Protecting Graduate Students From Burnout With Self-Compassion And Authenticity, Michael S. Leeman, Joshua J. Castleberry, Anna A. Ellenson, Morgan Wallbrown

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

This study investigated whether practicing self-compassion and embracing one's authentic self could protect graduate students from burnout. Researchers also empirically examined the mediating effect of authenticity in the relationship between self-compassion and burnout. A total of 318 master's degree students in a helping profession completed surveys assessing their levels of self-compassion, authenticity, and burnout. Results found that graduate students with higher levels of self-compassion and authenticity tended to have lower levels of burnout. Additionally, authenticity mediated the relationship between self-compassion and burnout. The findings suggest that practicing self-compassion and embracing one's authentic self may lead to lower levels of burnout …

The Effects Of Miscarriage On African American Men, Serita E. Baysmore

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to describe the lived experience of African American men who have endured the loss of a child through miscarriage. Schlossberg’s transition theory, developed in 1981, was used to identify how men work through their grief by focusing on how they enter into, move through, and move out of the transition. By centering the descriptions on lived experiences, semi-structured interviews were utilized with African American men from a North Texas church, which boasts a predominantly African American population, and by word of mouth. After completion of the interviews, the data were analyzed according …

Determinants Of Corporal Punishment And Severe Physical Punishment In Egypt: A Mixed-Methods Analysis For Child Protection Policy, Marwa Moustafa Nassef

Theses and Dissertations

Corporal punishment (CP) and severe physical punishment (SPP) remain a major public health, child rights, and child protection policy concern. In Egypt, despite legislative reforms, survey-weighted analysis of the 2021 Egypt Family Health Survey (EFHS) 2021 (CAPMAS, 2022) reveals prevalence rates of 60.5% for CP and 27.4% for SPP among children aged 1–14 (author’s calculations using EFHS-2021, n=7623), yet evidence distinguishing the determinants of routine corporal punishment from escalation to severe physical punishment remains limited in low- and middle-income contexts. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s ecological framework, this mixed-methods study identifies key drivers of CP and its escalation to SPP among Egyptian …

Evaluating Interprofessional And Cultural Competency: A Community-Mental Health Interprofessional Education Event, Megan A. Whitbeck, Carrie A. Griffiths, William F. Miller, Laura M. Skoronski Chavez, Krisy Elrod, Autumn M. Forgione, Anna L. Grippi, John P. Merchant

Journal of Interprofessional Practice and Collaboration

Purpose: This study examined the effectiveness of a mental health focused interprofessional education (IPE) event, where undergraduate and graduate students from four different healthcare disciplines collaboratively completed a case study activity, that included diversity and mental health components.

Methods: A quasi-experimental, one-group pretest–posttest design was used. Participants included 72 undergraduate and graduate students from nursing, occupational therapy, health administration, and counseling programs at a private university. Students engaged in a structured team-based activity emphasizing communication, collaboration, and cultural responsiveness in a mental health care context. Self-reported measures included the Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey (ICCAS) and the Cultural …

Exploring The Simultaneous Processes Of Academic Job Search And Dissertation For Culturally Diverse Doctoral Candidates In Counselor Education Programs, Galaxina G. Wright, Jasmine Griffith, Jasmine Garrison, Inga Antrobus

Journal of Graduate Education Research

Doctoral candidates face several challenges as they complete their academic journeys, particularly as it relates to the unique balance of applying for faculty positions while completing their dissertations. Though both processes have been explored separately within some educational fields, minimal research exists within the field of counselor education (CE) examining simultaneous experiences, particularly those from historically marginalized populations. Guided by the Career Self-Management (CSM) framework and an interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA), we explored the perspectives of 11 CE candidates from historically marginalized backgrounds engaged in both processes. We identified five main themes and four subthemes that participants experienced. We discuss …

Hope And Resilience For Families Affected By Alcoholism Within The Deaf And Hard Of Hearing (Dhh) Community, Jessica Ellen Kuehne

