the theory of self psychology, examining deficits within the tripartite self and its relation to cutting. Specifically, the study explored a possible link between the twinship pole or idealized parent imago pole and cutting. This researcher set out to identify whether deficits in twinship or idealized parent imago may lead to cutting. Eight qualitative interviews were conducted with clinicians having at least one year of experience working with individuals who engage in self-injury by cutting. Clinicians were asked to identify a case example of an individual they worked with who cut. Semi-structured …
Three Independent Investigations On Disclosure Of Childhood Sexual Abuse And Psychological Functioning, Family And Community Violence, And Trauma And Non-Sexual Crime, Hillary Blythe Despres
Three Independent Investigations On Disclosure Of Childhood Sexual Abuse And Psychological Functioning, Family And Community Violence, And Trauma And Non-Sexual Crime, Hillary Blythe Despres
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This thesis project contains three separate articles that are new areas of investigation in the juvenile sex-offending field. The data comes from 332 adjudicated juvenile sex offenders and 179 non-sex offending delinquents in six residential facilities in a Midwestern state who participated in an anonymous cross-sectional study. The first article is an exploratory study that investigates family reaction to disclosure of childhood sexual abuse among juvenile sex offenders and their subsequent psychological functioning. The findings suggest that negative reaction to disclosure of CSA impacts sex offending behavior, family environment and psychological functioning. The second article is a descriptive study that …
Psychotherapists With Psychiatric Challenges : An Exploratory Study Of Their Transference, Supports, And Their Professional Identity Development, Lisa Laurene Favorite
Psychotherapists With Psychiatric Challenges : An Exploratory Study Of Their Transference, Supports, And Their Professional Identity Development, Lisa Laurene Favorite
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This exploratory study was undertaken to explore psychotherapists who possess a variety of psychiatric diagnoses found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR). This study was also to explore how psychotherapists experience transference to clients who possess similar diagnoses or symptomatology, as well as to explore what connection, if any exists, between the psychotherapist's support system and their professional identity development. This research was also envisioned as a way to develop a voice for professionals who may not speak out about their personal experience within the mental health system due to fear of stigmatization and discrimination. The …
Progressive Care : An Examination Of Male To Female Transgender Sex Workers' Experiences Within The Health Care And Social Service Systems In San Francisco, California, Laura Maria Escobar
Progressive Care : An Examination Of Male To Female Transgender Sex Workers' Experiences Within The Health Care And Social Service Systems In San Francisco, California, Laura Maria Escobar
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This qualitative study explores male to female transgender sex workers' experiences within the social service and health care systems in San Francisco, California. Twenty one male to female transgender sex worker participants were asked to rate services provided to them by the social service and health care systems. Ten of these participants were then asked a series of questions about their experiences within the social service and health care systems in San Francisco. Participants' racial identities and ages were not diverse. Most participants identified as African American and their ages fell between the ranges of 41 and 50 within this …
The Dilemmas And Challenges Of Teenage Motherhood : Exploring The Barriers In The Discovery Of The Self, Rebecca Colvin
The Dilemmas And Challenges Of Teenage Motherhood : Exploring The Barriers In The Discovery Of The Self, Rebecca Colvin
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
The purpose of this study was to examine the barriers that may prevent adolescent mothers from accessing social support. For the purpose of this study, the barriers examined were depression and self-esteem. The sample consisted of 50 adolescent mothers who were participants in several social service agencies located in western Massachusetts. The participants completed the Rosenberg Self Esteem scale, the Brief Symptom inventory scale, and a brief form used to gather basic demographic information. Case workers indicated what kinds of social support services the adolescents were engaged in at their programs. Adolescent mothers who were involved in one formal support …
Nature And Quality Of Care : Two Measures Partially Addressing Impediments To Adequate Childcare For Vulnerable Children, Chad Wayne. Kordt-Thomas
Nature And Quality Of Care : Two Measures Partially Addressing Impediments To Adequate Childcare For Vulnerable Children, Chad Wayne. Kordt-Thomas
