Psychology Commons^™

The Influence Of Depression And Anxiety On Working Memory In Children With Adhd, Angel David

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common disorders diagnosed in children (Feldman & Reiff, 2014). ADHD is known to impact a child’s working memory, with deficits ranging from mild to severe (Bedard et al., 2014). Research has explored the performance of working memory in children with ADHD and individual co-occurring disorders, finding that internalizing disorders such as depression and anxiety, both independently negatively impact working memory performance (Kofler et al., 2011; Saarinen et al., 2015; Skogan et al., 2013). However, there is limited research on how multiple co-occurring diagnoses in children with ADHD impact working memory. More …

Resilience And Representations Of God Among Sri Lankan Youth, Courtney Chapin

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Developing countries have unique challenges and minimal resources resulting in vulnerability to psychological distress. International research suggests youth in developing countries are often impacted by adversity. Resilience reduces the effects of adversity. Kent, Davis and Reich (2014) found representations of god(s) can serve as protective factors, mitigating the effects of hardship, or as a source of distress, contributing to psychological symptoms. The current study examined the relationship between resilience and representations of god(s) among Sri Lankan youth. The Tamil version of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Questionnaire of God Representations, and a demographic questionnaire was administered to Tamil participants (ages 11-24) …

The Effects Of Climate On Suicide Rates In 36 Oregon Counties, Elshadai Hailu, Maria Hernandez

Student Scholarship - College of Business

This study looked at average temperature, amount of rainfall and amount of sunshine in all 36 Oregon counties and how they affect suicide rates. Climate information was gathered over the past 30 years and suicide rates were measured between the years 2013 and 2016. It was hypothesized that there would be a negative relationship between low temperature and suicide rates. It was also predicted that there would be a negative relationship between high temperatures and suicide rates. This study found that there was a negative relationship between average high temperature and sucide rates. It also found there is to be …

The Effect Of Adverse Childhood Experiences On Psychosocial Wellbeing, Gabrielle C. Yundt

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

As a result of adversity, trauma, or maltreatment, a child’s primary defense is to engage in self-blame in order to maintain a belief in a safe world. Without intervention, these adaptive strategies may continue to shape the way survivors relate to themselves and make meaning out of negative events. This study hypothesized that participants with adversity in childhood have an increased likelihood of low self-compassion (indicating tendencies towards self-judgment, overidentification, and isolation). This study further hypothesized a positive correlation between posttraumatic growth, resilience and hardiness. Participants in this study were adults recruited from three online sites (social networking, online forum, …

Graduate Student Professional Quality Of Life Impact Of Self-Compassion, Psychological Flexibility, And Aces, Heather L. Harris

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Traumatic childhood events have the potential to shape later life experiences and choices (Layne et al., 2014). Felitti et al. (1998) found that higher numbers of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) correlate to an increase in health risks and risky behaviors in adulthood. There is currently a lack of research regarding ACEs scores among graduate students in the helping profession. Thomas (2016) noted that graduate students in the helping profession have been overlooked in ACEs research although they tend to have higher rates of adverse childhood experiences than peers in comparable graduate programs. The current study sought to discover the rate …

Sexual Attitudes & Shame: Catholic Women’S Perspectives, Colleen Conklin

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Guilt, particularly around sexuality, is a concept commonly associated with those who practice Catholicism. Additionally, women in the United States (US) often navigate many mixed messages surrounding sexuality. Women who are raised in religious traditions that hold strong messages about the importance of one’s sexuality and its expression may have a particularly complicated relationship with their body and sexual experiences. Nonconsensual sexual experiences also further complicate one’s self image and self-esteem. The purpose of this study is to examine the potential correlations between one’s level of religiosity, shame, and sexual attitudes. These themes were investigated through the implementation of a …

Psychosocial Adjustment In Children Of Immigrants, Shaza A. Karam

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

For immigrants, assimilation into mainstream society is complex, with numerous layers and experiences across multiple settings (e.g., employment, education, healthcare). In addition, immigrant populations are underserved and under-resourced compared to native populations, with major systemic barriers that influence socioeconomic status as well as immigrant ability to maximize education and employment potential. In turn, these difficulties have an adverse impact on psychosocial wellbeing in immigrants broadly. Immigrant youth are a particularly vulnerable population facing an even more complex set of barriers and challenges in addition to the typical challenges associated with identity development in adolescence. However, multiple factors have been explored …

Resiliency, Adversity, And Autonomy Experiences Of Sex Work Employees, Kaytlin R. Smith

