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Cultural Consultations In Criminal Forensic Psychology: A Thematic Analysis Of The Literature, Alesya Radosteva

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The importance of culture as a reference point in clinical practices such as forensic psychology has been considerably valued yet poorly understood, especially in an age where precision and sophistication outlast cultural authenticity and patient-clinician relationship. This paper looks at the gaps and inconsistencies that exist in current forensic psychology research. The topic is introduced by delving into the understanding of the phenomenon of culture and its influences on our everyday conditioning. Aspects such as language, biological development, traditions, rituals, and narratives are emphasized as potent tools that drive individuals to create and mold culture according to needs and requirements …

Six-Month Post-Release Outcomes For Inmates With Traumatic Brain Injury In Supported Community Programming, Elizabeth O. Ahlers

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a serious public health issue. The incidence of TBI is much higher in the incarcerated population than in the general population, making this a uniquely vulnerable population. Methods: This study looks at data from the Jail Based Behavioral Health Services (JBBS) to examine recidivism rates among inmates participating in supportive programming. It also uses data from a state brain injury program to examine the impact of case management on community engagement in the justice-involved population with a history of brain injury. Results: Statewide data for a population of inmates who elect to participate …

Hepatitis C Testing And Treatment Access Among People Who Inject Drugs, Monika Roerig

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Hepatitis C (HCV) remains a global issue as it affects 2-3% of the world’s population. Despite Canada’s universal access to healthcare, barriers to accessing testing and treatment for HCV has contributed to approximately 250,000 Canadians living with chronic HCV. People who inject drugs (PWID) account for about 60% of all HCV cases in Canada, making them the primary target for public health interventions, namely prevention and harm reduction. Harm reduction efforts have proven effective to reduce the incidence of infectious diseases and to prevent overdoses, but there remains a large proportion of individuals living with the virus who are unaware …

Predicting Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Student Success: Executive Functions And Standardized Admission Tests, Jane E. Roitsch

Communication Disorders & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Within the next three years, the number of available speech-language pathology (SLP) jobs is projected to increase by 18% (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018). The most logical response to the escalating market demand would be to increase the number of students admitted into SLP graduate programs. However, this may not be as simple as it sounds.

Successful training of graduate SLP clinicians requires the professional, emotional, financial, and time commitments of the program’s clinical and academic faculty. The accreditation status of graduate SLP programs is based in part on graduation completion rates and students passing the national examination in SLP, …

Understanding And Supporting Adults With Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder - Strategies For Health Professionals: An Opinion Piece, Amy Martyniuk, Sherri Melrose

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a non-diagnostic umbrella term used to describe the spectrum of lifelong physical, mental and intellectual disabilities that can result from prenatal exposure to alcohol. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is preventable when pregnant women abstain from drinking any type or amount of alcohol at any time during pregnancy. One in 100 children worldwide are affected. Prompt diagnosis and treatment referrals for infants and children improve functionality. Yet, conditions related to fetal alcohol exposure frequently remain unrecognized and untreated. Adults with both diagnosed and hidden Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder experience significant cognitive, behavioral and executive functioning …

Predictors Of Medical Students’ Attitudes Towards Abortion And Their Changes Overtime, Rebecca Elizabeth Morales

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

As new legislation is regularly being introduced to minimize Roe v. Wade’s protection of women’s right to choose in a medical setting, it is imperative to study what predictors may have an impact on abortion attitudes within the demographic of medical students, as well as how these predictors impact one’s willingness to provide the service in the future. The current study then, uses data collected in 2000 and 2015 from a medical school located in Virginia, and in collaboration with a research university in the state to examine what factors are associated with a willingness to provide an abortion, as …

Online Communication Settings And The Qualitative Research Process: Acclimating Students And Novice Researchers, Katherine Gregory

Publications and Research

In the last 20 years, qualitative research scholars have begun to interrogate methodological and analytic issues concerning online research settings as both data sources and instruments for digital methods. This article examines the adaptation of parts of a qualitative research curriculum for understanding online communication settings. I propose methodological best practices for researchers and educators that I developed while teaching research methods to undergraduate and graduate students across disciplinary departments and discuss obstacles faced during my own research while gathering data from online sources. This article confronts issues concerning the disembodied aspects of applying what in practice should be rooted …

