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Impact Of 9/11-Induced Adverse Experiences On The Mental Health Of Latino Americans And The Role Of Religious Service Attendance, Soyoung Kwon, Yongsok Kim, Jiyoung Moon Dr.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Much research has documented the mental health consequences of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001; however, little is known about how the 9/11 attacks affect the mental health of Latino Americans. This study uses a nationally representative sample of Latino Americans (N = 2,346) from the National Latino and Asian American Study (NLAAS) to examine the relationships between 9/11-induced negative life experiences and mental disorders. The former includes losing a job, reducing family income, feeling less safe and secure, discrimination, loss of optimism, and inability to cope with things. For the latter, mental disorders may exhibit as psychological distress, …

The Impact Of The Therapeutic Relationship On Transgender Clients’ Perceptions Of Their Therapist, Aaron Brockie

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between therapist practices, the therapeutic relationship and their impact on how transgender clients feel about their therapist. Previous research on therapist practices and the therapeutic relationship has looked into how these variables influence lesbian, gay, and bisexual clients’ feelings about their therapist, but as of yet, the dynamic has not been analyzed for transgender clients. Given the disproportionate prevalence for severe mental health issues in the transgender community, it is urgent that barriers to adequate and meaningful therapy outcomes be identified and addressed. Seventy eight participants were recruited from social …

Psychological Sense Of Community Among Older Adults In Puerto Rico Two Years After Hurricane María, Thomas D. Buckley

Theses and Dissertations

Hurricane María devastated Puerto Rico in 2017 and resulted in adverse long-term outcomes. Psychological sense of community (PSOC) may serve as a protective factor against the effects of Hurricane María for older adults in Puerto Rico. Using a three-paper format, this dissertation draws on a resilience framework and theories of PSOC and the Ecological Theory of Aging to examine the role of PSOC among older adults in Puerto Rico two years after Hurricane María.

Paper one is a scoping review of the concept of PSOC in research with community dwelling older adults. I begin by presenting findings on study characteristics …

Exploring Taiwanese Creative Arts Therapists' Professional Identity After Returning Home From Studying Abroad, Rhona Jung Jung Chang

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This study aimed to document Taiwanese creative arts therapists' career experiences after studying abroad and returning home, and how they perceive their professional identity as creative arts therapists in Taiwan. This qualitative study explores the experience of eight female professional Taiwanese creative arts therapists, including two art therapists, two dance/movement therapists, two drama therapists, and two music therapists. Interviews were conducted, and the participants were asked about their personal experience of art-making, the practice of creative arts therapies in Taiwan, and the understanding and awareness of their professional identity.

Data from this study was gathered by the interviews' transcripts and …

Differences Between Asians And Pacific Islanders In Mental Health Stigma And Help-Seeking Behavior, Kycel Butters

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Mental health stigma is prevalent among U.S. minority groups. Minorities are found to have higher stigma towards mental illnesses and exhibit lower help-seeking behaviors compared to the majority (Narendorf, et. al, 2018). Among these minority groups, Asians and Pacific Islanders are two populations often grouped together despite their cultural differences. Due to this generalization, many of the data for Pacific Islanders are overlooked by their Asian counterparts. To address the differences between the two groups, the current study compares Asians and Pacific Islanders against each other on their attributions and attitudes towards mental health stigma and help-seeking behaviors. Participants ( …

The Effects Of And Interventions For Trauma On Child And Adolescent Development, Jenna Clark

Senior Honors Theses

Trauma is generally defined as an event that causes a lasting impact on an individual, ranging from a natural disaster or medical trauma to abuse. Traumatic events greatly impact development, especially when experienced during childhood and adolescence. These first eighteen years of a child’s life can be divided into three main stages using Erikson’s psychosocial theory and Piaget’s cognitive development theory as these theories provide comprehensive insight into the development of a child. Because of the differences in traumatic experiences and the age of the child, the effects and manifestations of a trauma’s influence will vary between these three different …