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This study explored the level of care accessible to most young children, especially those living in or near poverty and with acute social-emotional needs. A critical analysis of childcare systems generated a demonstration of the multiple impingements upon care providers' abilities to furnish warm, responsive care. Children who most need skilled and attuned care, those with extraordinary sets of needs, were shown to be placed most at risk for expulsion from their group care settings. This phenomenon was interpreted through the relational conceptualization of mental health consultation to childcare developed at the Daycare Consultants component of the Infant-Parent Program, University …
Experienced And Inexperienced Therapists : A Comparison Of Attitude Toward And Use Of Countertransference Disclosure, Sara R. Willott
Experienced And Inexperienced Therapists : A Comparison Of Attitude Toward And Use Of Countertransference Disclosure, Sara R. Willott
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This descriptive exploratory study examines the relationship of clinical experience and attitude toward countertransference disclosure and use of countertransference disclosure. The study surveyed therapists for answers to the following questions: Are there any differences in the attitude towards countertransference disclosure between experienced and inexperienced clinicians? Are there any differences in the use of countertransference disclosure between experienced and inexperienced clinicians? Is there an association between attitude toward and use of countertransference disclosure for the sample as a whole; and is there any variance in this association between experienced and inexperienced therapists? Three-hundred-and-thirty-seven therapists completed the survey, yielding significant results. The …
To Kill Or To Be Killed? : An Examination Of Influential Factors Within African American Communities Resulting In The Rise Of Youth Violence, Telea. Shepard Stovall
To Kill Or To Be Killed? : An Examination Of Influential Factors Within African American Communities Resulting In The Rise Of Youth Violence, Telea. Shepard Stovall
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study is to determine the perspectives of African American males pertaining to their beliefs about the prominent influential factors within their communities that are leading to the rise of youth violence. This study was undertaken to further explore the phenomenon of youth violence and to give a voice to the participants allowing them to share their experiences of living in a high crime urban neighborhood. Narratives were gathered from twelve African American males between the ages of 18 and 25, using a structured self-designed interview guide. Participants were asked about youth violence, the characteristics …
Pregnant Queer Clinicians : An Exploratory Study Of The Countertransference Experiences Of Queer Clinicians During Their First Pregnancies, Rhyannon Leah. O'Heron
Pregnant Queer Clinicians : An Exploratory Study Of The Countertransference Experiences Of Queer Clinicians During Their First Pregnancies, Rhyannon Leah. O'Heron
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This study explores countertransference experiences of queer clinicians in work with adult female clients in a myriad of settings during their first pregnancies. Twelve clinicians with Master's degrees or higher in the fields of social work, counseling, and psychology participated. In addition, all participants self-identified as queer, lesbian, and/or bisexual women in same-sex relationships. Participants, diverse in age, religion, geographical locations, work settings, and number of years in the field, were fairly homogeneous in ethnic identity, theoretical orientation, and methods used to become pregnant. The qualitative study design, using a flexible, semi-structured interview guide, allowed for an in-depth exploration into …
Are We Dating? : An Exploratory Study Of Nonsexual, Passionate Friendships Between Women, Linda Christine Chupkowski
Are We Dating? : An Exploratory Study Of Nonsexual, Passionate Friendships Between Women, Linda Christine Chupkowski
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This study was designed to explore nonsexual, passionate friendships between women. Particular areas of interest were challenging the binary between "just friends" and "lovers," as well as exploring the meaning of the lack of a term for identifying these friendships in women's lives. This study attempted to answer the following research question: How do women conceptualize, define, and make sense of their nonsexual, passionate friendships? This qualitative study involved interviewing 14 women selected from a sample of convenience. The interview questions were open-ended, allowing the women to share narrative accounts of their friendships in their own words. The findings indicate …
How White Non-Latino/A Therapists Perceive And Address Racial And Cultural Differences When Working With Latino/A Clients, Lisa C. Amato
How White Non-Latino/A Therapists Perceive And Address Racial And Cultural Differences When Working With Latino/A Clients, Lisa C. Amato