Sexism, Just-World Beliefs, And Defensive Attribution: Relationship To Online Discourse And Child Sexual Abuse, Andrea M. Barbis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has shown that individuals' willingness to believe a disclosure of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is related to just-world beliefs, ambivalent sexism, and defensive attribution. However, researchers do not know whether these variables relate to posts made in response to online articles describing CSA. Negative or disbelieving posts may impact not only the author, but also readers who view these comments via hindrance of disclosures, increased self-blame, and avoidance of help seeking. In this quantitative study, just-world, ambivalent sexism, and defensive attribution theories provided the theoretical basis used to determine whether just-world beliefs, ambivalent sexism, and defensive attribution influenced comments …

Black Individuals' Lived Experiences With Racial Microaggressions And Implications In Counseling, Letitia V. Browne-James

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem of racial microaggressions in the United States has important implications for counseling due to the mental and physical health concerns individuals who experience them may develop. Although the current literature addresses racial microaggressions among Black individuals and implications for counseling, no qualitative studies that included the voices of Black individuals using relational cultural theory were found. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of Black individuals who have encountered racial microaggressions and learn their perspectives on what counselors can do to help them in counseling. Adding this perspective will help fill this gap …

Predicting The Nclex-Rn Pass Rate At An Associate Degree Nursing Program, Dawne Devoe Olbrych

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) first-time pass rate for an associate degree in nursing (ADN) program was below the national mean, presenting a problem for graduates who failed the NCLEX-RN and could not enter the workforce as registered nurses. Knowles's assumptions of adult learning, Ebbinghaus's forgetting curve, and Zull's neuroscience research served as the theoretical frameworks for this study. The purpose of this study was to identify which academic and time-lapse variables predict the graduate's first-time passage for the NCLEX-RN. Archived academic records and NCLEX-RN results for all 786 graduates from one ADN program who took …

Length Of Pretrial Detainment For Inmates With Mental Illness, Maria Pereira-Sosa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There has been an increase in the number of individuals with mental illness being housed in correctional facilities over the last 50 years. In this study, the length of pretrial detention was compared for inmates who have a mental illness and are compliant with psychiatric medications, inmates who have a mental illness and are noncompliant or not prescribed psychiatric medication, and inmates with no mental illness. I also examined if inmates who have a mental illness have less severe charges and if there was a difference in the classification of mental health diagnoses for inmates who are and are not …

Sexual Orientation And Intimate Partner Violence Among Women Who Have Sex With Women, Shanna Renn Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Limited knowledge exists about sexual orientation and intimate partner violence among women who have sex with women. These women are at risk for adverse physical and mental health hygiene outcomes that may result from unhealthy lifestyles secondary to intimate partner violence. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between sexual orientation and intimate partner violence among women who have sex with women. The constructs of the biopsychosocial model guided the study and examination of the relationships among biological factors (sexual orientation), social contexts (support of family and friends and use of community services), and psychological influence (mental …

Screening And Educating Military Veterans About Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Jane Egbufoama

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Veterans are at increased risk for developing mental illnesses because of separation from families, distressing experiences in the military, and previous injury to the brain. Approximately 30% of U.S. veterans returning from war suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The incidence of acute PTSD is reduced when victims are aware of the condition and its associated factors. Through education and screening, the project bridged the gap between deployment of military veterans and treatment of PTSD in this population by addressing whether screening veterans and providing an educational process affected veterans' early PTSD recognition and treatment. The project study addressed the …

Causes Of Recidivism Among Mentally Ill Prerelease Offenders From The Perspective Of Former Correctional Mental Health Professionals, Rina Desiree Deneice Bradley Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The move toward reducing the prison population was driven by an increase in the number of reentry programs that focused on the needs of the offender, such as the provision of stable housing, employment, education, and sustaining strong familial bonds. While the literature supported these areas as being effective in reducing recidivism, there was no consensus that they were effective for offenders with mental illness (OMI). The purpose of this qualitative study was to analyze the impact of prerelease services for the OMI population from the perspective of former correctional mental health professionals who provided these services. The research questions …

Medication-Assisted Therapy Interventions And Prescription Opioid Misuse, Stella Kiah Jefferies

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Opioid drug misuse and dependence are a social and public health problem in the United States. Prescription opioid abuse and misuse have been associated with substantial morbidity and mortality rates as well as social and economic costs. The purpose of this project was to provide a systematic review of literature on the effectiveness of medication-assisted therapy interventions in addressing the problem of prescription opioid misuse in health care settings. The systematic review was completed through a literature search conducted across five electronic databases. The review was guided by the health belief model and eligible studies were rated using Johns Hopkins …