Mitigating Risks And Building Resilience To Hiv/Aids: Perspectives Of Hiv-Negative, Middle-Aged And Older Men Who Have Sex With Men, Renato M. Liboro, Brandon Ranuschio, Sherry Bell, Tammy Yates, Lianne Barnes, Charles Fehr, George Da Silva, Jenna Despres, Francisco Ibañez-Carrasco, Andrew Eaton, Aruna Sedere, Trinity Puno, Paul A. Shuper, Lori E. Ross

Psychology Faculty Research

Purpose: Although ample research has been conducted on resilience to HIV/AIDS, most studies have utilized quantitative methods and focused almost exclusively on people living with HIV/AIDS. A relatively untapped source of knowledge is the perspectives of HIV-negative, middle-aged and older men who have sex with men (MSM) who have been navigating risks and building resilience to HIV/AIDS since the 1980s. Our qualitative, community-based participatory research study examined the perspectives of HIV-negative, middle-aged and older MSM on factors that helped mitigate the risks of and build resilience to HIV/AIDS. Methods: In collaboration with community-based organizations, fourteen participants were recruited for in-depth …

Caregiver Treatment Consumption In An Experimental Treatment Marketplace, Delaney J. Darragh

Faculty Publications

Behavioral economics is an approach to understanding consumer behavior by integrating behavioral science with economic principles. Behavioral economics incorporates traditional economic principles with operant learning approaches. There is limited research examining how individuals consume psychological and behavioral treatments. This is especially the case for treatments designed for children. The current study used data from a previously collected sample to explore gender differences in an experimental treatment marketplace (ETM). Experimental treatment marketplaces are generally used to evaluate choices between goods and services (e.g., types of behavior interventions). An ETM was developed to evaluate treatment consumption when levels of evidence differed between …

Go Talk To Your Employee: A Sequential Mediation Analysis Of Leader Communication Frequency And Employee Turnover Intent, Max Weaver

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Employee turnover has significant negative costs to healthcare organizations. While leadership communication styles and quality have been empirically supported to reduce turnover intentions, our understanding of specific modalities of leader intervention is not well understood. This paper sought to understand how the specific act of communication frequency reduces turnover. Through the lens of Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) and role dynamic theories, mediating effects of LMX quality and job satisfaction were investigated to further understand this proposed relationship in a sample of healthcare workers in the Midwest/US. Results indicate that communication frequency was negatively related to turnover intent. Furthermore, while LMX and …

Rehabilitation Counseling Perceptions And Psychosocial Stressors Of Arab-Immigrant Caregivers Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Maram Alfulayyih

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

This research study provides important insights on the psychosocial stressors faced by U.S. Arab immigrants when raising a child with ASD, their perceptions of rehabilitation counseling, and the implications of rehabilitation counseling practice based on gender, age, education, and race. More specifically, this study has provided a detailed literature review as well as new insights into the challenges faced by the caregivers and recommendations that rehabilitation counselors should consider when helping these families overcome psychosocial issues and adjust to their circumstances. Using the DASS-21 questionnaire and a multi-factor analysis, it has identified specific groups of caregivers that may need help …

Vicarious Traumatization And Quality Of Life Among Supervisees : Testing Moderation And Mediation, Mackenzie Lee Mcnamara

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This study sought to replicate and extend existing research (i.e., DelTosta et al., 2019) on predictors of vicarious traumatization among mental health counseling trainees and tested empirically the effects on trainees’ quality of life. The current investigation examined relations among personal distress empathy (PDE), the supervisory working alliance (SWA), mindfulness, vicarious traumatization (VT), and quality of life (QoL) in a sample of 294 mental health counseling trainees in the United States and Canada. Multivariate path analysis was used to test serial mediation of PDE and QoL through the SWA and VT. Additionally, this study examined the extent to which (a) …

Initial Implementation Of The Arc Model In A Residential Treatment Center : A Program Evaluation, Melyssa Sweet

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Since its inception, residential treatment has been expected to continuously evolve and adapt. Most recently, change in the field has revolved around accountability and the incorporation of evidence-based practices. Among those practices include trauma-informed approaches as an effort to meet the ever-changing and increasingly significant needs of youth in care. Although randomized control-trials remain the gold standard for demonstrating effectiveness in residential treatment remains, program evaluation has been acknowledged as a more viable assessment tool.