Faculty Publications and Presentations

This presentation will cover research-based information about family alcoholism, children of alcoholics (COA), and adult children of alcoholics (ACOA) and explore how it impacts the Deaf community. Cultural considerations regarding alcohol use will be included in the presentation. The purpose of the workshop is to engage participants in increasing their knowledge and understanding of working with the unique group. It is important to note that the lack of studies and resources focusing on family alcoholism which impacts a group of COAs and ACOAs in the Deaf community. The presentation will begin with a brief overview of how family alcoholism impacts …

Caring For The Carers: Exploring The Mental Wellbeing Of Informal Palliative Caregivers Of Cancer Patients In Kenya, James Kariuki, Rose Njiraini

Journal of Global Awareness

Cancer cases have been on the increase globally, and this has led to economic burden on the affected households. One way of reducing the cost of care is through home-based care by informal palliative caregivers who include family members, friends, and other people assigned by the family members to take care of the patient. The objectives of this study were to assess the status of the mental wellbeing of palliative caregivers of cancer patients; to examine the relationship between the ability of the patient to cope with cancer diagnosis and the mental wellbeing of the caregiver; and to investigate the …

Considering Consent: What We Can Learn From Bdsm, Jennie Pless, Kate A. Morrissey Stahl, Madison Reeves

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

Consent is a pivotal, defining feature of BDSM. As such, much can be learned by examining conceptualizations of consent among those who engage in BDSM. Using a mixed methods approach, this study explores how 92 BDSM practitioners conceptualize and practice consent. Participants defined consent as an ongoing, enthusiastic, and voluntary agreement. We examine how BDSM practitioners ensure consent, educate others about consent, and handle consent violations. Findings include strategies for consent education and sexual assault prevention. This study highlights the importance of greater awareness and understanding of BDSM and consent.

Purity Culture And Sexual Shame, Dr. Amanda Gray, Dr. Kat R. Klement

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

We investigated the relationship between Christian purity culture (PC) exposure/endorsement and sexual shame in 1,273 participants. Purity culture (PC) is a belief system predicated on sexual abstinence until heterosexual marriage and traditional gender roles. Correlational data showed that PC exposure was associated with higher sexual shame, particularly among women, and only among those who no longer endorsed PC. However, we did not find a causal relationship between PC exposure and sexual shame. Based on these findings, we provide recommendations for countering sex-negative messages during adolescence to improve healthy sexual development and better health and relationship outcomes.

Korean Pastors’ Lived Experiences Of Their Congregants’ Mental Health Issues In The Philadelphia Suburbs: A Phenomenological Study, Guiyoung Kim

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe Korean pastors’ lived experiences of dealing with their congregants’ mental health issues in the suburban areas of Philadelphia. The theory guiding this study is ecological systems theory, which helps explain the mental health issues of Korean Americans and the factors influencing their help-seeking behaviors within the major ecological systems unique to this population. Data was collected through in-depth interviews with 10 Korean pastors serving Korean American churches in suburban Philadelphia. The collected data was analyzed and aggregated into themes through coding.

Exploring Counselors’ Perceived Preparedness For Private Practice Business Oriented Responsibilities, Corey L. Hancock Jr.

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to understand how fully licensed counselors who graduated from CACREP-accredited programs and did not receive formal business training during graduate school make sense of their preparedness for the business responsibilities of private practice. This study was informed by the theoretical frameworks of relational-cultural theory (RCT; Jordan, 2017) and transformative learning theory (TLT; Mezirow, 1991). Participants were fully licensed counselors with a masters or doctoral degree from a CACREP-accredited counseling program and owned a private practice. Seven participants (n = 7) were included in the study, participating in 60-90 minute semi-structured interviews. An …

The Perceptions Of Social Workers On The Mental Health Needs Of Immigrant Hispanic Males In New York City: A Phenomenological Study, Mauline Lawrence-Jackson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this research was to describe the experiences of social workers as they provide services to meet the mental health needs of Hispanic immigrant males in New York City. The study was based on Bronfenbrenner's (1979) Social Ecological Theory and Vygotsky's (1978) Social Constructivism to examine how social workers in New York City perceived and addressed the mental health needs of Hispanic immigrant men, while accounting for the influence of cultural and systemic factors. The main research question used in the study was: How do social workers in New York City describe their experiences providing services to Hispanic …