Trauma And Juvenile Justice In Carson City, Nevada, Ali M

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Nevada State Juvenile Justice and School systems do not currently screen or treat juveniles for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Left untreated, PTSD may contribute to behaviors that can lead to engagement with the juvenile justice system and contribute to high rates of recidivism and possible future engagement with the adult justice system. Using Erickson's theory of psychological development as the foundation, the purpose of this case study was to explore whether, from the perspectives of key stakeholders whether interventions and prevention services for juvenile justice clients in Carson City met the needs of youthful offenders also diagnosed with PTSD. …

Workplace Bullying From A Nurses Perspective, Dawn Reid White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Bullying has long been associated with school children. In recent years, however, more attention has been paid to the bullying that has reached beyond the playground and into the workforce. One population facing this problem is staff nurses. To date, no one has found an effective way to address workplace bullying in the healthcare field, nor have effective methods been found for retaining trained nurses affected by this problem. The focus of this dissertation was on understanding nurses' lived experiences and how nurses decided to remain in their current working position despite these problems. Taking a phenomenological approach and using …

Evaluation Of An Opioid Risk-Assessment Screening Tool, Jacquelyne Guerra

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, prescribers should evaluate risk factors related to opioid use prior to initiation of opioid medication. The practice problem in this DNP project was that providers failed to consistently assess patients with complaints of pain for risk of opioid misuse and/or abuse prior to initiating opioid medication. An opioid risk-assessment screening tool (ORAST) has the potential to identify patients at high risk for opioid misuse and/or abuse. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice project was to identify and introduce an ORAST and then develop a policy to guide providers in …

Examining Trauma Exposure, Organizational Climate, And Job Outcomes In Child Welfare, Shano Rodgers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Exposure to traumatic situations is routine for child welfare workers in California, and the attrition rate for newly hired social workers in some states is estimated to be nearly 50% in the 1st year of employment. Prior research has indicated that reasons for dissatisfaction included dysfunctional organizational climate and culture. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which trauma exposure contributed to secondary traumatic stress and intent to quit and to examine the degree to which organizational climate moderated the exposure among direct service child welfare employees. Kurt Lewin's field theory, Figley's theory of secondary traumatic …

Nonprofessional Healthcare Staff Perceptions Regarding Inmate Self-Injury In Georgia, Alisa Adele Harmer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Self-injury in correctional facilities is an increasing problem. Healthcare staff are tasked with responding to and treating self-injurious inmates. Research concerning the perceptions of prison self-injury depended on the experiences of professional healthcare staff and showed that specialized training reduced anxiety and altered perceptions. The perceptions of nonprofessional healthcare staff regarding inmate self-injury have not been studied. The purpose of this research was to understand the perceptions of inmate self-injury maintained by untrained healthcare staff through evaluation of their expressed experiences with self-injuring inmates. The research was based on the humanistic nursing theory. A phenomenological approach guided interviews of 8 …

Trauma-Informed Education Toolkit For Screening Pediatric Victims Of Sexual Abuse And Maltreatment, Analena Michelle Lunde

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The complex challenges facing the sexual assault nurse examiners program in a midwest state are underreporting, late reporting, and poor coordination of care for pediatric victims of child maltreatment with sexual abuse. The main objective of this quality improvement project was the identification of necessary practice-related approaches to care to decrease barriers associated with reporting suspicions of abuse or neglect. An evidence-based, multidisciplinary assessment clinical toolkit that followed clinical components of trauma-sensitive, child-centered screenings triggering a coordinated response to conduct a forensic medical exam within 96 hours of the alleged incident was evaluated. During 3 rounds of surveys following the …

Advocating Ideal Type Policy For Police Officer Wellness Based On Body Mass Index As A Predictor Of Self-Reported Occupational Stress, Louis Chiappetta

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Scholars have validated both the damaging presence of police officer stress and separately, their increasing obese condition in the United States. Previous studies of police officers focus on stress or body weight, but not these variables conjointly. The purpose of this study was to inform policy creation by examining the problem of officer stress in relation to the calculated body mass index (BMI) values and to gain insight into stress outcomes. Lazarus and Folkman's stress-coping theory served as the research lens to examine if BMI would significantly contribute to the percent change of R2 variance accounted for in the predictive …

Reintegration Among Combat Veterans Suffering From Psychological Conditions, Virginia Falck

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Active duty personnel as well as combat veterans of the United States often engage in military operations during their service that require deployments to participate in missions, which may lead to extended periods away from home. When active duty men and women are appointed to combat zones, they may return with psychological burdens such as post traumatic stress disorder, which can complicate their reintegration into civilian life. This study explored the experiences of combat veterans who faced challenges when returning home from a war zone, along with the experiences of their family members. The study involved 26 combat veterans, spouses, …

