Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Childhood Witnessing Of Domestic Violence And Its Impact On Character Development Across Time And Adulthood Relationships, Zena Ouzounian

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This phenomenological research study explored the experiences of five adult participants who reported witnessing domestic violence between their parents during childhood. Through the process of open-ended interviews, this work added further support to the existing understanding of the impact that childhood witnessing of parental violence can have on one’s adult behavior and relationships. Thus far, child witnesses to parental violence receive little attention, perhaps due to the lack of tangible evidence that they have been harmed. Existing studies in the field primarily make use of quantitative methods to examine negative outcomes of such experiences. This study identified similar themes among …

The Role And Effect Of Mindfulness In Intimate Relationships, Mazyar Karandish

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Mindfulness practice, a present-centered approach to experience, has been shown to effectively enhance various dimensions of the human experience. Recent literature has explored how the practice of mindfulness meditation has provided benefits to practitioners seeking to enhance relationship dynamics. There are multiple examples of mindfulness-based relationship enhancement programs aiming to enhance the quality of intimate relationships in adults. This study utilizes a repeated-measures design to address whether a neutral mindfulness-based program, not geared at enhancing relationships, can significantly alter the quality of intimate relationships. The research will further examine the central mechanisms of action through which mindfulness can enhance relationships. …

From Gaza City To The Golden Gate A Call To The International Theatre Community To Join The Struggle For Cultural Justice, Jessica Litwak

Student Articles, Chapters, Presentations, Learning Objects

On 9 August 2018, Gaza theatremaker Hossam Madhoun was chatting with friends a little more than fifty yards from the city’s Al Mishal Cultural Centre. One friend, who had just returned to the area, asked where his theatre and performance could be produced in town. The beautiful and well-equipped Red Crescent Society, perhaps? Madhoun had to remind him it had been bombed by the Israeli Army during the military offensive on Gaza in 2008. The friend then asked about the theatre at Holst Cultural Center.

“When was the last time you visited Gaza?” Madhoun asked. “Hamas turned the Holst into …

Mothering The Aggressive Child, Katja Ermann

PsyD Program in Clinical Psychology Doctoral Dissertations ( Seattle)

This qualitative study explores the experience of mothers parenting significantly aggressive children, ages five to 10. Little has been known previously about how women experience this aggression or the social and psychological impacts it has on them. This dissertation highlights the women’s understandings to provide a solid basis for theoretical explication using a Constructivist Ground Theory approach. Significant findings include the invisibility and stigma the women feel and the ways in which the experience is similar and dissimilar to other forms of family violence, particularly adolescent-on-parent violence (APV). Differences were found in social stigma between women whose child has a …

The Trust Decoder™: An Examination Of An Individual's Developmental Readiness To Trust In The Workplace, Molly Breysse Cox

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This research explores an individual's self-perception of their own ability, motivation, and propensity to trust others for the purpose of validating a new construct: developmental readiness to trust others in the workplace. This construct expands research on developmental readiness to change and to lead by building a scale to measure an individual's motivation and ability to trust others in the workplace. A previously validated scale developed by Frazier, Johnson, and Fainshmidt 2013 measuring propensity to trust was included the scale building process. All items measuring motivation to trust were newly developed for this study, items measuring trust ability were adapted …

Women’S Lived Experiences Of Gender Microaggressions: Dental Hygienists’ Stories, Karin E. Hovey

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation presents research involving women’s subjective experiences of gender microaggressions. The introduction includes a review of the literature on microaggressions: (a) the types of microaggressions, (b) the emotional and psychological cost to those who experience microaggressions, and (c) how gender microaggressions against women work to maintain oppression and sexual objectification of women in American society. This current research addresses the knowledge gap created by little research on women’s lived experiences of gender microaggressions they encounter in their everyday lives, particularly in the workplace. The population studied was dental hygienists. This population is unique because of the disproportionate number of …

Emerging Adults’ Experiences Of Agency In Higher Education Decisions, Leah B. Benjamin

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Over the past several decades, there has been a cultural shift impacting the experience of individuals in their late-teens to mid-20s in the United States. These individuals undergo a time of “cultural limbo,” during which the lines between adolescence and adulthood are blurred. The term emerging adulthood describes this distinct developmental period, which fits within the context of Erikson’s preexisting stages of psychosocial development (Arnett, 2014). A challenge for emerging adults is coming to terms with some of their more adult-like responsibilities in life. This requires making complex decisions that will impact their lives for many years to come, such …

