Anxiety Patterns In Gifted Adolescents From Parents' Perspectives, Felicia Moreschi

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study explores the connection between giftedness and anxiety. Families of gifted adolescents were invited to participate in a survey to identify themes of anxiety within the school and home settings. The Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale, parent report (Spence, 1999) was used as the survey instrument. A total of 18 participants responded. Several themes were revealed based on the responses to questions on the survey. The themes that emerged have been identified as patterns of anxiety, including separation anxiety, physical injury fears, and social anxiety.

The Association Between Adolescent Dating Violence And Internalizing Symptoms: Insecure Attachment As A Moderator, Jasmine Blake

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study examines whether insecure attachment styles moderate the relationship between adolescent dating violence (ADV) victimization and internalizing symptoms. It was hypothesized that an insecure attachment style would strengthen the existing relation between ADV victimization and internalizing symptoms. It was also hypothesized that this association would be stronger for girls than boys. One hundred and fifty-two adolescents participated in this study (M age = 15.61 years, SD = 1.086, 74.3% girls) and were asked to complete a survey that assessed ADV victimization, internalizing symptoms, and attachment style. Bivariate correlations did not reveal a significant associations between ADV victimization and …

Bullying: How Feelings Of Fatalism May Influence Youth Choices To Offend, Tammy Shartzer

Theses

School age bullying continues to be a source of intense research as it is commonly linked to increased levels of delinquency in adolescents. In an effort to understand the process through which bullying victimization is linked to increased levels of delinquency, researchers continue to explore environmental and psychological components. This study used both OLS regression and negative binomial regression to examine the relationship between traditional and cyberbullying victimization and delinquency to assesses if fatalism mediates or moderates this relationship. An individual with fatalism often feels they are stuck within a revolving cycle of bad happenings and are powerless to change …

Older Adults’ Physical Activities And Subjective Well-Being, Mihae Bae, Hyunsook Kang

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

This study examined the relationships between physical activities as health behaviors and subjective well-being in older adults. Data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) survey were used. The NSHAP study sampled persons 57-85 years of age (n=3005). The respondents completed a telephone survey, reporting their background information and social networking characteristics. For data analysis, a two-step hierarchical regression was used in order to identify the associations between the demographic and physical activity factors on subjective perception of well-being in older adults. Our results indicated that, among the demographic, income, education, health status, and participation …

Exploring Opportunities For Supporting Juvenile Justice-Involved Youth: A Path Forward Through Expanding Graduate Training In School Psychology, Erica L. Gleason

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

School psychologists are equipped with a dynamic skill set and an ethical and moral responsibility to support the diverse needs of all youth. While juvenile justice-involved youth may not be a primary subpopulation served by all school psychologists, they are a high-needs group that requires special consideration and attention. As a professional entity, school psychologists’ knowledge and expertise are not optimally applied to serving these youth. Consequently, school psychologists may be forgoing an opportunity to improve rates of successful school and community reintegration and overall positive life outcomes for justice-involved youth. The first manuscript of this dissertation presents precipitating and …

Development And Testing Of Remote Facilitation Of Prevent-Teach-Reinforce For Families To Address Challenging Behavior In Young Children (Ptr-F:R), Abby Hodges

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As children advance through developmental stages, they often present behavioral difficulties such as tantrums, lack of cooperation, and aggression. For some children, behaviors are serious enough that they interfere with the child’s ability to engage in positive relationships, participate in necessary routines, and learn new skills, warranting behavioral intervention (Dunlap et al., 2017). Being responsive to the needs of the family and appreciation for the central role that they play is crucial to the success of behavioral interventions and the maintenance of positive outcomes (Bailey, 2013; Campbell, 1995), thus, their input should be at the center of all recommendations and …

Addressing Student Stress: The Impact Of Training On Student Assistance Team Practices, Kaitlin Stanton

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (Ed.D.)

This Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice investigated the impact of training and continuous support on the effectiveness of a high school Student Assistance Team’s ability to identify and discuss students experiencing high stress levels. In Phase 1 of this action research, the researcher determined the problem of practice to be high stress levels that impacted students’ academic, social, and emotional development. After conducting a root cause analysis and the identification of drivers of change, the researcher selected one high leverage practice to implement. In Phase 2, the researcher implemented training and support sessions to foster the Student Assistance Team members’ …

Popularity And Internalizing Symptoms: The Possible Mediational Role Of Friendship Quality, Jocelyn Camargo

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Adolescence is an important developmental period where friendships become important for social emotional adjustment. Given the importance of friendships in adolescence, the current study explored the relation between popularity and internalizing problems and whether friendship qualities mediated this relation. The present study aimed to answer the following research question: What is the mediating role of friendship qualities in the relationship between perceived popularity and internalizing symptoms? Data from the National Institute of Child Health and Development – Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development were analyzed. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results indicate that adolescents who rated …