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

When thinking of an individual employed as a sex worker, one may imagine two common media portrayals; a young, good-hearted, traumatized prostitute in need of saving, and the other a more experienced and perhaps culpable person “of the night” (Dalla, 2000). However, this dichotomous view fails to account for the autonomy of the worker, or adequately capture the complex range of motivations that bring individuals into the field (Chudakov, Ilan, Belmaker, & Cwikel, 2002). This research has been complicated by the criminalized nature of sex work, as well as common cultural moral objections to the services of this industry. This …

The Effects Of Language Brokering Among The Korean Population, James J. Kim

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Children of immigrant families frequently are immersed in a process called language brokering (LB) in which they interpret and translate between various linguistic and cultural parties for their families. Previous studies that investigated correlations among LB, mental health and behavioral outcomes revealed both positive and negative effects of well-being and development. The current study expanded this research by examining the relationship of LB, acculturation, hope, and resilience among 53 Korean adults. This study revealed a significant negative relationship between the frequency of LB and levels of hope. Additionally, the results did not demonstrate any significant relationships between the frequency of …

Trauma-Informed School Practices: Building Expertise To Transform Schools, Anna A. Berardi Phd., Brenda Morton, Edd.

Open Textbooks

This textbook represents the combined insight and experience of Morton, a k12 educator, and Berardi, a psychotherapist, both of whom are also university educators with extensive work experience serving districts and their teachers seeking to incorporate trauma-informed principles into their school culture and classroom. The authors identify that the field of education is now ready to deepen its level of response to the paradigm shift created by advances in neuroscience and traumatology. Hence, the primary focus is on identifying and applying trauma-informed educator competencies needed to transform districts, schools, educators, classrooms, and the field of education itself, while also including …

Program Evaluation Of Integration Training, Megan Anna Neff

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

This paper provides a brief historical overview of the integration of psychology and Christianity while highlighting some of the growing tensions within the movement. Integration of psychology and Christianity has been heavily influenced by training that occurs at APAaccredited programs which explicitly integrate psychology and Christianity as part of their training, making integrative training a salient component to evaluate when considering the future development of the integration movement. An overview of the current research on the effectiveness of learning integration among undergraduate and graduate populations is offered followed by exploratory questions addressing how these inputs may relate to students’ experiences …

Relationship Of Proximal Predictors Of Success In A Psyd Program On Alumni Distal Factors, Nicole Fontenot Ford

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Due to the new Standards of Accreditation (SoA) by the American Psychological Association (APA), implemented in 2017, there is minimal research to evaluate how proximal competency factors within clinical psychology programs relate to distal outcomes of alumni. This study consisted of 65 doctoral psychology graduates who completed an APA alumni survey 2 and 5 years after graduation. Findings showed strong positive relationships between faculty mentoring, foundational knowledge, program support and clinical training. Results showed proximal factors of faculty mentoring significantly predicted graduates would be employed as psychologists, while program support (peers and faculty) significantly predicted lifelong learning of alumni. Career …

A Culturally-Sensitive Exploration Of Adversity And Resilience Among Trinidadians, Christabel Léonce

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Research done by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) found that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) such as abuse, household challenges, and neglect were linked to later health risks in life and overall well-being (CDC, 2019). Adverse experiences occur worldwide in a variety of culturally-specific ways. Research involving youth in Trinidad and Tobago outlines emerging concerns with violence in homes, communities, and schools (Baker-Henningham et al., 2009). Currently, however, there is limited data on adverse experiences and their long-term impact in Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidadians (n = 79), born and lived in Trinidad till 18 years was surveyed, ranging from ages …

Diversity Awareness And Multicultural Experiences In Psychology Graduate Students, Chloe’ Nicole Freeman

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Doctoral psychology students represent multiple interchanging cultural identities that influence their behaviors, attitudes, and interactions with others. While training the next generation of psychologists, psychology doctoral programs have the challenging but vital responsibility to incorporate diversity training into their curriculums. Diversity training along with graduate students’ diversity awareness and experience work together to widen cultural mindsets (Chao, Kung, & Yao, 2015). The objective of this study was to explore variables associated with doctoral psychology students’ diversity awareness and multicultural experiences. Furthermore, the study explored graduate students’ insight into their own implicit biases, knowledge of issues of power and privilege, and …

Serial Neuropsychological Assessment Toward A Reliable Concussion Protocol, Daniel J. Soden

