Clinical Psychology Commons^™

Softening Resistance Toward Diversity Initiatives: The Role Of Mindfulness In Mitigating Emotional White Fragility, Vatia P. Caldwell

Industrial-Organizational Psychology Dissertations

When examining racial equity within organizations, a common theme is the failure of many organizations to address whiteness in their organizations (i.e., White supremacy, White privilege, White dominant culture). Decentering whiteness is key in racial equity work (Grimes, 2002). However, the process of decentering whiteness often results in backlash from Whites also known as White fragility (DiAngelo, 2011). This backlash impedes the organization from moving towards racial equity by upholding the racial status quo. The purpose of the current study is to further explore the role mindfulness plays in racial-equity work within organizations. Specifically, a mindfulness intervention was tested for …

Moderation Of Effects Of Anxiety On Verbal And Visuospatial Short-Term Memory In Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Rachael Arowolo

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit developmental differences in a number of domains, including memory. Short-term memory (STM) has been studied in children with ASD but the findings have been mixed. Children with ASD are also at increased risk of developing an anxiety disorder. Anxiety has been found to impact short-term (STM) and other cognitive functions in typically developing children. Limited research suggests that trait anxiety is associated with poorer STM in school-aged children with ASD. Given that STM develops throughout early childhood, understanding the impact of anxiety in younger children with ASD may be beneficial in providing the …

Parent Emotion Coaching And Affect Recognition In Theory Of Mind In Autism Spectrum Disorder, Audrey L. O'Connor

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) present with deficits in social communication and social interaction, as well as restricted and repetitive behaviors, interests, and activities. Theory of Mind (ToM) has been identified as a key factor in social development in both typically developing (TD) children and children with ASD. One proposed explanation for the deficits in social development characteristic in ASD is that deficits in ToM, particularly the ability to infer the mental states of self and others, results in impairments in social development. Researchers have found that affect recognition is a precursor in the development of ToM which occurs …

Generalized Anxiety Symptoms And Interpersonal Self-Perceptions During Stressors: A Prospective Examination Of Psychological And Biological Stress, Jamie A. Lewis

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Individuals with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) symptoms endorse negative emotionality, psychosocial dysfunction, and biological dysregulation. Interpersonal dominance and affiliation have also been linked to GAD symptoms. Little research has examined individuals with GAD symptoms in terms of naturalistic stressors and chronic use of interpersonal behaviors. GAD symptoms, as well as lower dominance and affiliation, have been linked to hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) dysregulation. However, no studies have examined the unique and interacting contributions of GAD symptoms and interpersonal processes to chronic cortisol levels and distress. College students completed baseline measures of GAD symptoms, measures of interpersonal self-perceptions and distress for five weeks, …

Posttraumatic Growth In The Context Of Grief: Testing The Mindfulness-To-Meaning Theory, Honey Williams

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

The current study utilized a cross-sectional survey design to examine the role of mindfulness and meaning-making in the development of posttraumatic growth following the death of a loved one. Participants were 232 adults (77.2% female, 85% Caucasian), ages 18 to 67 years old (M = 35.7, SD = 12.5) who had experienced the death of a loved one in the last 10 years. Preliminary analysis indicated significant positive bivariate correlations between mindfulness and meaning making (r = .39 ) and mindfulness and posttraumatic growth (r = .20 ), as well significant negative bivariate correlations between mindfulness and …

An Integrated Analysis Of The Mechanisms By Which Parents Facilitate The Development Of Emotion Regulation In Young Adolescents, Andrew Fox

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Effective emotion regulation strategies are associated with adaptive outcomes in youth. While previous research has established parental socialization of emotion regulation as an important predictor of adaptive outcomes, the mechanisms by which parents contribute to young adolescents’ emotion regulation outcomes is poorly understood. The current study examined pathways between parenting style, parental socialization of emotion regulation practices, and adolescent negative affectivity to emotion regulation outcomes in adolescents cross-sectionally and prospectively over the course of a year. Participants were 150 young adolescents ages to 10 to 14 (M_age = 13.03, SD_age = .90; 51.33% female) and their parent/legal …