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This study is intended to deepen and expand upon existing literature on cultural competence by offering a look at the views of White clinicians in the field who are working with communities of color, but who might not otherwise have thought about how they were engaging their clients and accounting for racial and cultural differences in their work. The project poses challenging questions and invites White clinicians to think honestly about salient issues around race, racism, culture, and ethnicity. One of its objectives is for the participants themselves, other clinicians, and readers of the thesis to think about how these …
Nonresidential Fathers' Perceptions Of The Influence Of Their Acrimonious Divorces On Their Relationships With Their Children, Rachel Hava Green
Nonresidential Fathers' Perceptions Of The Influence Of Their Acrimonious Divorces On Their Relationships With Their Children, Rachel Hava Green
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This qualitative, exploratory study looked at nonresidential fathers' perceptions of the influence of their acrimonious divorces on their relationships with their children. For the purpose of this study, the term nonresidential fathers referred to fathers of biological or adopted children who were no longer living in their children's homes due to divorce. Twelve nonresidential fathers were interviewed in February and March of 2007. All of the men were recruited from the email listserv of the Pennsylvania chapter of Fathers' and Children's Equality, Inc. In an hour and a half interview, they answered 11 guiding questions which were all recorded on …
Using The Principles Of Existential Psychotherapeutic Theory To Enrich Understanding Of Eating Disorder Etiology, Sabrina Johnston
Using The Principles Of Existential Psychotherapeutic Theory To Enrich Understanding Of Eating Disorder Etiology, Sabrina Johnston
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This theoretical study was conducted make connections between existential psychotherapeutic theory and existing theories of eating disorder etiology. The dearth of literature connecting these two suggests room for further study. An in-depth exploration of existential theory as it applies to psychotherapy, showing the pervasiveness of existential concerns in human psychological functioning was conducted. A review of each of the major categories of eating disorder etiology; sociocultural/feminist, psychological (including psychodynamic, familial and cognitive-behavioral perspectives), biological, and spiritual, was undertaken. Eating disorder treatment approaches and epidemiology were also explored. Finally a synthesis of existential psychotherapeutic theory with existing eating disorder etiology was …
And They Lived Happily Ever After : The Effects Of Cultural Myths And Romantic Idealizations On Committed Relationships, Jordana Lauren Metz
And They Lived Happily Ever After : The Effects Of Cultural Myths And Romantic Idealizations On Committed Relationships, Jordana Lauren Metz
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This study explored the impact of idealized relationships, present in our media and culture, on committed relationships. The purpose of this study was to explore the ways that relationships are impacted by real and idealized relationship discrepancies. In addition, this research provided an initial assessment of the coping mechanisms utilized by partners as problem solving responses to the discrepancies. Twelve participants, self-identified as in a committed relationship with a partner and living together for over one year, participated in this study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with questions focusing on how the participants' relationships fit and do not fit into idealized …
Confronting Race And Racism : Social Identity In African American Gay Men, Benjamin A. Kudler
Confronting Race And Racism : Social Identity In African American Gay Men, Benjamin A. Kudler
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This qualitative study examines how race and racism function in gay communities, looking at factors facing African American gay men in their identity formation and daily experience. Specifically, this study has examined the presence of sexual racism, sexualized racial stereotypes that affect the way men of color are viewed by white gay men. Twelve self-identified African American gay men living in the Boston metropolitan area were recruited by word-of-mouth and snowball sampling. Drawing on existing areas of research, each participant was administered a demographic survey and interviewed about his experiences within predominately white middle-class mainstream gay communities. African American gay …
Substance Use And Related Criminality Among Male Juvenile Sexual And Nonsexual Offenders : An Investigation Of The Patterns And Prevalence, Deborah Ann Caserta
Substance Use And Related Criminality Among Male Juvenile Sexual And Nonsexual Offenders : An Investigation Of The Patterns And Prevalence, Deborah Ann Caserta
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
The purpose of this study was to investigate whether juvenile sexual offenders use substances and engage in substance related criminality or if other forms of criminality (e.g. sexual or nonsexual crime) are associated with substance use. Three related quantitative articles were written to execute this project. The first article explored the prevalence of substance use and related crime among sexual offenders. The findings of this study suggested that juvenile sexual offenders have high rates of substance use, including, but not limited to cigarette use, alcohol, and high percentages of drug selling among this population. The second article investigated the prevalence …
