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Creativity In A Flash: Exploring The Perceived Therapeutic Effects Of Combining Creative Arts Therapies And Flash Technique, Celia J. Gagnon

Art Therapy | Doctoral Dissertations

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, research has revealed a significant strain on mental healthcare systems and healthcare professionals. Concurrently, there has been a rapid escalation in the prevalence of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and adolescent suicide rates, all of which have reached critical levels (World Health Organization, 2025; World Health Organization, 2022; Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, 2025; American Psychiatric Association, 2024). Post-pandemic, these statistics continue to rise across all nations and socioeconomic groups (WHO, 2025). Consequently, there is an urgent need to intensify research that supports the enhancement of mental health services globally (Institute for Health Metrics …

A Chronic Pain Self-Management Quality Improvement Bundle For Veterans, Srijana D. Baniya

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects

Introduction: Veterans often face challenges accessing care services due to limited awareness of available resources for support, Self-care, and mental health (Harding et al., 2019; Patel et al., 2024). Given the high prevalence of Chronic pain and opioid use in this population, Self-management (SM) education and non-pharmacologic interventions are required to address the biological, psychological, and social effects of pain (Bair et al., 2015; Mumba et al., 2024; Nahin, 2017; Higgins et al., 2020). This Quality improvement project aims to determine whether implementing an evidence-based SM bundle for chronic pain improved Pain severity scores and increased understanding of SM strategies. …

How Autistic Children Define Novel And Real Words, Henry James Tomiser

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Word knowledge is highly valuable to Autistic individuals, and although much research has characterized Autistic children’s vocabulary breadth (i.e., the number of lexical entries), less attention has been paid to vocabulary depth (i.e., the richness with which one understands a given word). In this exploratory post-hoc study, 11 Autistic children (one assigned female at birth) participated in novel and real word learning paradigms in which child-friendly referents were paired with CVCV word forms. Participants were then asked to provide open-ended definitions of the words. Definitions were parsed into meaningful subunits, or semantic features. Semantic features were coded by type of …

Influence Of Parental Immigration On Children Of Latino Immigrants’ Attachment And Substance Use, Leilanis Cancel-Lopez

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This study aimed to explore how children of Latino immigrants described their attachment and substance use experiences. The narrative that formed implies that throughout their adolescence, children of Latino immigrants use substances in part to cope with their parents’ heightened expectations for the participants to perform well in school/work/life. Additional results find that children of Latino immigrants also form a sense of exoneration for their parents upon reaching young adulthood. Clinical implications include the use of a systemic perspective when approaching children of immigrants when treating substance use and the inclusion of this narrative when creating prevention strategies for immigrant …

Testing A Self-Affirmation Intervention To Increase The Likelihood Of Seeking Emotional Social Support, Selena Heinlein

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Needing help is a common occurrence in the everyday lives of many people. Seeking help, however, is not. Even though most people experience needing help regularly, many people do not ask for help. Not asking for help when it is needed may be caused by several factors. Some people may not ask for help because they think it is going to be awkward, while others may not ask for help because they think they are going to be negatively perceived by others. These fears may get worse when needing to seek emotional social support for a personal issue, since this …

Personality Theories, Leswin Laubscher

Open Education Materials

Introduction to Personality Theories

Behind The Curtain: A Literature Review Of Personal And Ecological Risk Factors And Current Multi-Level Interventions For Performing Artists, Christopher A. Robles

Social Work Theses

Performing artists experience psychological distress, including anxiety, depression, burnout, and substance use disorders, at rates significantly exceeding those of the general population. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory (EST) and the Person-in-Environment (PIE) perspective, this structured literature review synthesizes research published between 2010 and 2026 to examine individual personality traits, environmental stressors across meso- and macro-systems, and existing multi-level mental health interventions for performing artists. Findings reveal that while traits such as high openness to experience, sensory processing sensitivity, and perfectionism foster artistic expression, they also heighten vulnerability to occupational stressors, financial precarity, social isolation, and venue-based substance exposure. Current …