Caregivers' Experience In Wraparound: A Qualitative Study, Mackenzie Soniak

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

A large number of youth in the United States suffer from a severe emotional disturbance (SED). Due to a number of factors (e.g., lack of access to services, siloed service providers), many of these children have unmet severe emotional and behavioral health needs. Wraparound has been identified as a care philosophy and intervention to meet the needs of these youth. Wraparound programs aim to provide individualized, comprehensive, community-based care for children and their families. Although this intervention is widely spread across the United States, research findings on the efficacy of the approach are mixed. Previous research aimed to identify and …

Intersectionality: Engaging The Epistemology Of Leadership Theory, Carolyn J. Morales

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation investigates the potential of linking intersectionality and leadership theories utilizing a theoretical bricolage research strategy. In order to explore a theoretical merger between these two disparate disciples warrants a preliminary understanding of how the production of knowledge has constructed a long-standing epistemic bias against marginalized perspectives. This analysis will seek to illustrate how androcentrism pervades the corpus of intellectual thought and the resulting impact which extends beyond the traditional canon of epistemology to the field of leadership. Intrinsic to this analysis will be an exploration of social identity and how it interacts with larger social environmental factors such …

Exploring The Effectiveness Of Social And Digital Media Communications On Organization-Public Relationship Building With Employees, Iris Cumberbatch

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

More than a decade after the emergence of social and digital media, professional communicators increasingly use these channels to interact with a wide array of stakeholders. Simultaneously, public relations (PR) and communications leaders seek to understand whether their efforts to communicate and engage with stakeholders through these channels are effective in establishing and building relationships, as well as to measure “effectiveness” in the new technology-driven communications landscape. With this study, I addressed a gap in the academic research with regard to understanding the effectiveness of social and digital media as a communications tool by assessing employees’ perceptions of their organization …

The Role Of Emotional Overcontrol In The Acceptance Of Counselor Training Feedback, R. Erin W. Berzins

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Feedback is an essential component of counselor training, making it crucial that students receive and utilize this information effectively. This research was conducted to address the problem of counseling students experiencing difficulty with accepting feedback during the training process. Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy and the concept of emotional overcontrol were used as a lens for exploring the possible correlation between measures of overcontrol and difficulty with accepting feedback within counselor training programs. This research contributed to the literature—much of which has focused on the behaviors of instructors and supervisors in the feedback process—by providing support for the perspective that …

Blurred Lines Between Role And Reality: A Phenomenological Study Of Acting, Gregory Hyppolyte Brown

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

When an actor plays a character in a film, they try to connect with the emotions and behavioral patterns of the scripted character. There is an absence of literature regarding how a role influences an actor’s life before, during, and after film production. This study examined how acting roles might influence an actor during times on set shooting a movie or television series as well as their personal life after the filming is finished. Additionally the study considered the psychological impact of embodying a role, and whether or not an actor ever has the feeling that the performed character has …

Journeys Through Rough Country: An Ethnographic Study Of Blind Adults Successfully Employed In American Corporations, Kirk Adams

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Blind and visually impaired people in the United States face a dire employment situation within professional careers and corporate employment. The purpose of this research study was to gain insights into the phenomenon of employment of blind people through analyzing the lived experience of successfully employed blind adults through ethnographic interviews. Previous research has shown that seven out of ten blind adults are not in the workforce, that a large percentage of those who are employed consider themselves underemployed, and that these numbers have not improved over time. Missing from previous research were insights into the conditions leading to successful …

Psychologists' Use Of Dogs In Psychotherapy: A Therapeutic Exploration, Christine A. Treece

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The current fund of literature documents the many benefits of using dogs as adjunct healing agents for both physical and psychological ailments. Despite the ever-growing body of research about dogs as adjunct interventions, there is a meager amount of information available about clinician’s experience of bringing their dogs to work with them. This dissertation is an in-depth exploration of six psychologists licensed in the state of Washington who brought their dogs with them to work. Each participant’s interview was analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. From their interviews, nine primary themes were identified: Reason for the Acquisition of Dog, Nature of …

The Provision Of Psychological Assessment Feedback To Children: A Survey Of Practitioners, Caitlin P. Dolan

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Psychological assessment, long a cornerstone of psychological practice, has been the subject of substantial empirical research and clinical devotion. Far less attention, however, has been given to the process of assessment feedback—the task of communicating psychological test results to clients. Research has demonstrated the therapeutic value of providing clients with feedback, including improved insight and functioning. Providing assessment feedback is also mandated by professional standards. Still, to date, there is minimal published research examining the actual feedback practices of psychologists, or their perspectives on such practices. That which does exist focuses on adult testing clients, not children. It is largely …

Introducing Shame Resilience To Women Who Struggle With Complex Trauma And Substance Abuse, Kirsten R. Robertson