Trauma Exposure, Depressive Symptoms, And Responding To Positive Events And Affect In Young Adults, Jana Desimone Wozniak

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

The relationship between trauma exposure and responding to positive affect and events is unclear. Depression may co-occur with trauma exposure, and may also independently predict responding to positive affect and events. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between trauma exposure, depressive symptoms, and responding to positive affect and positive life events among young adults. Participants were 277 (84.8% female, 56.3% Caucasian) undergraduates ages 18-39 (M = 19.67, SD = 2.22). At baseline, ANCOVAs were used to examine the relationships between trauma exposed/non-trauma exposed groups, as well as high/low depressive symptom groups, on responding to positive …

The Costs Of Covid-19: Loneliness, Coping, And Psychological Distress In The United States Population, Lauren Hammond

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

The first reported cases of the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) occurred in late December 2019 in Wuhan, China, with the World Health Organization officially declaring the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic in March 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic presents a significant public health challenge, an important part of which is the effects of the outbreak and related efforts to contain the outbreak (e.g., social distancing) on mental health. As such, the current study sought to better understand the psychological impact of the outbreak on the United States population. Participants were 2,284 individuals (78.7% female, 78.7% Caucasian) 18 years of age and older. …

Examining The Factors That Mediate The Relationship From Legal Advocacy Satisfaction To Resilience, Desta T. Gebregiorgis

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Sexual assault is a public health issue that can impact one’s resilience. Using a multisystemic approach to resilience, there may be person-level and environment-level factors that can affect one’s resilience, such as one’s coping self-efficacy, satisfaction with the court process, and negative effects associated with court process. Legal advocacy programs, such as those offered by the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center (KCSARC), support clients during the court proceedings. In order to better serve KCSARC’s clientele, it is helpful to understand how the legal advocacy program impacts post-trauma resilience. This dissertation had three phases: (a) evaluating the structural validity of …

Autism And Externalizing Behaviors: Attachment As A Protective Factor, Rebecca Kramer

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit externalizing behaviors at a higher rate when compared to their typically developing (TD) counterparts (Bauminger, Solomon, & Rogers, 2010; Gray, Keating, Taffe, & Brereton, 2012). Numerous longitudinal and cross-sectional studies assert that attachment is one of the most salient predictors of childhood externalizing behaviors (e.g., Green and Goldwyn, 2002). Despite this, little research has examined the relation between attachment and externalizing behaviors in children with ASD. This study investigated the extent to which high levels of attachment buffer the symptoms of externalizing behaviors in children with ASD, potentially informing future interventions. In addition, …

Impacts Of Motor And Sensory Impairment On Language In Young Children With Autism, Elizabeth A. Bisi

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) present with varying degrees of deficit in the broader areas of social communication and stereotyped behaviors, but emerging research proposes delayed motor skill and atypical sensory processing as additional factors worth closer examination. In the current study, I sought to investigate the impacts of visual motor skills and sensory differences on language ability in young children with autism. I hypothesized that young children with autism, atypical sensory processing (Short Sensory Profile, 2^nd Edition), and impaired visual motor integration (Beery VMI, 6^th Edition) would have the most impacted language ability scores (Differential Ability …

Generalized Anxiety Disorder Symptoms As A Moderator Of Affective Reactions To Perceived Interpersonal Behaviors, Narayan B. Singh

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Individuals with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) symptoms often struggle with heightened sensitivity and arousal in response to perceived threats. Moreover, interpersonal dysfunction in GAD has become increasingly a focus of empirical investigation and treatment, given the possibility that responses to social interactions may contribute to GAD symptom maintenance. Laboratory studies and cross-sectional trait assessments of interpersonal problems comprise most of our understanding of interpersonal dysfunction in GAD. However, how GAD symptoms interact with perceived interpersonal threats to predict affective responses (increased arousal, lower valence) within daily life remains poorly understood. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to examine …