Restorative Justice : Including Victims, Offenders And Communities In Criminal Justice Dialogue, Jessica C. Ames
Restorative Justice : Including Victims, Offenders And Communities In Criminal Justice Dialogue, Jessica C. Ames
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
Restorative justice (RJ), an alternative to the dominant retributive justice system, is a more holistic approach that encompasses the victim, offender and the community. This study supplemented existing research by exploring the perceptions of RJ experts and facilitators on the impact of RJ practices on offender reentry, as well as victim and community satisfaction. The study addressed the following questions: What is restorative justice? What are the major outcomes and challenges? What is the role of social work? The review of the literature compared the retributive justice model with a restorative justice framework for responding to crime. As restorative justice …
From Consciousness To Action : Are There Common Identifiable Life Experiences Among People Who Actively Organize Against Oppression, Nikita Pion-Klockner
From Consciousness To Action : Are There Common Identifiable Life Experiences Among People Who Actively Organize Against Oppression, Nikita Pion-Klockner
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This thesis explores the question: Are there common identifiable life experiences among people who actively organize against oppression? This qualitative study included demographic as well as open and closed survey questions. The research explored seventy-one participants' interpretations of how they came to take action. The study explores how these participants first developed political consciousness, political efficacy, and the motivation to organize against oppression. Those identifiable life experiences that precede people taking action to organize against oppression are reviewed. This researcher found that there are common life experiences among people who are empowered, have political efficacy, and are taking action to …
Space Exploration : Mapping Students' Perception Of The Smith College Campus, Stephanie Alexandra Keep
Space Exploration : Mapping Students' Perception Of The Smith College Campus, Stephanie Alexandra Keep
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
In keeping with the values of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), this longitudinal exploratory study was developed with the belief in the importance of assessing the individual perception of the client when planning, creating, and implementing a change effort for which the client has been named beneficiary. The study was undertaken to measure spatially how people perceive their environments as a means to support community planning, specifically focusing on whether an environmental change effort, the new Campus Center, can affect students' perception of community support, satisfaction, safety, and formal and informal socialization. A mapping questionnaire was sent out …
Beyond Sibling Rivalry : An Exploratory Study Of Social Work Assessment Of School-Age Sibling Abuse, Hillary Faye. Parks
Beyond Sibling Rivalry : An Exploratory Study Of Social Work Assessment Of School-Age Sibling Abuse, Hillary Faye. Parks
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how clinical social workers approach assessment of siblings for physical, sexual, or emotional abuse with particular focus on assessment techniques. Thirteen clinical social workers participated in individual interviews that asked them to talk about their approach to the assessment process and to the content of that assessment. Participants were selected through a non-random sample of convenience from a child and family social service agency in New England. The findings of this study show that for this sample there is not a uniform method of assessing sibling abuse, although the content of …
Mythesis.Com : The Irony Of Technology : An Object Relational Approach To Understanding The Interplay Of Identity Construction And The Emergence Of The "True Self" Through The Privilege Of Anonymity On The Internet, Katherine Suzanne Sapp
Mythesis.Com : The Irony Of Technology : An Object Relational Approach To Understanding The Interplay Of Identity Construction And The Emergence Of The "True Self" Through The Privilege Of Anonymity On The Internet, Katherine Suzanne Sapp
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This was an exploratory study of the ways in which online social networks like Myspace.com can impact perceptions of the user in terms of self and others. Specifically, the focus was on how online experiences may have different levels of impact on these perceptions depending upon users' self identifying as having a concealable stigmatized identity based on sexual orientation or disability. Research for this study was conducted through an online survey and was promoted using the classifieds posting forum on Myspace.com. There were 100 respondents who accepted the terms set forth in the Informed Consent. Seventy-six of these initial respondents …
