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Full-Text Articles in Psychology

The Role And Effect Of Mindfulness In Intimate Relationships, Mazyar Karandish Dec 2019

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. …


Childhood Witnessing Of Domestic Violence And Its Impact On Character Development Across Time And Adulthood Relationships, Zena Ouzounian Dec 2019

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 …


Diabetes Management For Low-Income Patients: Within-Case Analyses In Primary Care, Samuel Collier Jan 2019

Diabetes Management For Low-Income Patients: Within-Case Analyses In Primary Care, Samuel Collier

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The study evaluated the effectiveness of a diabetes management program in a co-located mental health and primary care setting in Nashua, New Hampshire. The patient-participants were primarily underserved, low-income, working-class or homeless patients from the surrounding region. A few participants were also older adults. Examination of the literature highlighted the growing diabetes epidemic at local, state, and national levels. A review of past clinical trials of diabetes programs indicated further investigation into diabetes self-management education programs that integrate medical and behavioral health components under the biopsychosocial model. Thus, for the present study, the Stanford Diabetes Self-Management Program (SDSMP; Lorig, Ritter, …


Computer Multitasking In The Classroom: Training To Attend Or Wander?, Elizabeth A. Rogers Jan 2019

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) …


The Role Of Emotional Overcontrol In The Acceptance Of Counselor Training Feedback, R. Erin W. Berzins Jan 2019

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 …


Therapist Attachment And Meaning-Making In Adolescent Residential Treatment, Lisa J. Milone Jan 2019

Therapist Attachment And Meaning-Making In Adolescent Residential Treatment, Lisa J. Milone

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This qualitative study explores therapist views of the therapeutic relationship in adolescent residential treatment from an attachment perspective. The therapeutic relationship is a strong predictor of outcomes in adult psychotherapy and a significant body of research has relied on the attachment literature to understand its importance. Research yields comparable results when examining the significance of the therapeutic relationship with children and adolescents; however, there is virtually no literature exploring it from the attachment lens. This is particularly notable for children and adolescents in residential treatment. As treatment intensity increases from outpatient to inpatient to residential, challenges and opportunities within the …


Descriptive Phenomenological Analysis Of Influences To Death Anxiety, Michelle M. Ehle Jan 2019

Descriptive Phenomenological Analysis Of Influences To Death Anxiety, Michelle M. Ehle

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

There are two certainties in life: we are born, and we will die. Everything in between birth and death is our life. This truth leads many individuals to existential questions: What is the meaning of life? How do we become satisfied with life, knowing that death is impending? Does awareness of death motivate how we live? Death anxiety is a well-studied subject; well over 500 studies provide information on who is the most fearful of death among a variety of groups (women versus men, religious verses secular, youth verses elderly, et cetera). These studies also use presuppositions to explain fear …


Caregivers' Experience In Wraparound: A Qualitative Study, Mackenzie Soniak Jan 2019

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 …


Expectancies As A Predictor Of Prescription Stimulant Use Among Medical Students, Katherine Gorman Jan 2019

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 …


Evaluation Of The Veteran Resilience Project, Shon Powell Jan 2019

Evaluation Of The Veteran Resilience Project, Shon Powell

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a daunting concern among the majority of organizations with diverse, or tangential, affiliations to the United States Military and/or its personnel. Unquestionably, the 21 million service-connected individuals, at the time of this writing, (i.e., Active-Duty, Reserve, National Guard, and Veterans) afflicted with this disorder are the catalyst for the intense public and private sector interest and involvement in eradication of this disorder. Prevalence rates of PTSD among this complex classification of persons vary across the relevant literature. Some estimates suggest anywhere from 11 to 20 percent, while other sources indicate that upwards of 40 percent …


Involuntary "Whiteness": The Acculturation Of Black Doctoral Female Students In The Field Of Clinical Psychology, Carmela A. Maxell-Harrison Jan 2019

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 …


Growth After Developmental Trauma: A Co-Constructed Story, Naydine Johney Jan 2019

Growth After Developmental Trauma: A Co-Constructed Story, Naydine Johney

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

In this study, I explored post-traumatic growth as embedded in a co-constructed healing relationship between a trauma survivor and a “mentor” who has been instrumental to their recovery. It is widely known that people who are resilient in overcoming early adverse childhood experiences have had someone in their corner who believed in them. In a separate, but related body of literature, there are similarly well-documented benefits for those who have the chance to make a difference in a survivor’s life, including for example: relatives, educators, and therapists. To date, we still don’t know if survivors and their mentors hold the …


Linguistic Issues In Culturally Sensitive Assessment: A Rorschach Case Study, Lauren M. Weisberg Jan 2019

Linguistic Issues In Culturally Sensitive Assessment: A Rorschach Case Study, Lauren M. Weisberg

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The Rorschach Inkblot Test (“Rorschach”) has historically been viewed as a culturally sensitive assessment instrument because it utilizes nonverbal stimulus cards (Meyer, Viglione, Mihura, Erard, & Erdberg, 2011). As a result, it has been considered a more appropriate assessment tool for bilingual and multilingual patients than assessments which rely heavily on verbal language. However, there are no evidence-based practice recommendations for Rorschach assessment of bi- and multilingual patients, despite the incredible linguistic diversity in the United States and the widespread use of the Rorschach. This dissertation includes a case study of a multilingual French–Israeli immigrant who was admitted to an …


The Experience Of Relapse After Long-Term Sobriety And Subsequent Return To Sobriety, Bahram Edward Kaikhosrow Shahrokh Jan 2019