The S.A.V.E. Model Of Biblically-Based Existential Therapy For Residents Of The Assisted Living Facility Casa Di Riposo Sardara In Sardinia, Italy, Gregory K. Cherven

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christian gerontological counseling, a traditionally non-progressive field, is a crucial area of ministry, particularly for older adults in assisted living facilities and nursing homes. At Casa di Riposo Sardara in Sardinia, Italy, many residents aged 70 and older lacked a solid biblical understanding of existence and eternal life, contributing to widespread existential anxiety among this population. To address this issue, the researcher developed the S.A.V.E. (solitude, autonomy, value, eternity) model of biblically based existential therapy. This model targets the four main pillars of existential therapy: meaninglessness, isolation, freedom, and death, offering biblical solutions for each. The approach incorporates positive imagery …

Living In The Shadows: Men Who Suffer Domestic Violence: A Phenomenological Study, Sharon R. Blackmon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Domestic violence (DV) among male victims is increasingly prevalent today, and it has a tremendous effect on both male and female victims. DV has had a lasting negative impact on the overall well-being of the male victims, and it has caused them to experience physical, emotional, and psychological distress. DV does not discriminate against race, gender, cultural background, economic or educational status. While there are a vast number of studies on DV, male victims are considered perpetrators instead of victims. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe male domestic violence victims' experiences with domestic violence in rural West …

Psychological Impact Of Career Roles On African American Women: A Qualitative Study On The Long-Term Effects On Behavioral Health Providers' Field, Yolanda Seals-Stewart

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is an untold narrative regarding the levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. This leaves a gap in researchers understanding systemic, cultural, and social factors that shape mental health outcomes in a unique way. There is also a deeper need for exploration of resiliency and coping skills strategies utilized by African American women in the behavioral health field, as well as how behaviors such as discrimination, workplace dynamics, and microaggression impact the overall psyche. By addressing these gaps, a more thorough understanding of the long-term psychological effect can be addressed, and these women can receive support mechanisms and interventions that …

A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of African American Adults Who Self-Identify As Christians Serving As Caregivers For Their Parents Or Family In The Southeastern United States, Margaret J. Lee

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative, transcendental-phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of African American adult children who self-identify as Christians and serve as caregivers for their parents or family members in the southeastern United States. Despite the prevalence of caregiving within African American families, research typically does not capture the unique cultural and spiritual contexts that shape these experiences. The theories guiding this study are Bowen's family systems theory (Bowen, 1978) and the Afrocentric Perspective. These theories examine family dynamics and cultural expectations. This study sought to understand how faith, cultural values, and familial dynamics shape caregivers' experiences, …

Between Cultures: An Expressive Arts Community Engagement Project On Identity, Belonging, And Cultural Transition Among International Students, Shilpa Ivaturi

Expressive Therapies Theses

International students navigating cultural transition often experience disruptions not only in social adjustment but also in their sense of identity, belonging, and meaning-making. Grounded in expressive arts therapy, cross-cultural psychology, and mythopoetic frameworks of transformation, this thesis explores how creative processes can support international students in reflecting on and integrating their evolving identities during periods of cultural transition. A four-hour trauma-informed expressive arts workshop, structured around the Hero’s Journey arc of departure, initiation, and return, was facilitated across two sessions at a university in the northeastern United States. Seven international students from diverse cultural backgrounds engaged in multimodal practices including …

Arts-Based Violence Prevention For Youth: A Literature Review, Amber Lynn Isaac

Expressive Therapies Theses

This narrative literature review examines arts-based approaches to violence prevention and trauma-related support among school-aged children and adolescents in school and community settings. Violence is conceptualized as both interpersonal and structural, encompassing physical, emotional, relational, and systemic harms that arise through unequal access to safety, opportunity, and resources. The review then explores how these conditions increase vulnerability to trauma exposure, particularly among youth in marginalized and underserved communities, and considers the psychological impacts of violence on youth development. Centering the resilience of children and adolescents through relational strengths, adaptive coping strategies, and creative capacities, this review then examines the benefits …