The Impact Of Parenting Stress On Parental Synchronization In Children With Asd, Chloe Quinnett, Miles Feller

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

Parental synchronization is associated with positive child outcomes and social competencies in early childhood. This study investigated if total parenting stress moderated the relationship between child developmental status: autism spectrum disorder (ASD) versus typical development (TD) and parental synchronization. Participants were 43 children (Mage = 4.85 years, 34.9% female, 13 ASD). Results indicated as parenting stress decreased parental synchronization increased for both ASD and TD parent-child dyads. Furthermore, developmental status did not predict parental synchronization scores and parenting stress did not moderate these effects. This research provides evidence for the effect of parenting stress on parental synchronization.

Cultural Differences In Coping Self-Efficacy, Perceived Social Support, And Satisfaction With Their Legal Advocate In Individuals Who Have Experienced Sexual Assault, Desta Gebregiorgis, Stephanie Quan, Lynette Bikos

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

The King County Sexual Assault Resource Center’s (KCSARC) legal advocacy program assists individuals who have been sexually assaulted to navigate the justice system and serves a diverse clientele. Research suggests that there exists differences between ethnic groups in the qualitative psychological reactions to trauma, prevalence of post-trauma victimization, and use of therapeutic and tangible services. Thus, the purpose of our study is to examine the association between ethnicity, the three critical outcome variables (coping self-efficacy, perceived social support, and legal advocate satisfaction) and posttraumatic recovery.

Affective Reactivity To Positive Daily Events In Adolescence, Katherine Benjamin, Sarah Chun, Amy Mezulis

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

The experience of positive events is associated with increased positive affect (PA), which can beneficially impact physical and mental health outcomes of adolescents. This study investigated whether different types of positive events elicit different amounts of PA, and whether sex would moderate these effects. Participants were 136 adolescents (Mage = 13.03 years, 51.3% female). Results indicated that interpersonal and independent events predicted greater PA reactivity than non-interpersonal and dependent events, respectively. Sex did not moderate these effects. Furthermore, results indicated that interpersonal, dependent events were associated with the highest adolescent mean PA compared to any other combination of event types.

A Review Of Suicide In The Correctional System, Rocky Marks, Keyne Law

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

In the United States of America, suicide is the leading cause of death in jails and the second highest in prisons, with inmates being nine times more likely to die by suicide than the general population, and it is a consistent finding worldwide that suicide rates in custody exceed those in the general population. Contributory factors have been suggested, such as the deinstitutionalization of mental health treatment facilities, and the establishment of correctional liability. This review traces the development of the history of correctional suicide, notable contributing factors and suggest next steps to address this rising issue.

The Effect Of Sexual Minority Identification And Religious Affiliation On Suicide Risk Factors In A South Korean American Sample, Janelle Wee, Jingyan Gu, Keyne Law

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

Previous studies investigating the effect of sexual minority identification and religious affiliation on suicide yielded mixed findings. The current study examined the effect of sexual minority identification and religious affiliation on proximal indicators of suicide ideation, belongingness and burdensomeness. Participants were 58 Korean Americans (40% Female). Using a median-comparison Robust ANOVA, results indicated no significant main effects of religious affiliation or sexual minority identification on burdensomeness and no statistically significant interaction effects. Some future directions include an investigation of intersecting identities and their impact on belongingness and burdensomeness in Korean American populations.

A Literature Review Of Suicide Research And Practices In Taiwan., Yu-Chin Lin, Keyne Law

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

Suicide reflects social values and is strongly influenced by the local culture (Farberow, 1975). Some researchers adopt an indigenous psychology approach to analyzing constructs of interest, in which the content and context of the local culture are explicitly considered (Yang, 2000). Suicide in Taiwan is associated with expectations, experiences, and consequences unique to the community. A literature review is conducted to provide an overview of the current status of suicide research and practices in Taiwan, and to assess the extent it is influenced by the indigenous psychology approach.

