Digital Commons Network^™

The Extent To Which Race, Ptsd Symptoms, And Attitudes Toward Help-Seeking Predict Help-Seeking Intentions/Help-Seeking Behavior Among Veterans, Lenora Elizabeth Rogers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Veterans who are returning to civilian life often experience barriers to seeking mental healthcare. The purpose of this quantitative, non-experimental, correlational study was to determine the extent to which race, PTSD symptoms, and attitudes toward help-seeking (psychological openness, help-seeking propensity, indifference to stigma) predict help-seeking intentions and help-seeking behavior among military veterans. Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior was the basis for this study. A convenience sample of 105 veterans (53 African Americans, 52 Caucasians) were recruited via Alchemer. Standard multiple regression analysis showed that help-seeking propensity was a significant predictor of help-seeking intentions, with higher scores on help-seeking propensity predicting …

The Impact Of Explaining Vegetarian Meal Requests On The Affective Responses And Perceptions Of Meat Eaters, Emma Howard, Kate Laffan Dr

Articles

Social situations can present challenges for those looking to reduce or avoid eating meat. In an experimental vignette study with a large representative sample of 1,117 UK-based meat eaters, we explore affective responses to requests for vegetarian meals and perceptions of those making the request across four social situations: a BBQ, a pub, a restaurant dinner, and a dinner party. We examine moderators of these perceptions including whether the requester presents themselves as vegetarian or a meat restrictor and whether they cite health, environmental or no motives for their request. Overall, we find that these moderators have a greater impact …

The Qualitative Study Of The African American Pastors' Perceptions Of Marriage And Family Therapists, De Angela Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological study investigates African American pastors' perceptions regarding mental health practitioners' roles. The research aims to comprehend the perspectives and experiences of ten participants, allowing them to select the location for data collection. This study investigates the relationship between interpretive phenomenon analysis and the perceptions of African American pastors using the hermeneutic phenomenology framework established by influential thinkers such as Husserl, Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty, and Sartre (Smith et al., 2022). As a philosophical discipline, phenomenology emphasizes the importance of an individual's lived experiences and worldview. Husserl, Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty, and Sartre have contributed to this discipline by emphasizing the inseparable relationship …

Relationship Between Use Of Online Dating Apps And Mental Well-Being In Young Adults, Kyndal A. Burdin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Technology and social media use are steadily becoming the preferred way to form and maintain relationships. A large majority of young adult populations investing time and energy into dating applications to meet romantic partners. Research has identified that there are many benefits, but also many risks, to using technology. It is important to identify the potential negative outcomes that dating app users may face and inform mental health professionals who can create proper preventive measures and treatment plans when working with clients. This study addresses the gap in the literature about some of the potential relationships between negative mental health …

Examining The Relationships Between Emotional Intelligence, Role Overload, And Intent To Leave The Profession Among Elementary School Teachers, Rachael D. Egli

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

District and school leaders experience significant challenges in recruiting, supporting, and retaining teachers, year-to-year. This non-experimental quantitative correlational study examined relationships between components of teacher role overload and intent to leave the profession among elementary school teachers. The study also examined emotional intelligence as a moderator variable on the relationship between teacher role overload and teachers’ intent to leave the profession. A total of 106 eligible teacher participants were recruited to complete an anonymous online survey. Demographics data, as well as emotional intelligence and occupational stress data, using the BEIS-10 and TOSFQ were collected (Davies et al., 2010; Foxworth et …

The Relationship Between Meaning, Basic Psychological Needs, And Motivation At Work: A Self-Determination Perspective, Cory Anne Trevena

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In the following dissertation, I explored the predictive influence of meaning in life on autonomous motivation at work and psychological well-being in the presence of the three basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness identified by self-determination theory. The first hypothesis for this correlational study was that meaning in life would distinctly predict autonomous motivation at work beyond autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The second hypothesis for this study was that meaning in life would distinctly predict psychological well-being beyond autonomy, competence, and relatedness. I conducted a multiple regression analysis on the data collected from 94 working adults recruited using …