Exploring Color-Blind Racial Attitudes And Critical Race Theory - Informed Beliefs Among School Social Workers, Faith E. King

Social Work Doctoral Dissertations

Black Americans face unequal rates of psychological distress and misdiagnosis primarily due to systemic racism embedded in institutions. Despite these alarming realities, current mental health frameworks often cling to biased perceptions of wellness facilitated by White, Eurocentric norms that pathologize communal resilience and cultural expressions of healing. In clinical spaces, these realities are too often erased by the biased meanings and individualistic norms that render Black grief pathological and Black resistance dysfunctional. Dominant therapeutic modalities labeled “evidence-based” remain rooted in racially neutral, individualist assumptions that exclude the lived experiences of Black clients, as they were developed for them. The National …

The Academic Workplace Climate Measure: A New Instrument To Measure Counselor Education Faculty Climate, Ryan Holliman, Ryan D. Foster, Pedro Blanco

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Research indicates that between 32% and 62% of faculty in higher education have experienced some form of incivility (Cassell, 2011; Fox, 2010; Heffernan & Bosetti, 2020; Hollis, 2012; Keashly & Neuman, 2008; McKay et al., 2008). Incivility among faculty can be associated with declining health, decreased faculty retention, diminished self-esteem, and lowered psychological well-being (McClendon et al., 2021; Miner et al., 2012; Raskauskas & Skrabec, 2011). Although counselor educators are presumably experts in effective communication and conflict negotiation, anecdotal reports of conflict in counselor education departments are frequent. This study developed an instrument called the Academic Workplace Climate Measure. In …

Understanding Counselor Burnout From An Ecological Systems Perspective, Stephanie Thorson-Olesen, Lisa Belknap, Emily Velidow, Jessica Gaul, Phoenix Rosewood, Nayara Aparecida Da Costa Silva Beall

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Using Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory as a guiding framework, this study explored the experiences of licensed counselors who self-identified as having recovered from burnout. Burnout was conceptualized as a prolonged response to chronic occupational stress, while participants were invited to describe their experiences based on their own lived understandings of the phenomenon. A qualitative thematic analysis was conducted using data collected through an anonymous online survey featuring open-ended prompts. Participants included 32 licensed counselors who graduated from CACREP-accredited programs and reported previously experiencing burnout and no longer identifying as currently burned out. Thematic analysis yielded nine interrelated themes encompassing contributors, …

Navigating The Borderlands: Testimonios Of First-Generation Chicanas In Counselor Education, Jessenia Garcia, Heather Trepal

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

This research applies Anzaldúa’s (1987) Borderlands Theory to examine the testimonios of first-generation Chicana faculty in counselor education. A narrative methodology was employed (n=10), leading to the identification of several themes that illuminate their unique challenges and resilience. Four themes emerged: (a) balancing worlds: family and academia, (b) weaving identity into academia, (c) cultural identity in the borderlands, and (d) disrupting borders, including the subtheme: Red tape and higher ed mafia. These findings provide insight into the institutional barriers and identity navigation experienced by these faculty members. Recommendations for recruitment and retention are included.

Conceptualizing Professional Identity Development In Art Therapy Supervision With Post-Graduate Art Therapists Who Are Pre-Licensed, Christine S. Atkinson

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This study explored how art therapy supervisors conceptualize professional identity development (PID) in supervision with postgraduate art therapists who were pre-licensed. There was limited empirical research on how art therapy supervisors understood and support PID within art therapy supervision, particularly during the transitional period between graduate training and professional licensure. This study addressed the research question: How do art therapy supervisors conceptualize PID in supervision with postgraduate art therapists who are pre-licensed?