A Multi-Case Qualitative Study Exploring Counseling Skills Courses For The Presence Of The Practice Of Counselor Reflexivity, Timothy Marlin Olsen

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Counselor reflexivity is an integral component of the skill set and professional identity of the effective counselor. However, counseling skills and methods courses often do not include the teaching of this practice within their curriculum of valuable counseling techniques. Further, there also exists a gap in scholarly counseling literature about counselor reflexivity. Through this qualitative multi-case study of five counseling skills/counseling methods courses I sought to discover if counselor educators understood and subsequently taught this practice which seems to be underrepresented in such courses. First, through a review of supporting literature my study revealed no clear delineation of counselor reflexivity …

Exploring The Impact Of Social Identity-Based Support Groups On Students' Sense Of Belonging In Higher Education, Jasmine D. Patel

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Students who hold marginalized social identities report experiencing a lower sense of belonging at their institutions of higher education than their peers. A low sense of belonging has in turn been linked to lower academic performance, lower scores on mental health and well-being measures, and lower rates of degree completion. Utilizing a mixed method approach, this researcher examines the experiences of students who participated in a social identity-based support group intervention intended to improve the sense of belonging of students who hold marginalized social identities. Eight university students participated in the support group intervention over the course of one academic …

Development And Validation Of The Ipip-Ocean: A Hierarchical Facet-Level Measure Of The Big Five, Caleb Niccum

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

This study focused on developing a mid-range, hierarchical, five-factor, 20-facet personality inventory (the IPIP-OCEAN) composed of 100 items drawn from both the IPIP-NEO-300 and the Abridged Big Five Circumplex. Hierarchical confirmatory factor analysis was used to validate the factor structure. Depression and anxiety, measured with the PHQ-9 and GAD-7, were used to further validate the measure through discriminant and convergent validity by examining whether the domains and facets of the IPIP-OCEAN produced findings consistent with those reported for similar scales in prior depression and anxiety research. Numerous factor analyses were conducted on the IPIP-OCEAN dataset (N = 1,058), and a …

My Autobiography Of Listening: A Worksheet, David Keck

C. Listening for One’s Own Voice

This 1-page worksheet provides a framework for exploring the ways in which a person's experiences shape their listening habits and capacities. It helps users answer the question, "How did I come to listen this way?"

The Sleep, Inhibition, And Performance (Sip) Study: An Erp Investigation Of Sleep, Stress, And Response Inhibition In Early Childhood, Alivia Overbee

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Background: Inhibitory control (IC) is fundamental to academic achievement and mental health, yet limited research examines how modifiable environmental factors influence neural substrates of IC in early childhood. Sleep regulation and adversity may shape IC development through experiential canalization processes. Objective: The Sleep, Inhibition, and Performance (SIP) study investigates how sleep characteristics, socioeconomic status (SES), and stress predict neural markers of inhibitory control in children aged 5-8 using event-related potentials (ERPs). Methods: Twenty children were enrolled in this study, which assessed sleep assessment via actigraphy, sleep diaries, and questionnaires. SES and stress were measured through caregiver reports. IC was assessed …

The Resonant Geometry Field Model: Mapping The Fluid Dynamics Of Emotion, Syntax, And Resonance, Michael J. Miller, Chatgpt (Ai~Nesbo+)

Psychology

We present a minimal field model of communication—resonance geometry—in which 11 core emotions emerge as geometric features of a shared medium rather than as discrete labels. This model extends the Theory of Communication Resonance & Intelligence Tuning (ToCRIT) by translating its qualitative constructs—resonant tethers (connection “wells” between communicators), lucid/drag zones (smooth vs resistant flow of emotion and syntax), and the Cognitive-Emotive Fracture Principle (closeness in syntax or emotion can increase risk of rupture)—into quantifiable field metrics: throughput (𝓣), rigidity (ρ), coupling (k), and hemispheric shear (α).