The Relationship Between Parental Regard And Youth Athlete Performance And Contingency Of Self-Worth, Alysia M.K. Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Youth athletic participation is important for the socioemotional development of children, such as lowering the risk of antisocial behaviors, increasing prosocial behaviors, improving physical and mental health, and lowering the risk of obesity. The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to explore the relationship between the youth athletes’ perception of how their parents regarded them and their self-worth and perception of their athletic performance, which was explored from the perception of the former youth athlete. The variables were operationalized by utilizing the following instruments: the Parental Conditional Positive Regard Scale (PCPRS), the satisfaction of sporting experience using Turman’s (2006) …

Relationship Between Attachment, Spirituality, And Moral Injury Among Military Veterans, Amy C. Minor

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Extensive research indicates a convergence of emotional and neurobiological symptomatology between insecure attachment and moral injury among military veterans indicating a relationship may exist between attachment and moral injury. This quantitative correlational study aimed to investigate the relationship between attachment, moral injury, and intrinsic religiosity, addressing a gap in the research. This study included 42 United States residing participants all confirmed prior active military deployment to a war zone. Data was collected utilizing a single online survey to assess adult attachment, intrinsic religiosity, moral injury, and a demographic questionnaire. Bivariate correlations revealed that insecure anxious attachments positively correlated with intrinsic …

Evaluating The Difference Between Anxiety And Depression For Adults In The United States Who Were Adopted Internationally Versus Domestically, And Seeking To Determine If Age At Adoption Is A Predictor Of Depression And Anxiety For The Internationally Adopted, Kaitlyn Nicole Whiteside Engle

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is a gap in research on if there is a difference in mental health in those internationally and domestically adopted into the United States. The purpose of this quantitative study is to evaluate if there is a difference in depression and anxiety levels in those adopted domestically versus those adopted internationally and to determine if age at adoption for those internationally adopted is associated with levels of anxiety and depression. The three research questions are is there a difference in anxiety and depression levels in those internationally versus domestically adopted, is there a difference in age at adoption between …

Crime Against The Homeless Population: Barriers And Strategies From Washington, Dc Housing Services Case Managers, Stephanie Strianse

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Homelessness is a widespread concern across the United States, especially in Washington, DC. The homeless population experiences victimization at alarming rates compared to their housed counterparts; however, these instances of crime against this population are often unreported. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the barriers to reporting crime against the homeless population and the strategies to reduce those barriers from the perspective of housing services case managers in Washington, DC. Lenoir’s social exclusion theory was the theoretical framework for this study. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews with 11 housing services case managers who work with …

Trauma-Informed Supervision In Substance Use Treatment Agencies, Janice Ruesler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is limited research from supervisors' perspectives on the use of trauma-informed supervision practices when supervising substance use counselors. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to explore the process of licensed professional counselors who are clinical substance use supervisors using trauma-informed supervision. The research question was: How do substance use counselor supervisors engage in trauma-informed supervision? Participants included eight licensed professional counselor substance use supervisors who met the inclusion criteria of more than five years of clinical experience, utilized a trauma-informed supervision model, and supervised one or more supervisees. Following grounded theory methodology, a bottom-up coding approach was …

Fear, Distress, And Dissociation: Correlates Of Physiological Hyporeactivity After Interpersonal Victimization, Natalia Kecala

Dissertations

Background and Objective: Despite consistent findings of high reactivity to trauma cues in PTSD, there exists a consistent subset of physiological nonresponders who exhibit more complex and severe posttraumatic symptomatology. Research has identified different patterns of defensive reactivity representing Fear (core) and Distress (complex) PTSD symptoms. However, no studies have directly compared responders and nonresponders on physiological and clinical symptoms posttrauma.