Differential Treatment Outcome Factors For Custodial And Noncustodial Mental Health Care Programs, Sheila Fay Waters

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have suggested that jails and prisons in the United States are becoming the new mental health clinics, contributing to the phenomenon of mass incarceration and costing upwards of $15 billion per year in public revenue. The problem is no conclusive evidence exists that treatment in these custodial environments is more effective than that provided by noncustodial programs; especially for substance users. Additionally, the continuing incarceration of people with mental health problems by the hundreds of thousands poses a difficult ethical dilemma regarding why this population does not receive noncustodial or hospital treatment instead. The study addressed the research question …

Single Men's Experiences Of Coping With Financial Stress, Heath Downes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Experiencing financial hardship is stressful and can lead to the development of psychological symptoms, including depression and anxiety. Although researchers have examined the broad categories of coping strategies that people employ when faced with financial hardship, little is known about the experiences of single men who were able to navigate stressful times without developing anxiety or anxiety-like symptoms. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the successful coping experiences of single men with financial hardship (e.g., loss of job, home, finances). Bonanno's theory of resilience provided the framework for the study. Data were collected from interviews with 12 …

Histomorphology Of Trauma In Charred And Decomposed Remains, Mariya Bezugly

Student Theses

Decomposition and burning of human remains are frequently encountered in forensic cases, and pose a challenge at determining an accurate cause of death. At autopsy, macroscopic techniques fail to reach beyond superficial layers of degraded tissue to identify wound morphology that characterizes blunt-force gunshot, and sharp-force trauma. The postmortem damage imparted on tissue with pre-existing injuries, obstructs the external features of trauma. Exploring beyond charred and decayed superficial tissue, histo-morphological patterns of injury are still identifiable as shown in this thesis. With detailed observation to the pattern of tissue disruption- an understanding of the type of trauma imposed can be …

The Intersection Of Anger Management Counseling And Embodiment In Dance/Movement Therapy, Maria Parise

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

The purpose of this research study was to explore how the embodiment of aspects of anger may integrate within anger management counseling. Through this research, the first step was taken in exploring the physical expression of anger as an intervention tool in anger management counseling. A personal understanding of anger expression and management was established which may be utilized in future dance/movement therapy (DMT) sessions. This study was guided by multiple research questions: How might the embodiment of anger integrate with anger management counseling? How might the sensations, images, feelings, and thoughts experienced in anger management sessions lead to an …

Understanding Behavioral Health And Treatment Engagement With Former Users Of Prenatal Substances: A Strengths-Focused Mixed Methods Inquiry, Jennifer G. Benson, Peggy Maclean, Andrew Hsi, Sarah J. Erickson

Psychology ETDs

Accessible services for users of prenatal substances are lacking, and treatment engagement is poor with services that are available. Furthermore, legal consequences are often punitive, which ultimately damages the well-being of mother and child. Milagro and FOCUS are two New Mexico programs that provide comprehensive, coordinated care, including medication-assisted treatment, to former users of prenatal substances during pregnancy (in the Milagro Program) and for three years post-birth (in the FOCUS Program). This mixed methods study explored the lived experiences of women from this complex, high-risk population, using a high-engagement sample of women who utilized services at both Milagro and FOCUS. …

A Comparison Of Two Treatment Approaches For Agrammatic Broca's Aphasia: Script Therapy Vs. Verb Network Strengthening Treatment, Maureen Costello-Yacono

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Background/Introduction: Individuals with agrammatic Broca’s aphasia frequently are treated at single word level, verb priming, or simple sentence structure treatments. In this study, an impairment specific treatment such as Verb Network Strengthening Treatment (VNeST) was explored as well as a social functional approach such as Script Therapy. These two approaches were assessed by the outcome measures of rate of speech, subject-verb-object production, and error rates during probe tasks.

Objective: To examine the impact of two treatment approaches: Script Therapy and Verb Network Strengthening Treatment for two individuals with chronic agrammatic Broca’s aphasia.

Method: A single subject multiple baseline …

Postmodern Social Control: Dividuals And Surveillance, Ernest M. Oleksy

The Downtown Review: An Interdisciplinary Journal Written and Peer-Reviewed by Mandel Honors College Students at Cleveland State University

As a society's foundational philosophy changes, so, too, will its forms of social control. By using the works of thinkers like Deleuze and Foucault as pivot points, the dynamic nature of social interactions and the agents to mediate those actions shall be investigated. This article includes findings from archival analysis written in a journalistic prose for simplicity of consumption.