Evaluating The Relation Between Adhd Symptoms And Externalizing Behaviors In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Miles Feller, Quinnett Chloe, Kaitlyn Drafton, Tara Rutter, Beverly Wilson, Anna Shaarda, Nicky Navarro, Indy Hall, Devon Yamane, Jennifer Carron

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

The risk for externalizing behaviors (Bos et al., 2018) complicates the comorbidity between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). To investigate whether the relation between ASD status (ASD vs typical development, TD) and externalizing behaviors would vary by differences in ADHD symptoms, parent-child dyads (3-7yo), 127 TD (47.7% female) and 81 children with ASD (16.7% female), participated. The linear regression tested model with significant main and interaction effects explained 43.3% of variance, overall. Consistent with research, externalizing problems were higher for both groups when ADHD symptoms were also high compared to low, an effect stronger for TD children.

Interpersonal Sensitivities Prospectively Predict Aversive Reactions To Social Stressors In Daily Life, Kylie Fraga, Tilda Cvrkel, Thane Erickson

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

Research suggests that individuals have unique social “irritants,” behaviors that they find particularly unpleasant in others. Individualized irritants, or interpersonal (IP) sensitives, are associated with aversive reactions. These IP sensitives map onto the IP circumplex. This study investigated whether baseline IP sensitivities could predict anger and disgust during IP stressors over five weeks. Participants were 165 people (76% women, 42% ethnic minority). Results indicated that IP sensitives prospectively predicted anger and disgust. Further, IP sensitivities prospectively moderated effect of social stressors on affect. These findings were consistent with previous cross-sectional research.

Emotion Regulation As A Moderator On The Association Between Acculturative Stress And Risk Factors Of Suicide Ideation In A Sample Of International Students, Jingyan Gu, Janelle Wee, Keyne Law

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

Previous studies suggest that international students are at greater risk of endorsing mental health difficulties such as suicide, depression, and anxiety which may be related to acculturative stress and emotion dysregulation. The current study aims to examine the effect of between acculturative stress and emotion regulation on proximal indicators of suicide ideation, burdensomeness and belongingness. Preliminary data yielded 20 participants (Mage = 28.2, 60% female). Results indicated that acculturative stress (ASSIS) was significantly positively correlated with perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness. Furthermore, emotional regulation significantly moderated the relationship between ASSIS and burdensomeness but not between ASSIS and belongingness.

Religiosity, Trauma, And Posttraumatic Stress Disorder In A Sample Of East African Refugees, Jamie Layton, Mattie O'Boyle, Leanne Zaire, Jake Bentley

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

Somali refugees have been found to experience more exposure to traumatic events than other refugees and asylum seekers (Gerritsen et al, 2006). Culturally, religious beliefs are key to Somali perceptions mental health and well-being (Abu-Raiya & Pargament, 2011; Mulatu, 1999). This study examined organizational religious activity (ORA), non-organizational religious activity (NORA), and intrinsic religiosity as potential moderators of PTSD symptom clusters among a sample of Somali refugees in the United States. Participants were 59 Somali refugees in the Pacific Northwest (Mage = 39 years, 66% male). Results indicated ORA and NORA moderated the relationship between trauma exposure and re-experiencing symptoms …

Maskmaker, Maskmaker, Make Me A Mask: A Study Of The Effect Of Resilient Coping Behavior On Positive And Negative Affect During Covid-19., Linda Montano, Lynette Bikos

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

During times of crisis, resilient coping behavior may be an important pathway for improving positive and negative affect. This relationship is explored via a moderated mediation model using data from a survey administered to volunteer maskmaskers during COVID-19. We hypothesize there will be a significant effect of resilient coping on affect, mediated through mask making hours. Change to employment is likely to moderate this indirect effect as well as interact directly with the coping to affect relationship. If supported, our hypotheses support the notion that engaging in a prosocial behavior such as Maskmaking may contribute positively to mental health outcomes.