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

With more than 10,000 Sports Related Concussions (SRCs) per year at the collegiate level, interdisciplinary teams are often tasked with determining when an athlete may return to activity (Zuckerman et al., 2015). Due to neurochemical changes following an SRC, athletes are vulnerable to further injury if they suffer another head injury before given appropriate time to heal (Giza & Hovda, 2014). Cognitive testing is routinely utilized to detect the presence of cognitive dysfunction and aid in individualized treatment planning. Because athletes often demonstrate practice effects when retested, it is difficult to distinguish if the athlete is demonstrating cognitive dysfunction. Reliable …

Healthy Life Choice: Using The School-Based Program To Facilitate Change, Jennifer Shaheed

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Research highlights the multiple determinants of weight including poverty, nutrition, and physical activity (Miguel-Berges, 2018). Children and adolescents living in rural areas are at greater risk than their urban counterparts. Regarding physical activity, there are often fewer recreational resources and the high poverty rate precludes transportation or additional fees associated with many extracurricular activities. In response to this problem, research has shown the educational environment is a point of access to reinforce health education and behavior. One evidenced-based program showing significant outcome in improving health behavior is the Healthy Lifestyle Choices (HLC) which is designed to be delivered in an …

Psychopathic Personality Traits In Students Entering Helping Professions, Sarah E. Gallup

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Psychopathy is often misrepresented as a sign of criminality and deviance. However, current literature suggests that psychopaths make up approximately one-fifth of the general population. Some people use these characterological traits to their benefit in positions of leadership. In this study, students from a Christian university in the Pacific Northwest were selected to participate in a survey, based upon their chosen major (Business, Psychology, and Religion). It was hypothesized that Business students would have the highest total levels of psychopathy and religion majors would show the lowest levels of psychopathy. Since religion often serves as a protective factor, it is …

The Prevalence And Impact Of Dysmenorrhea In Young Women Within The United States, Annika Johnson Campbell

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

International research suggests dysmenorrhea is a common problem among young adult women, with a significant impact on their daily functioning. However, limited research has been conducted on dysmenorrhea in young women in the U.S. The current study analyzed the prevalence, impact, and treatment of dysmenorrhea among 976 young adult women living within the U.S. Using a cross-sectional design, a questionnaire based on previous literature was created. It was then distributed to women between the ages of 18-28 through university email and participant initiated social media distribution. The mean age of participants was 22.27, 85% endorsed dysmenorrhea. Seventy percent of women …

Differentiating Cognitive Deficits Between Adhd And In Utero Polysubstance Exposure, Dylan J. Seitz

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

ADHD is the most prevalent psychiatric disorder in children, affecting their executive and overall well-being as a result (Barkley, 2014; Shaw, Gogtay, & Rapoport, 2010). A rampant increase in new diagnoses of ADHD suggests the potential for misdiagnosis. Stimulants are the first line of treatment and associated with a number of deleterious long-term consequences for those misdiagnosed (Urban & Gao, 2014a). This is of particular concern for children prenatally exposed to substances as in utero use acts on similar neural mechanisms impacted by ADHD – leaving the children vulnerable to misdiagnosis and contraindicated intervention (Derauf, Kekatpure, Neyzi, Lester, & Kosofsky, …

A Program Evaluation Of Physician Medical Clinic’S Approach To Chronic Pain, William Summers

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Chronic pain costs up to $635 billion dollars annually and impacts 25.3 million adult U.S. citizens (Nahin, 2015). Treatment options have typically included opioid medications, which potentially causes harm with long-term use and has contributed to an epidemic of opioid misuse. Treatment has expanded beyond monotherapy to include holistic approaches to health, such as occupational therapy and mental health therapy. The present study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of group therapy as it is conducted in a rural Oregon clinic using the Quadruple Aim to measure treatment outcomes (Bodenheimer, & Sinsky, 2014). Participants diagnosed with chronic pain and placed on …

Sherwood's "Creative Approaches To Cbt: Art Activities For Every Stage Of The Cbt Process" (Book Review), Julianne Burnett

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Jantz' "Healing The Scars Of Emotional Abuse; Revised And Updated Edition" (Book Review), Vonda Henderson

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Adolescent Perceptions Of Parental Autonomy Support And Involvement: Outcomes On Adolescent Self-Efficacy, Meagan N. Miller

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Adolescence is a challenging developmental period across domains of functioning. Parenting interactions impact one’s adjustment and well-being through this developmental period. These include Parental Autonomy Support, along with its reverse, psychological control, and Parental Involvement (Beato, Pereira, Barros, & Muris, 2016; Lansford et al., 2014; Levpušček, 2006; and Savard et al., 2013). Additionally, these parental characteristics influence the development of adolescent Self-Efficacy and its 3 subdomains: Emotional, Academic, and Social Self-Efficacy. The objective of this study was to explore how Parental Autonomy Support and Involvement, along with the subdomains of Parental Availability, Knowledge, and Concern and Social-Emotional Assets and Resilience …