Additional modifiers include a Ranvier–Stokes analogue (continuity punctuated by “node kicks”) and a death-gravity …

Family Functioning And Stress In Arab American Young Adults, Sahar Kaouk

Selected Full-Text Dissertations 2020-

Family functioning plays a central role in the lives of Arab American young adults, yet little research has examined how family dynamics relate to stress in this population. Guided by Bowen’s (1978) Family Systems Theory, this study investigated the relationship between family functioning and perceived stress, as well as the roles of Differentiation of Self (DoS), Reflective Coping, and collectivistic orientation. Participants included 225 young adults ages 18 to 25 who self-identified as Arab American. Data were collected using self-report measures, and structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized model. Results indicated that family functioning was indirectly related …

Minnesota School Psychologists Survey: Job Satisfaction And Professional Practice, Mary Jane Gunderson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Historically, school psychologists’ roles emphasized eligibility determination through assessment, resulting in practitioners spending a substantial proportion of their time in assessment-related activities. However, this contradicts National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) recommendations promoting prevention-related actives such as intervention and consultation. Prior research further found that school psychologists prefer more diverse professional practices, with a variety in professional practices leading to increased job satisfaction. Furthermore, discrepancies between actual and preferred roles are associated with lower job satisfaction. Although national research has examined professional practices and job satisfaction, limited attention has been given to these relationships at the state level. The purpose …

A Comparison Of Two Flashcard Interventions In Improving Sight Word Acquisition Among Elementary-Aged Emerging Bilingual Students, Lyudmila Yeliseyeva

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This study employed a reversal single-case design to compare the effectiveness of two flashcard interventions—Incremental Rehearsal (IR) and Strategic Incremental Rehearsal (SIR)—in promoting sight word acquisition, retention, generalization, and efficiency among four elementary-aged emerging bilingual students. The study also examined social validity and intervention fidelity. Results indicated that both interventions were effective in improving acquisition, retention, and generalization of sight words. SIR demonstrated greater efficiency in facilitating sight word recognition. Additionally, both students and the interventionist reported high levels of social validity for the interventions. Limitations of the study included a small, homogeneous sample, lack of long-term maintenance data, reliance …

Conversational Ai And Human-Centered First Amendment, Inyoung Cheong

Michigan Technology Law Review

Human-centered artificial intelligence (AI) is premised on the idea that humans must remain the ultimate locus of agency in technological systems. First Amendment jurisprudence has displaced this commitment. By extending speech protection to algorithmic architectures, the judiciary has forged a doctrinal shield that insulates corporate actors from the consequences of their products. Conversational AI deepens this crisis through intimate incursions into the epistemic and emotional registers of the self. Emerging approaches that anchor First Amendment coverage to the controllability or traceability of AI outputs offer no stable solution. Policy-level design choices such as safety guardrails and alignment processes can readily …

Stereotypes Of Sex Workers: The Influence Of Sexuality And Modality On Perceived Warmth And Competence, Sophia Wolla

Psychology Student Publications

Sex workers remain a population vulnerable to stigma and negative health outcomes, yet little research exists on the stereotyping of sex workers (Ditmore & Florez-Arango, 2024). The present study utilized the Stereotype Content Model (SCM) to investigate perceptions of sex workers and their partners based on sexuality (e.g. heterosexual, homosexual) and modality (e.g. in-person sex work, online sex work.) There were no significant main effects for modality, sexuality, or an interaction effect observed regarding the stereotyping of sex workers. An interaction effect was observed for partner warmth; heterosexual sex workers were rated significantly warmer if their partner was an in-person …

Showpony, George Theodore Ellington

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

The poetry collection Showpony focuses on the real-life experiences of a woman in her twenties during the 1970s, who is treated by psychiatrist Dr. Robert J. Stoller at UCLA in a desperate attempt to make her normal. Mrs. G struggles with homicidal and suicidal thoughts, psychosis, as well as her homosexuality and transgender identity. Showpony examines the ways in which psychology has pathologized these experiences and the ramifications for patients, particularly those who have been publicly showcased as examples of their conditions used to train future students. The collection critiques the exploitation of patients by psychiatrists and psychologists, highlighting unethical …