Humanitarian Workers' Perspectives On Mental Health And Resilience Of Refugee Youth: Implications For School Psychology, Diana Maria Diaków

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Almost half of the 79.5 million forcibly displaced persons worldwide are youth under the age of 18, including refugees. Refugee youth face deliberate threats across all migration stages including violence, abuse, exploitation, poor living conditions, limited or no access to healthcare and education, interrupted family structure, and discrimination. Noteworthy, school psychologists who practice in host countries face new challenges as these diverse youth enroll in public schools. During the migration stage, humanitarian workers are a primary source of psychosocial and educational support for refugee youth and their families. Therefore, the aim of this research study was to inform school psychology …

Attachment And Creativity Focused Counseling Intervention For Parents And Adolescents Presenting With A Trauma History, Leah Merle Batty-Hibbs

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The central research question that informed this study asks: How do attachment and creativity focused counseling interventions encourage connection between an adolescent and their parent or caregiver? The research study centered on two mother and son dyads that participated in six weeks of a therapeutic intervention. The modality utilized an attachment and creativity focused approach created by the author. Data was collected through a post intervention semi-structured interview with the parent (adult). Data was transcribed and evaluated with an interpretive phenomenological approach. Six themes were identified by a team of researchers. The findings have implications for clinical practice with parents …

Neo-Emancipatory Sex Education In Germany: Sexual Abuse And Gender Confusion, Bernd Ahrbeck, Karla Etschenberg, Marion Felder

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

This article focuses on two related areas of concern with regard to sex education and implications for children and youth in Germany. The first one is the history of the currently dominant neo-emancipatory sexual education and its implications for today. This direction of sex education is highly influenced by theories of Helmut Kentler who with the help of the German city of Berlin youth protection services department sent homeless and troubled boys to known pedophiles for care. This experiment went on for 30 years, ending in 2001. Only now has the extend of this horrific practice been fully discovered. The …

Integrating Social Justice Practices Into Graduate Training: Collaborating With Stakeholders To Adapt Professional Development In Puerto Rico, Kathryn D. Kurtz, Emily R. Defouw, Marta E. Pagan-Ortiz

International Journal of School Social Work

Treating trauma has become an international social justice concern, with increasing numbers of graduate training programs prioritizing how to conceptualize needs and interventions within a trauma-informed framework. Minimal research and guidelines exist for adapting these trauma-informed practices for the local community context. Additionally, trauma-informed practices often fail to consider ongoing structural issues faced by oppressed communities such as poverty and racism. Social work, psychology, and counseling graduate training programs often rely on a cultural competency framework instead of a social justice framework that addresses racism and Whiteness. During our graduate Counseling and School Psychology training program at the University of …

Social Anxiety Screening And Associated Factors Among University Students, Kathleen Prendergast

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Social anxiety is a type of anxiety triggered by social situations whereby the individual feels scrutinized by others, and which may contribute to avoidance of certain situations. This avoidance can interfere with personal, academic, and career endeavors. Cognitive behavioral therapy can help manage social anxiety. However, social anxiety is often underrecognized and
under treated. A survey with the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) was disseminated to identify and address this need among students in a large Northeastern university in the United States. The study is valuable as a pilot study. There was a small response rate for participation in the …

Crisis Counseling Self- Efficacy: Personal Abilities And Situational Influences, Suzanne Maniss Ph.D., Yuleinys A. Castillo Ph.D., Jason Cartwright, Selma D. Yznaga Ph.D.

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

Crises are unpredictable in nature and affect the general well-being of individuals. A proper crisis management foundation can prepare future counselors to effectively work with clients who are experiencing a crisis. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the perceptions of counselors-in-training (CIT) in relation to their anticipated crisis intervention abilities. This paper reports the results of qualitative focus groups of counselors in training. Participants reported perceived strengthens and limitations shaping their ability to handle a crisis. Counselor preparation offers opportunities to properly train culturally responsive providers for crisis management.

Key words: Crisis counseling; self-efficacy; counselor education

Exploring The Impact Of The Achievement Gap On Shame And Resilience In African American College Students, Brittany R. Thomas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The achievement gap refers to the stark difference that occurs between racial or gender groups, as one group performs significantly higher than the other. An achievement gap has the propensity to produce psychological distress, as well as buffering techniques that are necessary for survival and success. Growing research shows that African American college students experience unique levels of trauma, shame, hardship, macro, and micro-aggressions, suggesting that these students learn to self-preserve as early as 10 years old. This study used a Pearson correlation, Independent T-Test, and a Moderated Multiple Regression to explore the impact of the achievement gap on shame …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Teacher–Child Relationships, Student Behavior, And Classroom Management, Szu-Yu Chen, Natalya A. Lindo, Sarah Blalock, Dina Yousef, Latoya Smith, Kara Hurt-Avila

