Clinical Psychology Commons^™

Clinical Considerations For Treating Adult Survivors Of Child Sexual Abuse: A Proposal For Integrating Intersubjective Systems Theory And Feminist Perspectives, Kristen Schrijver

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

The goal of this paper is to offer clinical considerations for clinicians working with adult survivors of extrafamilial child sexual abuse (CSA) by 1) defining the stages of sexual abuse grooming of the child and their entire family system, 2) defining and integrating intersubjective and feminist approaches to treatment, and 3) providing methods for depathologizing CSA survivors’ experience of shame. These three objectives aim to increase awareness and knowledge of sexual abuse grooming, as well as offer an integrative theoretical framework for individual therapy with adult survivors of CSA.

Trainee Attitudes Toward Social Class As Predictors Of Clinical Decision Making: Exploring The Effects Of Classism In Psychotherapy, Jeremy J. Coleman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study examined the effects of classist beliefs on trainee attitudes toward their client based on perceived social-class status. This study sought to determine whether classist attitudes contribute to meaningful differences in clinical decision making. A sample of mental health trainees (n = 147) attending graduate-level programs in the U.S. were recruited and randomly assigned to one of two clinical vignette conditions. Both vignette conditions included identical data regarding a hypothetical client’s presenting concerns (e.g., sleep disturbance, worry, rumination, loneliness), but differed on indicators of client socioeconomic status (SES). Results showed statistically significant between-group differences on ratings of clinical …

Parental Self-Efficacy, Parenting Stress, And Mental Health Among Latina Mothers Of Young Children, Thania Galvan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Parenthood can increase the risk for mental health concerns, especially for Latina mothers. Poor maternal mental health can result in significant negative maternal and child outcomes, particularly if a mother’s mental health needs go unmet. In an attempt to better understand the factors that impact Latina mother’s mental health, this study explored the relations among parental self-efficacy, parenting stress, and mental health. It also explored mother’s self-reported resource availability and sociocultural factors as potential modifiable points of interventions in these relations.

Methods: The study was conducted using data from 132 Latina mothers that participated in a larger project examining stress …

Moderate Effects Of Anxiety And Physical Activities On The Relationship Between Body Image And Covid-19 Fear, Yutong Guo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Improving psychological well-being has been a hot topic in counseling psychology research. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic, people’s lifestyle has been changed that caused series mental health problems. Using a sample of 576 participants from different universities. This study examined whether Covid-19 correlated with Body image a) whether anxiety moderated this relationship. b) whether physical activities moderated this relationship. c) how does different kind of body image avoidance being influenced. Pearson’s correlation test and linear regression analyses were conducted. The result indicated that COVID-19 fear has significantly positive relationship with body image. physical activities level has significantly increase the relationship …

Preconception Stress, Affect-Biased Attention, And Negative Affectivity: Assessing Pathways And Early Markers Of Psychopathological Risk In Infancy And Childhood, Danielle A. Swales

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The developmental origins of mental health likely begin early in life and perhaps even prior to conception. Research is needed to elucidate pathways of risk and resilience in the development of psychopathology. The goal of the current dissertation was to explore how both preconception and postnatal experiences influence negative affectivity, a robust and transdiagnostic risk factor for later psychiatric symptoms. The present dissertation accomplished this goal by completing two independent studies, each of which are presented in the format of standalone journal articles. Study one focused on evaluating how preconception experiences, specifically maternal symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), impact …

Mothers Know Best: Guidance For Healthcare Providers On Early Identification Of Perinatal Mental Health Disorders, Klarissa I. Garcia Orellana

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Introduction: The perinatal period has been associated with an increased risk of developing psychiatric disorders among women. Perinatal mental health disorders (PMHD) are highly prevalent, yet highly underrecognized and untreated. The involvement of medical providers, especially obstetrics/gynecology and pediatric providers, in the early identification of PMHD is critical to ensure women with PMHD receive appropriate supports. However, providers lack the education, training, and ability to identify and screen for PMHD as well as the knowledge of appropriate referrals. Objective: This study explores the existing issues with healthcare providers’ early identification practices of PMHD from the perspective of ten mothers and …

Stagnation In Psychotherapy: A Transtheoretical Approach, Kristine Mccormick

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Doctoral training in clinical psychology emphasizes the importance of utilizing empirically supported psychotherapy methods in pursuit of effective psychotherapy. When treatment is stagnant or ineffective, the focus of training and supervision is often geared toward searching the evidence-base for alternative psychotherapy approaches, or referring to a provider with expertise in a specific method. Using a case example, this paper offers guidance on possible roadblocks to effective psychotherapy treatment, and clear areas to explore before concluding whether psychotherapy is the most helpful intervention for a patient.