Continuous Improvement In Action: Kaizen-Inspired Onboarding For Healthcare Employees, Darin Challacombe, Amanda Wilkinson, Cori Gaeger

Psychology Faculty Publications

Kaizen is a Japanese word which translates to change or improvement, and it is the cornerstone of several process improvement systems. In the learning and development (L&D) space, we are always seeking ways to improve and become more efficient and effective. This case study updates a previous one from two years ago. Through the kaizen of our onboarding and training program, we have seen an increase in employee longevity after completing our five-day new hire onboarding program. This improved program integrated a flipped classroom design and inclusion of multiple learning management system (LMS)-based courses, among other changes. We also gave …

Ai And The Illusion Of Knowledge? How Ai-Assisted Searching Affects Confidence And Curiosity, Kara E. Dudley

UNH URC Open (2026 and after)

With the rising worldwide adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), there is a pressing need to investigate how AI affects human cognitive abilities. Prior research has looked at how using the Internet to search for answers to questions leads to overconfidence in one’s explanatory abilities. In the present set of studies, we examine how using AI to search for answers affects an individual’s confidence in their explanatory abilities, as well as their curiosity about answers to questions. The first study consisted of 223 college students from the University of New Hampshire, while the second study consisted of 290 participants from the …

Adolescent Cyberbullying And Polysubstance Use: Unpacking Sex Differences, Maggie K. Richardson, Osayande Agbonlahor, Joy L. Hart, Meman Diaby, Delvon T. Mattingly

Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications

The rise of social media platforms has heightened cyberbullying among adolescents, closely tied to negative mental health outcomes. Substance use, including alcohol, cannabis, and tobacco, also remains a significant concern for this population. This study examines the relationship between cyberbullying and substance use, exploring potential sex differences in these associations. We analyzed data from the 2021 Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey (ABES) (n = 6,740 students in grades 9–12). We used multinomial logistic regression models to assess the relationship between past-year cyberbullying and current patterns of substance use (exclusive, dual, and poly), adjusting for sociodemographic factors, screen time, and mental …

The Effects Of Strong Parental Support And Societal Support Compared To Low Or Absent Support In Lgbtqia+ Youth, Kassandra Bautista

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background: LGBTQIA+ youth with unsupportive backgrounds face negative outcomes in their mental health. Past studies share that LGBTQIA+ youth have increased symptoms of mental illness including depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors related to unsupportive environments among parents, peers, and society. Objective: By advocating for this minority group through education and culturally competent care, healthcare providers can reduce negative outcomes in the mental and physical well-being of the youth. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to address the impact of parental and societal support in LGBTQIA+ mental health, and to implement interventions and increase awareness of this issue. …

Living In A Bubble: How Children And Adults Use Generics To Talk About Social Kinds In Unique Sociocultural Contexts, Ny Vasil, Alejandro Curiel, Tiffany Zhu, Anna Pederneschi, Katherine Ritchie

Philosophy Faculty Publications

Generics like "kids love sugar" convey generalizations. But what is their scope? Are they taken to be global, or can generics communicate regularities restricted to "sociocultural bubbles"? Two studies examined the developing capacity for contextual restriction of generics in 137 4-7-year-olds (63/70/4 female/male/other) and 222 adults (128/89/5 female/male/other). Participants evaluated generics attributing group properties prevalent globally vs. "within-bubbles," with contextual cues that speakers conveyed broad vs. contextually restricted regularities. Both children and adults appreciated that generics can communicate group characteristics occurring within narrow sociocultural contexts. Adults selectively endorsed global or local generics depending on context, but younger children allowed socially …

Pre-Service Teachers’ Self-Perceptions Of Relationship Skills For Future Work In Schools, Melissa Newberry, Elizabeth B. Hinchcliff, Chelsea Cole, Michael Richardson