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The relationship between shame and trauma has been documented in research beginning as early as the 19th century. Not until the second half of the 20th century did extensive research clearly define both trauma and shame, with the addition of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as an official diagnosis in the field of mental health. Many researchers and clinicians believe an additional diagnosis should be added to the list of trauma-related mental health diagnoses—one that includes repeated traumatic experiences during childhood. Despite the known relationship between shame and various traumatic experiences, direct shame interventions have yet to find a place in …

Discovering Themes: Disability Identity Development As It Pertains To People Born With Spina Bifida, Elizabeth H. Scriven

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

To date, disability identity development is a highly understudied construct. There are many models of disability, each interpret disability through a specific lens, but do not address the influence of disability on identity development. The few theories of disability identity that do exist have not been widely adopted. In addition, there is a lack of empirical evidence to support them. Another difficulty is that these theories do not separate different disability groups. Rather, the theories are applied to a broad heterogenous group of disability types. This is a problem because each disability type is quite distinct from the others and …

The Role Of The Black Church In Addressing Collateral Damage From The U.S. War On Drugs, Donald L. Perryman

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This research is a qualitative examination of African American pastors from urban communities who address the needs of congregants and/or local communities affected directly, or indirectly by mass incarceration. The Black Church, because of its unique sociocultural location and historic role as resource for Black social and economic problems, must help supply the answers to the devastating collateral damage of mass incarceration that primarily affect children and families. The study sets out to understand urban pastors’ perceptions of the role of the Church in the post mass incarceration era. Specifically, the study examines the unique contributions of the African American …

Integrated Primary Care: Development Of A Patient Satisfaction Measure, Sarah C. Pearson

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Primary care is often the first stop for individuals seeking services for a variety of behavioral health concerns including mental health and substance use disorders. However, many such patients are inadequately treated in these settings. Integrated primary care addresses this issue by adding a behavioral health provider to the primary care team to improve care and patient outcomes. A growing body of evidence suggests that increased integration of behavioral health and primary care yields a variety of significant outcomes including improved patient care, increased access to mental health treatment, and increased patient and provider satisfaction. When thinking about healthcare improvement …

Internalized Homophobia Of Lgb Emerging Adults: Identity Complexities And Mental Health, Emily Christine Newbury

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Meyer’s (2003) minority stress model explores the relationship between the social stress of sexual minorities and mental health. Internalized homophobia is linked to feelings of shame, guilt, and worthlessness, and contributes to the development of mental health problems (Ramirez-Valles, Molina, & Dirkes, 2013). The present study examined the relationship between internalized homophobia and mental health in young adults who identify as LGB. Participants (N =130) were recruited from universities in Connecticut and Georgia, as well as from the Amazon Mechanical Turk website. It was hypothesized that higher levels of internalized homophobia would be related to higher levels of self-reported anxiety, …

Expectancies As A Predictor Of Prescription Stimulant Use Among Medical Students, Katherine Gorman

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Research suggests that individuals’ expectations about a drug’s effects are predictive of various types of substance abuse, including nonmedical prescription stimulant use (Torrealday et al., 2008). Nonmedical prescription stimulant use, or NMPSU, refers to any use of prescription stimulants without a medical prescription, use of prescription stimulants for nonmedical purposes, or use that exceeds what is prescribed (Bavarian, Flay, Ketcham, &Smit, 2013). NMPSU is associated with a number of negative outcomes, including drug and alcohol abuse, risk-taking behavior, mental illness, physical health problems, and lower educational attainment (McCabe, Teter, Boyd, & Wechsler, 2005). While most previous research has focused on …

Is It Who Am I Or Who Do You Think I Am? Identity Development Of Adolescents With Substance Use Disorders, Danielle N. Treiber

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this study was to unearth how adolescents with substance use disorders achieve the task of identity formation and the construction of self-concept in the midst of the drug culture and society that exists. It sought to uncover the social constructs designed to ignore and/or remove human complexities and allow an intersectional approach to be brought to a study on this population. Historically, there has been a failure to investigate the underlying social attitudes and behaviors that impact the very delicate and vulnerable process of finding self. Psychosocial and relational adjustment are strongly influenced by the extent to …

Aces Wild: Making Meaning Out Of Trauma Through Altruism Born Of Suffering, Jessica Gibson

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Childhood exposure to early adverse experiences is prevalent—affecting almost one-half of children from birth to 17 years old—and brings with it the potential for the long-lasting detrimental effects of traumatization. At the same time, a growing body of compelling evidence also suggests that many survivors of trauma exhibit more resilience and prosocial behaviors than individuals who have never experienced a traumatic event. This phenomenon has been coined altruism born of suffering (ABS); it is a relatively new concept in trauma research that seeks to better understand the possible positive outcomes of trauma. Building further beyond the concepts of resilience and …