The Experience Of Relapse After Long-Term Sobriety And Subsequent Return To Sobriety, Bahram Edward Kaikhosrow Shahrokh

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

While psychiatric medications have been categorized as the same as substances of abuse in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), medications for common medical disorders were not affected by this disapproval of medication. It may be time for a new dialogue (Woody, 2015). According to Gjersing and Bretteville (2018), there has been a concerning increase in overdose deaths in the last decade. This includes a threefold increase in overdose deaths from prescription narcotics and six-fold increase in overdose deaths from heroin in the United States. When prescription opioid users find difficulty in obtaining pills, they may move on to heroin, which is much …


Psychologists' Use Of Dogs In Psychotherapy: A Therapeutic Exploration, Christine A. Treece Jan 2019

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 …


Emerging Adults’ Experiences Of Agency In Higher Education Decisions, Leah B. Benjamin Jan 2019

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 …


The Provision Of Psychological Assessment Feedback To Children: A Survey Of Practitioners, Caitlin P. Dolan Jan 2019

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 Jan 2019

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 …


Mothers’ Religious Influence On Children Experiencing Trauma: Haiti Community Clinic Focus Groups, Ashland C. Thompson Jan 2019

Mothers’ Religious Influence On Children Experiencing Trauma: Haiti Community Clinic Focus Groups, Ashland C. Thompson

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

An earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale hit Haiti on January 10th, 2010. The earthquake, an urgent crisis, occurred in the context of persistent social dysfunctions, amplifying both the chronic poor living conditions and adversities for children and families. The purpose of the study was to enquire into the possible ways children in Haiti are socialized by the religiousness and other coping ways of their mothers and caretakers in the childhood contexts of societal and continuous trauma. Participants were Haitian mothers (N = 27) who participated in three focus groups that were conducted in their location of residence: Canaan-Damien …


Mothering The Aggressive Child, Katja Ermann Jan 2019

Mothering The Aggressive Child, Katja Ermann

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

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 Experience Of Pregnant Women In Remission From Anorexia Nervosa, Meghan Butcher Jan 2019

The Experience Of Pregnant Women In Remission From Anorexia Nervosa, Meghan Butcher

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This qualitative study explored the subjective experience of pregnant women in remission from Anorexia Nervosa (AN). This subject matter is of importance due to the high relapse rates of AN, the ability for women to become pregnant while in remission from AN, the significant physical and emotional tolls of pregnancy, and the known dangers of AN behaviors during pregnancy. Prior to this study, minimal research had been conducted pertaining to the experience of women who became pregnant while in remission from AN. This study utilized Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to inform interpretation of narrative responses collected through semi-structured interviews. Participants …


Discovering Themes: Disability Identity Development As It Pertains To People Born With Spina Bifida, Elizabeth H. Scriven Jan 2019

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 …


Integrated Primary Care: Development Of A Patient Satisfaction Measure, Sarah C. Pearson Jan 2019

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 Jan 2019

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, …


Graduate Student Competencies In Working With Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Youth, Rachael Roberts Jan 2019

Graduate Student Competencies In Working With Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Youth, Rachael Roberts

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The focus and purpose of this dissertation was to explore students’ who are enrolled in APA-accredited clinical psychology doctoral programs self-perceived competency levels for working with LGB youth. This research utilized the Sexual Orientation Counselor Competency Scale (SOCCS; Bidell, 2005) in conjunction with an experience and demographic questionnaire. A survey was sent to all APA-accredited clinical psychology doctoral programs and all responses were analyzed through correlational analysis. The primary research question dealt with the possibility of a relationship between access and utilization of doctoral program training (in class or otherwise), practicum experiences, and level of confidence that graduate students have …


Alcohol Misuse Among Veterans: Implications For Better Treatment, Annie Taylor Jan 2019

Alcohol Misuse Among Veterans: Implications For Better Treatment, Annie Taylor

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Veterans are at an elevated risk of alcohol misuse compared to civilians due to a convergence of factors that create a highly concentrated risk of alcohol misuse among this population. Given this troubling finding and the lack of research in the realm of clinician competence related to alcohol misuse among veterans, this study attempted to fill the apparent gap in literature by way of understanding the perceptions of alcohol misuse in the veteran population and the approach to treatment by mental health providers in the Veterans’ Affairs (VA) system. In the current study, which utilized online survey methodology, VA mental …


Sexually Objectifying Microaggressions In Film: Using Entertainment For Clinical And Educational Purposes, Jackie M. Nelson Jan 2019

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 …


Aces Wild: Making Meaning Out Of Trauma Through Altruism Born Of Suffering, Jessica Gibson Jan 2019

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 …


Examining The Relationship Between Alcohol Use And Work In The Professional Theater, Michael A. Carollo Jan 2019

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 …


Family Estrangement And Hospital Readmission Rates Among Severely Mentally Ill Adults, Jenna A. Gunnels Jan 2019

Family Estrangement And Hospital Readmission Rates Among Severely Mentally Ill Adults, Jenna A. Gunnels

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Most crisis stabilization, and mental health treatment in general, is delivered solely to the individual in crisis, by professionals who are careful to protect the individual’s right to privacy. An unintended consequence of this objective, unfortunately, can be the undermining of the potentially significant role played by family members in the treatment, maintenance, and stabilization of individuals with mental illness. Without family involvement, some individuals burdened by mental illness slowly and steadily decline. This study investigates how familial relationships impact mental health problems, specifically psychiatric hospital readmissions. The goal of this study is to determine whether being estranged from one’s …