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This study focuses on the perceptions pre-service teachers hold about their own abilities to form relationships with four stakeholders of schools: students, parents, teachers and administrators. Survey data from 257 students enrolled in teacher preparation programs in a mid-sized, private university in the Western US were collected, including their beliefs about relationship skills, experience with children/youth, and conceptions of relationship formation as practicing teachers. Results indicate high confidence in relationship skills, yet few ideas on how to translate those into action when it comes to forming professional relationships. These findings suggest that pre-service teachers may be underprepared regarding the relational …

Teachers’ Greater Perceived Knowledge Of Trauma Linked With More Favourable Attitudes And Less Burnout, Belinda Cicco, Donnah L. Anderson

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Teachers are required to meet the needs of trauma-affected students. While training improves teachers’ knowledge of trauma-informed care, it is not systematically implemented, risking teacher burnout and student progress. This cross-sectional survey investigated teachers’ perceived knowledge and attitudes regarding teaching students affected by trauma and three aspects of burnout (personal, work-related, and student-related). Australian primary and secondary teachers (N = 542) were recruited via social media and snowball sampling. Mediation analyses showed significant indirect paths, whereby greater perceived knowledge was associated with more favourable attitudes, which in turn was associated with less work-related, student-related, and personal burnout. Younger teacher age …

Intergenerational Resilience: Exploring Whether Positive Childhood Experiences Buffer The Transmission Of Harsh And Neglectful Parenting, Patricia J. Dixon

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Childhood abuse and neglect are associated with lasting negative mental and physical health outcomes across the lifespan. In contrast, positive childhood experiences (PCEs) can promote long-term health and wellbeing and mitigate the harmful effects of childhood adversity. A primary risk factor for child maltreatment is parental experiences of maltreatment whereby history of childhood trauma increases the likelihood of utilizing harsh and/or neglectful parenting towards one’s children. This study employed secondary data analysis of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health to test whether cumulative PCEs confer protective effects against the generational transmission of harsh and neglectful parenting. Consistent …

Exploring Biopsychosocial Influences On Hookup Culture And Disrupting Compulsory Behaviors In Emerging Adults: A Multidisciplinary Analysis Of A Contemporary Public Health Concern, Catherine Benjamin

Honors Theses and Capstones

Multidisciplinary analysis, including biology, psychology, and sociology, to better understand the compulsory Hookup Culture that exists as a contemporary public health concern among the age group defined as emerging adults. Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) diagnoses are steadily rising in the United States and disproportionately affecting college students. Early socialization and current educational resources that contribute to shame and stigma are discussed to explain how lifestyle and social conditions can act as risk factors for individual health outcomes.

Hey, Siri: How Companionate Ai Usage Affects Social Satisfaction And Personal Intelligence, Ryan E. Moran, Marley Ireland

Honors Theses and Capstones

Artificial intelligence is a field that is growing and changing faster than humanity can keep up. While part of the population is benefiting from its unmatched diagnostic power, increased productivity in school and in work, and even its surgical and therapeutic contributions, others are filing lawsuits based on claims that an AI chatbot was a key factor in the mental health crisis of someone they loved. Research has found that reliance on these AI-generated conversational agents can lead to social withdrawal, unrealistic relationship expectations, addictive tendencies, and, in the worst cases, increased or encouraged suicidal ideations, especially in vulnerable populations. …

Social Exclusion, Social Support, And Trauma, Eric D. Wesselmann

Faculty Publications – Psychology

Humans have an inherent need to forge stable and quality social connections. One key benefit of having social connections is obtaining social support for navigating traumatic or otherwise stressful events. Ostracism (i.e. being both ignored and excluded, Williams, 2009) and other forms of social exclusion rob individuals of the opportunity to receive social support and likely contribute to stress-related mental health concerns. My colleagues and I tested this premise in different stress-related contexts, ranging from college students struggling with potentially stigmatizing secrets to community members who have experienced various types of traumatic incidents (e.g., miscarriage, military combat). We examined the …