Method: 66 adult women who had experienced first-degree sexual or physical assault within the last month were categorized using heart rate reactivity (HRR) to two personalized trauma scripts. Participants exhibiting negative HRR to both scripts were classified as nonresponders …

Neural Correlates Of Socially Rewarding Memories In Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Kyle P. Blidy

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Significance. Memory disturbances for emotional content are central to PTSD, yet most research focuses on trauma memories. Recent evidence suggests that enhancing access to positive memories could improve mood, affect regulation, self-esteem, and integration of trauma memories. However, the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying positive memory encoding in PTSD are poorly understood. No study has examined memory for positive social items in PTSD, which is important because PTSD entails social withdrawal and reduced accessibility to positive memory. Additionally, positive memories embedded in a social context have enhanced subjective value and strengthening their accessibility may confer greater benefits to wellbeing compared to non-social …

Perceived Workplace Obstacles And Compensatory Strategies Used By School Psychologists With Disabilities, Gary E. Schaffer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite efforts to recruit and retain school psychologists from diverse backgrounds, there has been little focus on school psychologists with disabilities. This oversight is concerning given that school psychologists deliver extensive support to students with disabilities yet simultaneously remain largely absent from diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. The current study sought to learn about school psychologists with disabilities by providing much-needed demographic information on this population while also focusing on their workplace experiences. Two-hundred-fifty-five participants were asked about their perceptions regarding the systemic challenges they encountered, personal challenges they faced, reasons they disclosed or did not disclose their disability, and …

Age, Slow Wave Sleep, And Hippocampal-Dependent Memory: Insights Into Cognitive Mapping, Hannah R. Maybrier

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION Age, Slow Wave Sleep, and Hippocampal-Dependent Memory: Insights into Cognitive Mapping by Hannah Maybrier Doctor of Philosophy in Psychological and Brain Sciences Clinical Science Aging and Development Washington University in St. Louis, 2024 Denise Head, Chair Aging affects the ability to form cognitive maps—mental representations of spatial layouts—leading to reduced driving mobility and reluctance to visit unfamiliar places (Bryden et al., 2013; Burns, 1999). Since independence is crucial for successful aging, reduced mobility is linked to lower quality of life and well-being in older adults (Spinney et al., 2009). Identifying lifestyle factors that impair cognitive mapping …

Age, Slow Wave Sleep, And Hippocampal-Dependent Memory: Insights Into Cognitive Mapping, Hannah R. Maybrier

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION Age, Slow Wave Sleep, and Hippocampal-Dependent Memory: Insights into Cognitive Mapping by Hannah Maybrier Doctor of Philosophy in Psychological and Brain Sciences Clinical Science Aging and Development Washington University in St. Louis, 2024 Denise Head, Chair Aging affects the ability to form cognitive maps—mental representations of spatial layouts—leading to reduced driving mobility and reluctance to visit unfamiliar places (Bryden et al., 2013; Burns, 1999). Since independence is crucial for successful aging, reduced mobility is linked to lower quality of life and well-being in older adults (Spinney et al., 2009). Identifying lifestyle factors that impair cognitive mapping …

Local Crime And Substance Use Disorders: A Comparison Of Midlife Adults In The 1990s And 2000s, Jennifer W. Robinette, Jason D. Boardman, Kathleen Mullan Harris

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

This study investigated how sociopolitical changes in the United States between the 1990s and 2000s may explain the increase in substance use disorders and reduced longevity in more recent cohorts of US midlife adults. The 2008 recession which drastically increased unemployment rates across the country may have had negative implications for downstream contextual and individual processes, including both local crime rates and substance use disorders. The Midlife in the United States Survey cohort (1995; n = 6148; 20–75 years) and the MIDUS Refresher cohort (2011; n = 3543; 23–76 years) reported on substance use disorders. These data were linked to …

An Exploration Of Rural Incarcerated Parents’ Needs And Existing Jail-Based Parenting Programs, Sarah Downard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to better understand the holistic and cultural needs in jails to better support incarcerated parents in a rural Western region and to compare the needs to existing programs. The theoretical framework for this study was a program model called the Family Strengthening Project. Data were collected in individual telephone interviews with five professionals with experience working with incarcerated parents and their families in a rural jail and community, including human services practitioners and law enforcement officials. The findings of the study indicated that although the jail is currently offering parenting classes, staffing …