The Weight Of Shame And Trauma In Bariatric Patients, Jordan D. Stricklen

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Past research has shown that Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), including neglect and abuse, are correlated with obesity and other adverse outcomes in adulthood. Here it is proposed that childhood adversity follows a path to internalized shame, which then motivates a coping mechanism which can result in extreme obesity. Participants were gathered through a bariatric surgery program through support groups and as part of an amended intake process. They completed the ACEs as well as the Internalized Shame Scale (ISS). Data analysis attempted to find relationships between ACEs, the ISS, and each participant’s highest BMI at any point in the bariatric …

The Impact Of Adverse Childhood Experiences On Attachment And Mentalization In Sex Offenders, Oksana Sklyarov

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Adverse childhood experiences have been linked to dysfunctional attachment, increased likelihood of criminal behavior, and mentalization deficits. Mentalization, also known as reflective functioning, is core aspect of social functioning that involved the capacity to “interpret both the self and others in terms of internal mental states such as feelings, wishes, goals, desires, and attitudes.” This study looked at adverse childhood experiences, attachment, and mentalization in 93 registered sex offenders attending court-ordered outpatient treatment. This study revealed that sex offenders endorse significantly more adverse childhood experiences compared to the general population. It also showed that sex offenders exhibit lower attachmentrelated anxiety …

Motivations For Pursuing A Career In Law Enforcement: An Analysis Of A Local Law Enforcement Agency, Mark W. Thomas

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Current law enforcement agencies are facing increasing pressure to hire more female and minority applicants. In addition to this, many agencies may be struggling to hire sufficient numbers of qualified candidates in general. This has created a need for understanding the individual factors that may motivate specific types of individuals towards a career in law enforcement. The current study assesses these motivations in a sample of currently employed law enforcement officers, current students enrolled in criminal justice programs, and undergraduate students unaffiliated with a law enforcement career. These motivations are then examined by demographic categories to explore the correlation between …

The Relationship Between Self-Compassion, Religion, Gender, And Objectified Body Consciousness In Christian Nazarene Women, Arielle R. A. Marston

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Body shame and objectification of the female body are well known contributing factors in physical and mental health issues including high stress, eating disorder symptomatology, depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. Religion plays a role in body shame and female objectification through both scripture and theological writings although this relationship remains inconclusive. Self-Compassion has been found to be a mitigating factor with regard to body shame in college and caregiver contexts. The Church of the Nazarene promotes itself as supporting female leadership and roles within the church. Since religion and gender roles seem to play a role in body shame and …

Tattooed Psychologists: A Discussion Of Meaning, Professionalism, And Self-Disclosure, Elizabeth M. Hoose

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Tattooing has been a form of self-expression and cultural participation for thousands of years. In the past in the United States, those who got tattooed were often viewed as fringe populations. Now, however, tattoos have entered mainstream society. Most current research shows that tattoos are tied to significant personal and cultural meanings for tattooed individuals. Given this and the growing number of people who choose to get permanent ink, the continued exploration of this topic can be useful for clinical psychologists in understanding clients and emerging themes of identity in our society. Perhaps of equal importance, is the unexplored topic …

Examining Adaptive Structures Of Military Families In Relation To Deployment, Gabriel Reed

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Military families experience stressors unique to their occupation which strongly influence family structure. Deployment is one of the most impactful and unique experiences that a majority of current military families have experienced as it influences familial stability and structures. Previous research has found that when compared to civilian American families, military families tend to identify as more rigid than flexible while still maintaining good familial satisfaction reports. By examining the correlation between various family structure domains of military families (cohesion, flexibility, rigidity, deployment history, and familial satisfaction) mental health workers may better assist these families in establishing strategies to endure …

Metacognitive Changes In Individuals With Severe Mental Illness In Response To Psychoanalytic Therapy, David Neal

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Objectives. Metacognitive deficits are thought to be closely related to functional impairment in a variety of mental health disorders. Understanding metacognitive differences between groups may provide insight into etiology and treatment of mental illness. This study sought to investigate group differences in metacognition and metacognitive changes over time in response to long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy amidst a population with severe mental illness diagnoses, specifically borderline personality disorder (BPD), narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), and schizoid personality disorder (SPD).

Methods. Twenty-eight participants meeting inclusion criteria were selected from amongst participants in the Austen Riggs Center’s (ARC) 11-year Follow-Along Study (FAS). For each participant, …