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Children’s relationships with their teachers are a potential resource for enhancing developmental and academic outcomes. The effects of positive or negative teacher–child relationships can be either beneficial or detrimental to students’ academic progress, behaviors, and emotions. In the current study, we utilized a qualitative research design to examine 18 pre-kindergarten to fourth-grade teachers’ perceptions of teacher–child relationships, student behavior, and classroom management. Analysis of in-depth interviews yielded five major themes: (a) beliefs in children, (b) teaching strategies, (c) acknowledging individual differences, (d) challenges, and (e) relationships. Findings of this study have the potential to inform in-service training regarding relationship-building skills …

Exposure To Nature: An Underutilized Component Of Student Mental Health, Jeremy S. Bekker

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Nature-exposure interventions on university campuses may serve as an effective addition to overburdened counseling and student support centers. Nature-exposure interventions can work as a preventative health measure on campuses, which can be used adjacently with existing health resources. This paper outlines the potential benefits of nature exposure for students’ physical health, mental well-being, and academic success. Previous research has demonstrated that nature exposure may help reduce cognitive load, decrease negative psychological symptoms, increase psychological coping ability, and lead to better physical health. Many campuses already contain green spaces, defined as any part of an environment that is predominately made of …

Divining Structural Factors Related To Intervention Success Or Failure: Cultural Sexism Versus Other Macro-Level Factors, Blair T. Johnson, Christine M. Curley

CHIP Documents

This article provides commentary on a spatial meta-analysis published by Price and colleagues (2021); it provides valuable preliminary evidence that a dimension of cultural sexism can countervail efforts for psychotherapy to succeed in samples that focus on girls aged four to 18. Our own study reveals cultural sexism to be markedly associated with at least three macro-level factors: cultural tightness, historical slaveholding (and by implication racism), and sex education inclusiveness. The fact that cultural sexism can be so well predicted by these factors is additional evidence that cultural sexism is real, yet it also suggests caution in interpreting these effects …

Where Are We With Education About Mental Health And Illness: A Survey Research, Symphony Williams

Symposium of Student Scholars

The purpose of my research is to investigate public awareness of mental health and illness. This study is paramount because of the mental health crisis our world faces today. I conducted a survey research in which I used Google Forms and asked a series of questions about the participants’ education, experiences, and opinions on mental health and illness. The total participants were 67. The analysis of survey responses resulted in several findings. First, 34.3% of the 67 participants had a diagnosed mental illness, and 72% of those participants suffer from some form of depression while 77.8% suffer from anxiety. These …

Examining The Influence Of Mental Health On Expressions Of Verbal Aggression And Assertiveness, Juliet Aura

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Recent reports in the media suggest an increase in the number of aggression cases in schools and the community. One of the forms of aggression experienced over the lifespan is verbal aggression. Verbal aggression has been considered a negative trait because of the harmful effects it has on the recipient. On the contrary, assertive behavior is a socially desirable trait and is considered a positive communication trait. The purpose of the study was to establish the effectiveness of psychological services and self-care in reducing verbally aggressive behavior. The study also aimed to determine how psychological services can improve assertiveness. …

Using A Dual-Factor Model To Understand The Mental Health Of Students With School Refusal Behavior, Zachary D. Maupin

Education (PhD) Dissertations

Students with school refusal behavior (SRB) often present complex cases that include variations of internalizing (anxiety and depression) and externalizing (opposition and defiance) mental health struggles. Historically, incongruent classification methods and terminology have hindered the progress of effectively or consistently assessing SRB. Consequently, practitioners face several obstacles in the process of identifying and understanding these students. Despite guidance from past literature, several questions about how SRB interacts with students' mental health are left unanswered. The present study used data from over 100,000 student responses on the California Healthy Kids Survey-Secondary Core Module. A review of attendance questions from this survey …

Exploring Effectiveness Of Implementation Of The Mindup Program Through Implementor Perspectives, Maria Jelic

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Developing feasible universal school-based programs that help children develop social and emotional competencies is crucial for the development of improved mental health in children, especially those who have been exposed to trauma. Educators need to be motivated to implement such programs with high quality so that intended outcomes are more likely to occur, but a variety of both internal and external factors can affect implementation. The present study explores these factors by inviting the perceptions of implementers and support staff who were involved in an SEL program called MindUP. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight participants, the interviews were transcribed …

Pornography: Social, Emotional And Mental Implications Among Adolescents, William Kelly Canady

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

This presentation will explain the historical development of pornography. It will highlight four segments: 1- Porn’s impact on brain development of reward pathways, ultimately increasing the appetite for more porn. 2- Porn can be a false substitute for real intimacy, resulting in decreased sexual satisfaction with a real person and increased verbal and physical aggression. 3- Porn promotes sex trafficking, promotes multiple sex partners and reduced STD prevention. 4- A review of interventions available to assist clients in navigating a lifestyle away from pornography.