Factors Influencing Counselors-In-Training Disclosure, Grace Greenan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Within counseling supervision relationships, supervisor feedback is an important aspect of counselors-in-training (CIT) development to improve CIT counseling competency and confidence in practice. Effective supervision requires CITs to disclose details about their practice, including counseling approaches, interpretations, challenges, and errors. Prior research has indicated CITs withheld information as often as 97% of the time in some cases. Grounded in a psychoanalytic theoretical foundation, the purpose of this quantitative survey study was to examine if the quality of supervision relationships and CIT resilience predicted CIT willingness to disclose during supervision. The researcher analyzed data using descriptive statistics, a stepwise multiple regression …

Understanding The Role Of Perceived Racial Discrimination On Adolescent Mental Health During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jill V. Klosky, Delia Lang, Briana Woods-Jaeger, Julie Gazmararian

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Abstract

Background: Adolescent mental health declined during the COVID-19 pandemic. Racial discrimination, which may negatively affect adolescent mental health, has increased. This study sought to understand whether pre-pandemic reports of racial discrimination predicted changes in adolescent depression, anxiety, and self-esteem from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Two online surveys were administered at two public high schools in semi-rural, north-central Georgia; one in Spring 2020, just before the closing of public schools due to COVID-19; the other to the same students in Fall 2020.

Results: Most participants were White (62%) and the majority (88%), reported the same or better …

Post-Pandemic Predictors Of Anxiety In College Students, Lisa J. Hayes, R. Brooke Bays, Piper Lashley, Nia Kherani, Alex Swanson

Journal of Applied Disciplines

Rates of anxiety among college students have increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic and have remained high (Elharake et al., 2023), placing students at risk for diminished academic performance, depression, and academic burnout (Rassaby et al., 2022). The goal of this study was to examine possible predictors of anxiety in a diverse group of undergraduate students post-pandemic, with the goal of informing future preventive intervention efforts. Maladaptive perfectionism, passive procrastination, active procrastination, cognitive flexibility, and social well-being were assessed as potential predictors of state and trait anxiety in a sample of 297 currently enrolled college students. Results showed that perfectionism …

Black Clinicians' Perceptions Of The Cultural Relevance Of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy For Black Families, Erica E. Coates, Sierra Coffey, Kaela Farrise Beauvoir, Emily Aron, Katherine R. Hayes, Felipa T. Chavez

Psychology Faculty Publications

Parent–child interaction therapy (PCIT) is a highly efficacious, evidence-based treatment for children with disruptive behaviors and their families. PCIT is a dyadic therapy designed to improve parent–child relationships and decrease children’s behavioral problems. PCIT research specific to Black families is currently sparse. Given findings that Black families have a higher attrition rate and demonstrate fewer significant improvements in parental well-being outcomes, we sought to assess clinicians’ perceived cultural alignment of PCIT with Black families. We conducted individual interviews via Zoom with 10 Black clinicians, trained in PCIT, who had experience treating Black families using PCIT. The research team generated the …

Understanding Emotional Outbursts: A Cross-Cultural Study In Latin American Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Maria Cristina Triguero Veloz Teixeira, Rosane Lowenthal, Alexia Rattazzi, Sebastián Cukier, Daniel Valdez, Ricardo Garcia, Gabriela Garrido Candela, Analia Rosoli Murillo, Francislene Pereira Da Silva Leite, Cecilia Montiel-Nava

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

Objectives: One of the behavioral problems strongly associated with emotional dysregulation (ED) in ASD is emotional outbursts (EOs) characterized by a pattern of challenging behavior that varies across individuals and across time. Cultural factors can modulate the expression of EOs. This study aimed to characterize the profile of emotional outbursts (EOs) in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) across various countries in Latin America and to identify clinical, emotional, and contextual factors that contribute to the onset and frequency of EOs within this diverse sample. Methods: A cross-sectional and cross-cultural study was conducted between 2023 and 2024 comprising samples from …