Sexually Objectifying Microaggressions In Film: Using Entertainment For Clinical And Educational Purposes, Jackie M. Nelson

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Our culture is steadily becoming more aware, and less tolerant, of sexual harassment and misconduct. This is particularly evident in the wake of the viral Me Too movement beginning in 2017 which highlighted the breadth of personal experiences of sexual harassment on various social media platforms. Often the focus of these experiences is on overt sexual harassment and assault, but less attention is paid to the buildup that can lead to these terrible events. What is more, is that often these events are attributed to character flaws of the perpetrator without taking covert social norms into perspective. This dissertation takes …

Examining The Relationship Between Alcohol Use And Work In The Professional Theater, Michael A. Carollo

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Objective: The perception of a culture within the professional theatrical community that promotes problem drinking has been discussed anecdotally within the industry. No meaningful research has been conducted within this population. This study presents initial epidemiological survey data on the drinking habits of professional theatrical community (PTC) members as compared to the general public (GP) in order to confirm whether the phenomenon exists for further study. Methods: Data are from a convenience sample of 104 members of the PTC and GP who were each provided two previously clinically validated measures of problem drinking, the AUDIT and CAGE questionnaire. Drinking habits …

Involuntary "Whiteness": The Acculturation Of Black Doctoral Female Students In The Field Of Clinical Psychology, Carmela A. Maxell-Harrison

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation is based on qualitative research that documents the experiences of Black women matriculating through clinical psychology doctoral programs in predominantly white institutions (PWIs) and the perceived psychological effects of becoming a psychologist in a stigmatized field. Additionally, the historical and collective traumas that are continually experienced by this group and their coping mechanisms are explored and highlighted. More specifically, as existing research has revealed, Black women in doctoral programs in general experience a series of responses to racialized and gendered discriminatory practices leading them to withdraw from their programs or invoke coping mechanisms that may be counterintuitive to …

“We’Re Together”: An Exploration Of Interracial Couples’ Perceptions Of Support And Relational Therapy, Maxine Notice

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Interracial couples in the United States experience disproportionate amounts of adversity throughout their relationships. Backlash for loving interracially results in denied access to supportive systems, which literature indicates occurs commonly between micro and macro systems. Using ecological systems and narrative theories, a mixed methodological study was conducted using the Fragile Families Child and Wellbeing study to explore participant’s use of relational therapy and perceptions of access support systems. Subsequently, sixty interracial couple members completed a survey expressing perceptions of relational therapy, and the influence of support systems on their usage. Results indicate interracial and same-race couples attend relational therapy at …

Computer Multitasking In The Classroom: Training To Attend Or Wander?, Elizabeth A. Rogers

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This study aimed to examine the phenomenon of Psy.D. students’ multitasking on the computer while in the classroom. Using an online survey of 45 questions, the study invited Psy.D. students from across the US to answer questions pertaining to their non-class-related use of computers in the classroom, including an exploration of their relationship with computers and the internet, feelings and judgments regarding multitasking in the classroom, and opinions on the behavior and its potential impact on their profession. A total of 166 people visited the survey with 145 respondents who answered it to completion. Of the 145 participants, 86% (125) …

Sexual Dysfunction: Providers’ Willingness To Ask Lgbq Veterans About Their Sexual Functioning, Melanie A. Brayman

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The prevalence of sexual dysfunction (SD) in veterans is high when compared to the general population because of its relationship to physical and mental health issues endured while serving their country (Hosain, Latini, Kauth, Goltz, & Helmer, 2013). Research has mainly concentrated on male, heterosexual veterans with SD and very little research has explored lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ) veterans’ experiences. This is concerning considering research indicates that LGBQ veterans’ sexual minority status adds unique stressors such as fear of disclosing identity, fear of stigma, and internalized homophobia in addition to the stresses that occur from being in the …

Mayors And Chief Administrative Officers Relationships: Aspects Of Functional Relationships, Robert Arni Long

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This study attempts to understand how the functionality of the mayor-chief administrator officer (CAO) relationship impacts the ongoing operation of these two local government positions. Looking at the structural and interpersonal aspects of the lived experience of this relationship enlightens us as to the manner in which the relationship functions. A review is made of literature on local government, generally, and on the separate roles of mayors and CAOs as well as the limited research on how their relationships operate. General relationship and leadership scholarship is used to better understand this specific relationship and its nuanced social processes. Qualitative research …