The Supervisory Working Alliance, Relational Behavior, And Supervisee Nondisclosure : Does Humility Matter?, Englann Taylor

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The broad purpose of this study was to address gaps in the literature by applying the Relational Humility Model (RHM; Davis et al., 2010, 2011) to clinical supervision by testing the interpersonal variables of relational humility (RH; Davis et al., 2011), the supervisory working alliance (SWA, Bordin, 1983), and relational behavior (RB; Shaffer & Friedlander, 2017) as predictors of supervisee nondisclosure (SND; Ellis & Colvin, 2016; Siembor & Ellis, 2012), both clinically-related (CRND) and supervision-related (SRND). It was hypothesized that RH would moderate the relation between SWA and SRND and that the SWA would be a positive predictor of SND …

A Preliminary Evaluation Of A Digital Token Economy To Increase Student Engagement During Group Teletherapy, Hunter King, Katerra Miller-Johnson, Keely Mcculla, Aaron J. Fischer, Shengtian Wu, Mikey Miller

Faculty Publications – Psychology

Shortly following the temporary nationwide school dismissal amid COVID-19, the current exploratory case-study evaluated the feasibility of two engagement strategies delivered during group teletherapy: Class Dojo and opportunities to respond (OTR). Three elementary students with emotional and behavioral difficulties participated. An A-B-A design was used to evaluate the effects of Class Dojo on student engagement with therapist-delivered OTRs. Due to one student’s poor response to the contingency, an A-B-C design was used to evaluate the additive effect of student-delivered OTRs on his engagement. Results indicated moderate to high rates of student attendance, and consistently high rates of engagement for two …

Inside Out: Mask-Making And The Counseling Student Identity, Jil Hus

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At the field experience level, current research is limited on reflective expressive arts exercises as a modality to facilitate professional identity development in counseling students, with no mention of the effectiveness of mask-making. The purpose of this art-based hermeneutic phenomenological study was to examine the perceptions of master’s students’ counselor identity at the field experience level using research questions to explore participants’ lived experiences as they engaged in a mask-making expressive arts activity aimed at the enhancement of their self-awareness, insight, and reflection into their professional identity development. A qualitative design was utilized, and 5 students participated in this study …

Psychological Coercion Among Trafficked Sex Workers: A Grounded Study Approach, Rebecca Ann Laurento

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractMillions of individuals have become involved in human sex trafficking (HST) each year. This study involved an exploration of how these individuals became victims to psychological coercion and their experiences with HST. The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory study was to add to the current literature and provide a foundation for future researchers. Given the lack of literature on this topic, professional practitioners may not understand this problem or know how to support these victims of HST. The gap in literature this study addressed pertained to the processes and dynamics of psychological coercion for individuals involved with HST. Oppression …

Foster Parents’ Experience Of Placement Disruptions For Youths In Foster Care, Deyettea Kim Alexander

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Placement disruptions for youths placed in foster care have been the focus of multiple studies due to the negative and long-lasting impacts on these vulnerable youths. The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experience of placement disruptions from the foster parent’s perspective to gain further understanding of potential causes of placement disruptions and what may be helpful to prevent them. The study was based on the lens of attachment theory. Data were collected from interviews with six participants recruited on social media who were licensed in the State of Washington for at least 1 year …