Mental Health Interveners, Stress And Response To Covid-19 In Elementary Schools, Johanna Sosa

Honors Theses

This study investigated symptoms of anxiety and depression among school-based mental health providers before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fifty-six school psychologists, counselors, and social workers completed an online questionnaire to assess anxiety, depression, occupational duties, and involvement in planning services. Eight participants were interviewed to explore methods and challenges of providing care. Results suggested that the pandemic led to increased symptoms of anxiety and depression. Participants’ scores, in the survey, indicated that anxiety and depression were related to age and lack of involvement in planning services. Interviews revealed difficulties faced with uncertainty in day-to-day tasks, new responsibilities, Covid-19 protocols, …

How Psychotherapists Practice In The Digital Era, Josh Weinstein

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The digital era, marked by digital devices connected via high speed data networks, has altered human experience in profound ways over the past 40 years. The potential for novel forms of human relating and fulfillment of desire has led to myriad changes in behavior, thought and unconscious activity. While many adapt or thrive in expanded reality, for some, the digital can be context, source and/or location for psychological affliction. When those who suffer seek psychological relief, how psychotherapists listen for, conceptualize and work with the effects of the digital matter a great deal. While theoretical and quantitative research literature exists …

The Development, Implementation, And Assessment Of A Stress Management Group Counseling Curriculum For Gifted Middle School Students, Chelsey Windl

Counselor Education Theses

Gifted students are a special population that is often forgotten about (Wood & Peterson, 2018). They are a diverse group of students with very unique needs. School counselors and other educators must develop their knowledge and skills for working this group. Although it may seem like they are capable of handling the academic rigor and stress associated with being part of a gifted program, this may not be the case. Research has shown that they are just as likely to have mental health issues (e.g., anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, etc.) as their peers (Wood & Peterson, 2018; Moon, 2009). Gifted …

The Effect Of Depression On Adolescent Deviant Behavior And The Mediating Effect Of Autonomy, Theresa Lee

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to synthesize the relations among the adolescent need for autonomy in decision making process, depression, and tendencies for deviant or risk-taking behaviors as adolescents. Background variables such as socio-economic status, sex, race, previous academic achievement, parent warmth and support, resistance to peer pressure were controlled for. Using the NICHD database set, multiple regression analyses revealed that adolescent autonomy was not correlated with adolescent depression, and earlier depression at sixth grade was not a significant mediator of the effect of earlier deviant behaviors at sixth grade on later adolescent deviant behaviors. More importantly, however, the …

Communicating With Play: Helping Adults Recognize Separation Anxiety Disorder And Social Anxiety Disorder In Preschool Children, Katlynn Marie Shamro

Senior Projects Spring 2021

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Social Studies of Bard College.

Despite well-founded and agreed upon evidence showing preschool-aged children experience anxiety (CDC, 2020), children ages 2-6 are continuously understudied, underdiagnosed, and undertreated for these disorders (NIMH, 2019). Researchers attribute this to the primarily cognitive, as opposed to behavioral symptoms of anxiety, communication deficits during the preschool years, and the nature of childhood amplifying already existing barriers to a diagnosis of anxiety. Because diagnosis is the first step to gaining access to mental health resources and early intervention mitigates symptoms and impaired functioning (Barstead et al., 2018), as well …

"My Head Was Like A Washing Machine On Spin": (Improving) Women’S Experiences Of Accessing Support, Jo Neale, Kathryn Hodges

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

This paper draws on data collected as part of two larger studies to set out the differences, according to women seeking support, between the feminist responses of the specialist women’s sector and the issues-led responses of other agencies. The first study examined the processes by which women enter, endure, and exit relationships with abusive men. The second study explored the barriers to help-seeking for those accessing a service for women involved in prostitution. Taking a feminist poststructuralist approach, the authors point to the gendered nature, both of the experiences that propel women toward help-seeking and of the responses they receive …

Weaving In Wellness: Infographics For Self-Care, Adair Finucane, Mickey Sperlich, Whitney Mendel

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

Human service professionals are at risk for burnout, vicarious trauma (VT), and compassion fatigue (CF) throughout their careers, and contemporary levels of burnout, VT, and CF suggest a need for interventions. Engagement in mindfulness and self-care has been found to buffer these risks while increasing worker wellbeing. This article presents infographics intended for facilitating practical self-care engagement. The accompanying infographics provide guidance for mindful self-care behaviors woven into daily transitions. They present a low-cost means of promoting self-care strategies throughout agencies and organizations. This, along with minimal time commitments for each practice, makes these infographics an accessible intervention for human …