Help-Seeking Behaviors In Asian American Adolescents And College Students, Janelle Wee, Jingyan Gu, Keyne Law

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

The aim of this review is to examine Asian American (ASA) adolescents’ and college students’ help-seeking behaviors, to understand specific barriers to mental health service utilization. Despite a decreased likelihood of seeking treatment (SAMHSA, 2014), even those who sought treatment reported a greater severity of symptoms compared to their White counterparts (U.S. DHHS, 2001). ASA adolescents were less inclined to use school-based mental health services (SBMHS) compared to their peers (Wang et al., 2018), with parents reporting several barriers to utilizing SBMHS. ASA college students with a greater sense of ethnic identity also avoided seeking help (Tummala-Narra et al., 2018).

A Pilot Study On Executive Functioning In Mainland Chinese Autistic Preschoolers, Vanessa Zhou, John Strom, Kaitlyn Drafton, Beverly Wilson

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

There is a robust literature on the positive benefits of executive functions (EFs) on academic and social-emotional development in neurotypical Western preschool- and school-aged children. However, there is mixed evidence regarding EF dysfunction in autism and very few studies have investigated EF skills in East Asian autistic children. The purpose of this study was to compare whether preschool-aged, autistic children (n = 21) and neurotypical peers (n=28) in mainland China differed on iPad-delivered measures of EF. Neurotypical children outperformed autistic children on all EF tasks. This study provides preliminary evidence for EF difficulty in Chinese autistic preschoolers compared to neurotypical …

Spfc Virtual Research Conference Program 2020, Seattle Pacific University

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

Full 2020 conference guide with descriptions of each poster or paper presented by students in Seattle Pacific University's School of Psychology, Family, and Community's annual research conference.

Effects Of The Supervisory Relationship On Counselors Development Of Self-Efficacy, Carolyn A. Russo

Education Dissertations

Abstract

The growing need and use of mental health services illustrates how critical the development of competent counselors is to the nation’s health. Level of counselor self-efficacy is suggested to strongly influence counselor development and competency in practice. Several supervisory factors have been identified in the literature as significantly influencing counselors’ level of self-efficacy. However, the effect of the supervisory relationship and its impact on post-graduate counselor-in-training self-efficacy is unknown. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the construct of counselor self-efficacy in relation to the supervisory relationship and the development of counseling skills in a post-graduate sample. …

The Missing Moral Dimension: Perceptions Of Transgressions And The Moderating Role Of Moral Foundations On Psychological Distress, Hannah Reas

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Anxiety and depression can be represented on a dimensional spectrum of negative affect, broadly termed psychological distress. Research has identified several factors that maintain negative emotion, but have neglected the possibility that individuals’ interpretations of moral issues in the larger macro-system affects their level of distress. Thus, the current study investigated the role of perceptions of moral transgressions, or cognitive interpretations of stimuli (“transgressions”) that violate beliefs about right and wrong, as a predictor of psychological distress. Furthermore, this study tested how perceptions of moral transgressions vary as a function of individuals’ own moral intuitions, or moral foundations. Participants ( …

What Happens When Youth Talk About Their Problems? Co-Rumination As A Mechanism Of Stress Generation, Jaclyn T. Aldrich

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

During adolescence, rates of depression increase significantly, necessitating understanding of interpersonal and intrapersonal factors that contribute to the occurrence of depressive symptoms. Prominent theories of depression, such as stress generation theory, suggest that depressed individuals experience more interpersonal stress that is dependent on their own actions or behavior. The current study sought to examine the role of co-rumination in the generation of stress and development of depression over the course of a year. Participants were 150 adolescents (48.7% female, 77.5% Caucasian) ages 11 to 14 years old (M = 13.03, SD = 0.93). Three models assessed the directional relationship …