Relationship Between Wellness, Resilience, And Vicarious Trauma Among Clinical Mental Health Counselors Serving Interpersonal Violence Survivors, Elizabeth O'Neill Hunter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Interpersonal violence (IPV) can result in the traumatization of primary survivors, as well as the mental health professionals who support them, which is referred to as vicarious trauma (VT). VT is an occupational hazard that if unaddressed can lead to significant personal and professional disruption. Clinical mental health counselors (CMHCs) who provide counseling services to IPV survivors are at increased risk of integrating the traumatic session content into their worldview. VT can lead to psychological distress including symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and can threaten the quality and ethical nature of the counseling relationship. The purpose of this quantitative survey …

Empathy And Risk For Compassion Fatigue Among Immigrant African Pastors In The United States, Paul Affar Meenu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The importance of caregiver empathy in positive client outcomes has been established in the literature. However, helping traumatized people has a potentially deleterious emotional effect on the helping professional, putting them at risk for compassion fatigue. The stress-process model provided the framework for the study. Survey data were collected from 138 immigrant African pastors in the United States. Compassion fatigue dimensions were measured by the Professional Quality of Life Scale, and empathy dimensions were measured by the Empathy Assessment Index. Results of multivariate canonical correlation analysis revealed that empathy predicts compassion fatigue susceptibility. Pastors who scored low on empathy subscales …

Resident Centered Behavioral Health: A Program Evaluation, Anna Olinger

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Behavioral health concerns, such as depression and behavioral symptoms, impact older adults at significant rates. These concerns impact an individual’s quality of life, health status, and mortality. When behavioral health concerns cannot be effectively managed in the community by the individual or their caregivers, a skilled-nursing facility is often the next step. Unfortunately, those caring for older adults in these settings have not always had access to the training they need to care for individuals with depression or behavioral symptoms. The Resident Centered Behavioral Health program set out to change this. The program implemented an interactive, behavioral health training program …

The Impact Of Group Facilitation On Empowerment, Self-Concept, And Mutual Aid Among Peer Supporters: A Qualitative Analysis, Jonathan Parker

Theses and Dissertations

The ramifications of mental illness within society have had significant impact economically and socially. The estimated annual cost of mental health services can be upwards of billions of dollars in the United States. The social impact of mental illness on the individual level can often lead to stigmatization and social isolation, which are known factors that contribute to and exacerbate mental illness. Those unable to secure treatment are more likely to experience substance abuse, psychiatric hospitalization, and homelessness. Although the need for mental health services is not new, its' impact on society continues to grow. Thus, the need for mental …

A Study Examining Depression And Bipolar Support Alliance Online Peer Support Groups, Jeannette Torres

Theses and Dissertations

The current study examined the experiences of individuals who participated in one or more online peer support group (OPSG) sessions organized by Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) in order to elucidate whether participants experience higher levels of quality of life as associated with their participation in OPSG. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 79 and were primarily White/Caucasian and female. Participants completed a survey, which consisted of a demographics questionnaire and the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire- Short Form. Data were collected using Qualtrics and analyzed using SPSS. No statistical significance was found regarding differences in …

Needs Of Foster Parents, Emma Friemel, Amanda Terrell, Jennifer Becnel, Michael Merten

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Children in foster care are likely to have experienced some form of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). These ACEs can leave them vulnerable when faced with difficult future situations. There are several studies that examine the resiliency of children in foster care, but few examine foster children’s resiliency from the perspective of the child’s foster parents. The Oklahoma State University Center for Family Resilience administered a survey to 316 prospective, current, and former foster parents regarding their experiences with the foster care system. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis to determine themes based on Masten’s resiliency theory. Themes were coded …

Exploring Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy In Clinical Practice, Tim Rieck

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

ABSTRACT

Key Words: religion, spirituality, sacred, intervention, spiritual intervention, soul

Over the past twenty years, spirituality and religion have gained increased attention in the field of psychotherapy. In the research of psychotherapy, psychology, and social work, there is recognition that spirituality and religion can contribute to positive outcomes when people are faced with various challenges and distresses in life.