Finding Common Ground Amidst Difference : Discussions And Perceptions Of Race And Ethnicity In Interracial And Interethnic Friendships, Melissa. Rocklen
Finding Common Ground Amidst Difference : Discussions And Perceptions Of Race And Ethnicity In Interracial And Interethnic Friendships, Melissa. Rocklen
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This qualitative study explored how friends talked about and developed their perceptions of one another's race and ethnicity in interracial and interethnic friendships. Members of seven friendship dyads were interviewed separately, resulting in fourteen individual interviews. Participants ranged in age from 25 through 37; they were diverse in gender, length of friendship, and how they identified racially and ethnically. Members of all friendships dyads reported that they identified differently, racially and ethnically, from one another. During their interviews, participants discussed their own ethnic and racial identities, their friend's ethnic and racial identities, communication about race and ethnicity within the friendship, …
Negotiating The Self : An Exploratory Study On The Gender Identity Formation Of Second-Generation Asian Indian American Women, Sonal H. Soni
Negotiating The Self : An Exploratory Study On The Gender Identity Formation Of Second-Generation Asian Indian American Women, Sonal H. Soni
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This purpose of this study was to explore how second-generation (defined in this study as immigrants' children born in the United States or brought here under the age of ten with their parents and raised in the United States) Asian Indian American women understand, negotiate and perform gender roles. In particular, the study examined the dating rituals and practices of second-generation Asian Indian women in order to ascertain how these women have understood messages about dating from their parents, friends, the broader dominant culture and other sources to construct their gender identity. It also examined how Asian Indian ethnic identity …
The Association Between Physical, Sexual, And Emotional Abuse And Physical Pain : A Comparison Of Psychiatric Patients In Ontario, Canada And Burlington, Vermont, Kathryn Irene Vigil
The Association Between Physical, Sexual, And Emotional Abuse And Physical Pain : A Comparison Of Psychiatric Patients In Ontario, Canada And Burlington, Vermont, Kathryn Irene Vigil
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the relationship between inpatient psychiatric patients' histories of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse (Abuse) and their current experience of physical pain. This study explored this association between Abuse and physical pain in adult inpatient psychiatric patients in two locations—Burlington, Vermont and Ontario, Canada. It was hypothesized that rates of Abuse between the two locations would not differ significantly, but that patients with a history of Abuse would score higher on a pain scale (report more severe pain) than those without an Abuse history. Through secondary data analyses using previously collected data …
Gender Variance And Mental Health : A National Survey Of Transgender Trauma History, Posttraumatic Stress, And Disclosure In Therapy, Virginia Wyatt Wharton
Gender Variance And Mental Health : A National Survey Of Transgender Trauma History, Posttraumatic Stress, And Disclosure In Therapy, Virginia Wyatt Wharton
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This exploratory study aimed to investigate rates of trauma and posttraumatic stress in the lives of transgender individuals and to gather data on this population's accessing of mental health services and willingness to disclose trauma history in therapy. It was hypothesized that as a marginalized population, transgender individuals are at increased risk for victimization and posttraumatic stress. It was also hypothesized that while a high number of transgender individuals access mental health services, many choose not to disclose trauma history to a therapist. A web-based anonymous survey of trauma history, posttraumatic stress, and disclosure of trauma history in therapy was …
Art As Therapy For The Therapist : The Role And Experience Of Artistic Expression In The Life And Work Of Psychotherapists Who Also Identify As Artists, Danielle T. Tansino
Art As Therapy For The Therapist : The Role And Experience Of Artistic Expression In The Life And Work Of Psychotherapists Who Also Identify As Artists, Danielle T. Tansino
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This study explored the experiences and meaning of artistic expression in the lives and work of psychotherapists who also create visual art. Utilizing a semi-structured, open-ended interview format, ten experienced therapists were interviewed about their experiences creating art and how they believed their artistic identity impacted their clinical work. Participants had varying degrees of experience creating art and utilized several types of artistic media included: painting, photography, mixed media, and jewelry-making. Participants described a wide range of emotions associated with their creative process and many reported that involvement with art enriched both their lives and clinical work. Many described creating …