Lived Experience: The Training Of Therapists, Actors & Human Beings, Richard Williams

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

There is much in common between theater and therapy. Both happen live. Both are explorations of human experience. Both require participants to be emotionally and mentally present. Both are hard to do well (and easy to do poorly). Training to be a clinical psychologist requires hours of coursework, administrative work, supervision, and on the job clinical experience. Training to be a professional theater maker or actor requires hours of rehearsal. The elements of acting are deconstructed during training so that rehearsal consists of voice-work, physical theater, scene study, etcetera. Training to be an actor entails much more practice of the …

From Military Service To Diakonia: A Training Program For Clergy Ministering To Veterans, Danielle Xanthos

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Many veterans opt to seek the support of clergy before mental health professionals. Most clergy, however, are unfamiliar with the nuances of the veteran culture and experience. Mental health professionals who specialize in working with the veteran population can collaborate with clergy to bridge this gap of care to mutually develop a better understanding of veteran culture and symptoms of mental health conditions common among the veteran population, and by equipping clergy with basic tools that promote psychological and spiritual wellbeing. Special consideration is given to the concept of moral injury and the application of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, illustrating …

Canine-Assisted Exposure Therapy, Stephanie B. Bono

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Fear and anxiety are natural reactions to actual threat conditions but can become “pathological” when over-generalized avoidance interferes with long-term wellbeing and valued living. Pervasive experiential avoidance hinders natural extinction processes as it reduces repeated contact with feared stimuli, a condition necessary for extinction to occur. Exposure therapy (ET) is a clinical analogue of extinction, and one of the best evidence-based treatments for fear and anxiety. However, ET’s usefulness suffers in real-world clinical conditions. The current conceptual paper proposes that ET’s limitations may be overcome through a tailored approach that integrates animal-assisted therapy (AAT), specifically the use of dogs, to …

Encountering Death: A Training Proposal For Psychologists Addressing Death Anxiety And End-Of-Life Care, Bridget Kromrey

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Inward reflection and knowing the self are an essential element to becoming a psychologist and is crucial when encountering themes of death and dying in psychotherapy. There are significant gaps in curriculum and training regarding death anxiety and end-of-life care for psychology trainees and psychologists despite psychologists’ growing presence in this type of work. The following paper will explore historical and current day theories of death anxiety and death education. It will also demonstrate the gaps in training for psychologists in the areas of death anxiety and end-of-life care and describe the need for this type of training to be …

Co-Constructing Stigma: Treating Trauma In Adolescence, Isabelle Sanderson

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Public stigma and self-stigma are major factors that impede the seeking of mental health treatment as well as the development of an effective therapeutic alliance. This paper explores the co-creation of stigma dynamics from an intersubjective systems theory lens suggesting these dynamics may play a role for adolescent clients who have experienced significant trauma. Specifically, the potential overlooking and/or misdiagnosis of trauma-related experiences and symptoms often occurring with adolescents diagnosed with ADHD may be contributing to a co-constructed dynamic between the therapist and client to avoid an exploration of trauma that would be experienced as more stigmatizing, more threatening, and …

Resilience In Cancer Patients, Lori A. Gardner

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

The phenomenon of resilience has long been identified as a key talking point within the realm of overall mental health, but the concept’s specific meaning, qualities, and sources remain somewhat elusive. For those with chronic health conditions, resilience is often identified as essential to coping effectively with significant disruptions to daily activities. The purpose of this study was to better understand the concept of resilience and to determine themes that underlie resilience, specifically within a cancer patient population. This goal was addressed by using a qualitative approach to elicit commonalities among the experiences of cancer patients representing varying types and …

The Risks For Eating Disorders/Disordered Eating In Refugee & Immigrant Experiences And The Imperative Of Culturally Alert Screening, Chantal A. Bushelle

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Eating Disorders (ED)/Disordered Eating (DE) largely remain outside of global mental health agendas. There are limited data on the epidemiology EDs/DE in refugee and immigrant populations, and there is a paucity of research on refugee and immigrant experiences of EDs/DE. Study of acculturation issues in refugee and immigrant populations have historically missed investigating what role and impact experiences of stress and trauma (e.g., historical, chronic) along with cultural change and transition may have on their food attitudes and eating behaviors. While there has been some study of eating habits within refugee and immigrant populations, the focus is typically on food …

Urban School Violence Prevention: A Suggested Intervention Utilizing Liberation Psychology, Meghan K. Hogan

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

In the past decades, numerous programs have been developed in attempts to reduce the rates of violence facing students in American schools. The spotlight on these programs have increased since horrific mass shooting events have taken place throughout the country. Many of these programs have utilized varied methods in their attempt to reduce school-based violence, from the implementation of hardline policies meant to act as violence deterrents to the development of risk assessment teams aimed at identifying and intervening against potential threats; however, few of the existing programs have shown substantial efficacy rates. Additionally, several of the violence prevention programs …

A Culturally And Structurally Sensitive Approach To Working With Suicidal Latinx Individuals: Recommendations For Clinicians, Jessa Navidé

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Latinx individuals are the fastest growing racial/ethnic group in the U.S. and confront numerous challenges living in the U.S. that can impact their mental health. While their overall suicide rates are relatively low compared to non-Hispanic Whites, it is concerning to note suicide rates of Latinx individuals living in the U.S. are significantly higher compared to most countries in Latin America. The predominant approaches to treating suicidal individuals often fail to consider the sociopolitical climate and systemic challenges that exacerbate mental health concerns for Latinx individuals. This paper examines cultural considerations, racial and ethnic identity models, and unique protective and …