The Mediating Role Of Happiness On Marital Satisfaction In Couples Experiencing Mental Health Challenges, Stacey Stafford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While extensive research has examined the impact of mental health challenges on academic and occupational functioning, the effect on marital satisfaction remains underexplored in the literature. Previous studies indicate robust correlations between happiness and mental health, but the specific mediating role of happiness in couples with mental health issues is unaddressed. This archival quantitative study, grounded in Bowen family systems theory, addressed happiness's mediating role on marital satisfaction in couples facing mental health challenges. Using data from the 2018 General Social Survey, this study analyzed a sample of married adults (N = 938) to explore whether happiness mediated the relationship …

A Behavioral Analysis Of Brisby, The Jacksonville Zoo And Gardens’ Double Wattled Southern Cassowary, Gabriel J. Springer

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Previous studies have demonstrated the uniqueness and importance of wild type Southern Cassowary behaviors in relation to their rainforest ecosystem. The primary goal of this observational study was to determine if the behavior exhibited by a Southern Cassowary residing at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens was comparative to the observed behavior of wild Southern Cassowaries. The secondary goal was to observe individual behavioral traits of the focus individual, Brisby. It was hypothesized that Southern Cassowaries residing in captivity would still exhibit stereotypical behaviors similar to those residing in native rainforest habitats and the documented foraging behavior that supports the ecological …

Maternal Cortisol Concentration Is Associated With Reduced Brain Activation To Infant Cry And More Intrusive Parenting Behavior, Andrew Erhart, Sarah Enos Watamura, Aviva K. Olsavsky, Alexander J. Dufford, Rebekah C. Tribble, Tom Yeh, Pilyoung Kim

Psychology: Faculty Scholarship

Previous research indicates that maternal cortisol function and maternal brain response to infant are each in turn related to variations in parenting behavior. However, little is known about how maternal cortisol and maternal brain function are associated, thus studying these two mechanisms together may improve our understanding of how maternal cortisol assessed during interactions with own infant is associated with brain response to infant cry. First-time mothers (N = 59) of infants aged 3-4 months old were recruited to participate. Mothers' cortisol concentration was measured during a naturalistic interaction with their infant and their behavior was coded for two parenting …

The 21st Century Coach: A Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Resource For Youth Lacrosse Coaches, Maria D'Ugo, Jillian Lowey, Sean Mapoles, Brian Gearity

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Faculty Scholarship

This document provides educational information, resources, and support to coaches and administrators with the goal of empowering and encouraging diversity, equity, and inclusion in daily sporting practices. This document may aid in efforts to increase inclusion and participation in youth sport, specifically lacrosse. Furthermore, it may help to increase coaches’ and administrators’ cultural awareness and competencies.

Latino Young Adults’ Experiences As Children And Adolescents With Incarcerated Parents, Anna Garcia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Parental incarceration has a significant impact on children’s and adolescents’ lives, including emotional and mental well-being, which can carry to their adulthood. Although parental incarceration has been researched, the lived experiences and mental health needs of Latino children and adolescents of incarcerated parents have not been explored. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to understand the recollections of young Latino adults about their lived experiences and mental health needs as children and adolescents with incarcerated parents. Data were collected through semistructured participant interviews with open-ended questions. Participants were 10 Latino young adults who had experienced having at least …

Categorical Differences: Social Identity Heuristics Predict Differences In Cognitive Empathy, Corey Ronald Sims

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The current study aimed to identify if there was a relationship between cross-ethnic racial identity and cognitive empathy for others and whether social and personal identities mediated this effect. Self-categorization theory was used as the theoretical framework. In this study, it was hypothesized that cross-ethnic racial identity significantly predicts empathic accuracy, and that social and personal identities mediate this relationship. A non-experimental, researcher-designed survey was used to collect participant data and demographic characteristics. Participant inclusion criteria were an age between 18 and 55, U.S. citizenship, and a self-identification as Asian American, Black American, Hispanic American, or White American. The Cross-Ethnic …

Correcting Misperceptions About Very Low Nicotine Cigarettes For Cigarette-Only Smokers, Dual/Poly Smokers, Other Tobacco Users, And Non-Tobacco Users, Rui Shi, Robert Feldman, Jiaying Liu, Pamela I. Clark

College of Communication & Creative Arts Departmental Research

Background

Methods