Psychology Commons^™

The Persistence Of Sleep Disturbance In Children Evaluated For Autism Spectrum Disorders: Predictive Factors And The Impact Of Co-Occurring Diagnoses, Celeste Elana Flachsbart

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Mounting research suggests that children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and other clinical diagnoses demonstrate a higher prevalence of sleep problems than typically-developing children. Additionally, sleep problems are related to a number of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral concerns in pediatric populations. Limited research exists comparing sleep problems in children with ASDs with sleep problems in other clinical populations, or exploring the length of these sleep problems.

The current study sought to explore the development and improvement of sleep problems over one year, as well as predictors to help identify children at high risk for persistent sleep problem. Impact of age, …

Investigation Of Motivations And Supports For Continued Foster Parenting, Rebekah Cline

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Recent research notes that foster parents, particularly in Oregon, are difficult to retain past a period of eight months. Further, the average stay in the foster care system for a child in Oregon is fourteen months, necessitating an average of two moves during that time for the majority of foster children. Despite this concern, there remains a limited body of literature addressing the problem of increasing foster parents' tenure. The literature that is available notes that the more frequently a child has to move foster homes the greater the likelihood that they will develop mental illnesses such as PTSD. In …

An Exploration Of The Differences In Psychology Faculty And Graduate Students' Participation In Mental Health Legislation And Barriers To Advocacy, Jennifer Marie Gronholt

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

There has been limited investigation into the reasons why, despite positive attitudes toward the concept of activism, psychologists do not frequently participate in advocacy of professional issues. The purpose of this study is to explore the differences between faculty and graduate student participation in legislative advocacy and to identify the barriers to participation in advocacy in general for both faculty and graduate students. Graduate students and faculty members from psychology graduate programs affiliated with the National Council of Schools of Professional Psychology (NCSPP) were asked to participate in an email survey. Faculty members were found to participate more frequently than …

Adolescent Values And Exercise Behaviors, Kameron C. Dill

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

In recent decades, there has been a significant increase in adolescent obesity in America (Mayo Clinic, 2006). Given this, there is a corresponding need to develop targeted adolescent obesity interventions. The current study examined how a psychosocially based intervention impacted adolescents' perceived value, frequency, and amount of exercise. Participants included 55 adolescents, (28 male, 26 female) ranging in age from 15-18. Separated by class, the three groups included one control group and two separate intervention groups. All groups completed an Exercise Checklist (Anshel, 2006), measuring the value, :frequency, and amount of exercise prior to any intervention. Classes then received different …

Attitudes And Practices Of Clergy Members In Rural And Urban Areas, Susan Dutcher

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

As mental health professionals become increasingly aware of the importance of religious values to clients there should be attempts not only to incorporate religion therapeutically but also to develop effective alliances with religious experts, in particular, members of the clergy. Since clergy are often on the frontlines of mental health issues, further research regarding referral patterns and collaboration is necessary. Clergy may be especially important in mental health care for rural communities where there is often a lack of adequate mental health resources and limited education surrounding mental health problems. The purpose of this study encompassed several different objectives. First, …

Efficacy Of Pain Rehabilitation Program In Reducing Depression And Perceived Pain, Sara Sadek

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Clinical depression is a frequently associated mental health disorder found in patients with chronic pain. Many of the symptoms associated with chronic pain mirror the diagnostic criteria for Major Depression. For example, chronic pain often results in social isolation, withdrawal, feelings of hopelessness, sleep difficulties, loss of interest in usual activities, financial strain, and lack of energy-all of which are common symptoms of depression. The purpose of this study is to address the comorbidity between depression and chronic pain and to assess the impact of a multidisciplinary pain rehabilitation program on the level of depression and perceived pain. Changes in …

Bullying Cognitions Through Identification With Fictional Characters, Joe Dunham Wood Iii

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

There has been a wealth of research in the past decade on workplace bullying. Issues such as how to define workplace bullying, the prevalence of bullying behaviors cross-culturally, the process of bullying and the impact of bullying on individuals and organizations have been studied and debated. The majority of the focus has been from the point of view of the victim. In contrast, little research exists documenting the phenomenon of workplace bullying from the viewpoint of the perpetrator. This study offers insight into bullying cognition and motivation through inferences given by subjects after watching a series of video clips containing …