Fourteen art therapy supervisors participated in the study (86% female; 14% non-binary), ranging in age from 25 to over 65 years old. All participants identified their race or …

“There Was Nothing Left To Give”: Experiences Of Compassion Fatigue Among Former In-Patient Psychiatric Clinicians, Katie Ladner

Counseling and Psychology Dissertations

Compassion Fatigue (CF) is a state of emotional and physical exhaustion resulting from prolonged exposure to stressful or traumatic experiences, specifically among healthcare workers, and it negatively impacts their ability to provide care to their patients and perform their jobs effectively (Singh et al., 2020). The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the lived experiences of compassion fatigue in mental health clinicians who previously worked in in-patient psychiatric hospitals and their subsequent resignations. This phenomenological research explored participants' understanding and descriptions of their CF experiences in their roles within psychiatric hospitals and how CF contributed to their leaving …

Exploring Play: Counselor Education Strategies, Online Community Fantasy Play, And Sexuality In The Counseling Space, Nattalie Wolff-Tseng

Dissertations, 2020-current

This dissertation examines the ways that play is constructed and understood in a variety of settings. Using Relational Cultural Theory as a guiding theoretical influence, each portion examines how play influences relationships and how engagement in play and conversations about play can enhance student–teacher relationships, social connection, and the therapeutic relationship. The first section of this dissertation, the conceptual article, explores how play can support counselor education as it encourages creative engagement and discourages perfectionism, which is often noticeable in novice counselors. Play may take many forms in the classroom and offers counselor educators the opportunity to tailor activity to …

Enhancing Access Through Integrated Behavioral Healthcare: Expanding Counselor Identity And Social Determinants Of Health Competency, Tiffany N. Snow

Dissertations, 2020-current

Abstract

The counseling profession has historically differentiated its identity by emphasizing a wellness-oriented approach. However, this has often led to the exclusion of counselors from integrated behavioral healthcare (IBH). With the 2024 enactment of the Mental Health Access Improvement Act, counselors now have unprecedented opportunities to serve as behavioral health providers in federal medical settings. This three-manuscript dissertation explores the intersection of counselor professional identity, social determinants of health (SDoH) competency, and interprofessional collaboration within IBH.

Manuscript 1 presents a conceptual framework for reconciling traditional counselor identity with the "medical model" of Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH), arguing that this …

An Equity-Based And Culturally Responsive Bill Of Rights For Early Childhood Students Of Color With Exceptionalities, Evette Simmons-Reed, Michelle Frazier Trotman Scott, Gloria Tardash, Mildred Boveda, Donna Y. Ford

Perspectives on Early Childhood Psychology and Education

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated existing disparities in early intervention (EI) and early childhood special education (ECSE) services for culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) disabled children, exposing critical gaps in access, services and support. systemic inconsistencies in implementation, training, and funding, remain barriers limit opportunities for CLD students to benefit, despite the aims of the Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Act (IDEA). To address these inequities, this manuscript proposes an expanded and updated Culturally Responsive Equity-Based Bill of Rights for EI and ECSE. Building upon Ford and colleagues' (2018) work, this revised document extends protections to children aged zero to five, emphasizing …

Guest Editor's Introduction: Methodological Innovations For Advancing Early Childhood Educational And Psychological Research, Anthony Mangino Ph.D.

Perspectives on Early Childhood Psychology and Education

The goal of this special issue is to provide you, the inquisitive reader and developmental scientist, with some of the methodological tools to aid in augmenting your analytic capacity.

The Lived Experiences Of African American Youth With The Juvenile Justice System, Marion D. Rogers

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This qualitative case study examined the lived experiences of African American youth in the juvenile justice system using Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory and Intersectionality Theory as guiding frameworks. Three participants engaged in three rounds of in-depth interviews, and the data were analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding, with findings presented at the within-case and cross-case levels. Results revealed how family dynamics, school exclusion, community survival strategies, and systemic surveillance shaped participants’ pathways through the justice system, while experiences of resilience coexisted with mistrust, invisibility, and ambivalence toward counselors and authority figures. The study highlights the importance of culturally responsive …

Improving Fafsa Completion For High School Graduates, Haylee B. Padilla

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Too many students at Learning For Life Charter School graduate without a clear understanding of social mobility and are unprepared for the academic and practical demands of college. This project addressed the need for increased FAFSA completion and college and career readiness among 11th and 12th grade high school students graduating in the 2026 school year. The purpose of this project was to provide support to help students get federal student aid by walking them through filling out the FAFSA form and giving clear steps so they could apply without stress. Key activities included workshops, one-on-one support guiding students through …