The main challenges are tied into determining how to move the research beyond the fact that spirituality has importance in psychotherapy to exploring how spirituality is integrated in psychotherapy. There are numerous questions to explore regarding the application of spirituality into …

Who Is The Stranger Really? A Reluctant Autoethnography Of The Strange Situation Procedure, Tara Yazdani

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This paper aims to review the cross-cultural application of attachment theory as a western model of thought and practice. That is, this research aimed to recognize and question how embedded attachment theory has become in programming and education within North American academic and practical arenas. In applying the Strange Situation Procedure (SSP) to a limited sample of Eritrean dyads, important considerations and questions arose regarding the cross-cultural application of this protocol. The aims of this research shifted toward further exploring these considerations and questions, due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the new research aim emphasized how to inform future …

The Impact Of Professional Perspectives On Team Participation And Satisfaction On Intent To Implement Interventions Determined By Multidisciplinary Teams, Julieanna Bowen

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Multidisciplinary teams have become a consistent part of school culture and the decision-making process (Buck et al., 2003), however limited and inconsistent research (Huebner & Gould, 1991) is available regarding the effectiveness of multidisciplinary teams within the school environment. Current literature provides common themes regarding typical team membership, team procedures and processes, professional roles, and team goals. However, it often fails to provide insight concerning the aspects of the multidiscipline team process and how each professional contributes to team outcomes. As demonstrated within social psychology and industrial psychology literature, understanding team participation and member satisfaction can assist in the prediction …

Intimate Partner Violence Survivors: The Relationship Between Risk Factors And Symptom Severity, Danielle Horrigan Millen

Theses and Dissertations

While violent crimes have been on a decline since 2005, domestic violence has been increasing steadily over the past decade (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2005, 2013, and 2014). A number of adult and childhood risk factors are associated with the increased likelihood of intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization. Witnessing interparental violence and experiencing abuse as a child are both linked to increased likelihood of experiencing IPV as an adult. (Ehrenstaft et al., 2003; Magdol, Moffitt, Caspi, & Silva, 1998; Stith et al., 2000; Stith, Smith, Penn, Ward, & Tritt, 2004; Widom et al., 2014). Additionally, relationship factors, including length of …

Relationship Of Child Sexual Abuse Survivor Self-Perception Of Consent To Current Functioning, Nathan R. Daly

Theses and Dissertations

In 1998 Rind, Tromovitch and Bauserman conducted a meta-analysis using a college sample which challenged the prevailing belief that childhood sexual abuse (CSA) has inherent deleterious effects. Resultantly, the authors proposed alternative terminology (e.g., child-adult sex), without adequate investigation into what distinguishes child-adult sex from CSA. In response, the current study investigated the relationship between CSA, consent and adult functioning in a college sample. The sample consisted of 297 undergraduate college students, ranging in age from 18 to 63-years-old. Data was collected at a mid-sized university in the southeastern United States. The measures utilized in the study include the Symptom …

Can Underdog Stories Help Students To Overcome College Barriers? A Study On Gender And Ethnic Differences, Daniela Gonzalez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Previous organizational research has shown that people who perceived discrimination can bounce back from their negative experiences by constructing underdog stories: narratives in which others do not believe an individual could succeed, but in the end, the person succeeds. However, this concept has not been tested in the educational setting. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine if constructing underdog stories can influence how college students perceive potential barriers in education. Participants were randomly assigned conditions: Underdog and control (neutral stories) condition. We hypothesized that creating underdog stories would reduce perceived barriers in college. We further hypothesized that …

Reflections On The Bgj Anti-Racism Seminar, Michelle Billies

Publications and Research

In this Letter to the Editor, Billies (2021) responds to critical and supportive opinion pieces in the British Gestalt Journal (BGJ) following their plenary presentation at BGJ’s 2018 annual seminar (see Asherson Bartram, 2019; O’Malley, 2019). As author of the companion article "How/ Can Gestalt Therapy Promote Liberation from Anti-Black Racism?” (Billies, 2021), Billies, who identifies as white, discusses the intent at the seminar to support white people to increase accountability and reduce harm in dialogue with people of color, while supporting the work and needs of people of color on their terms from a Gestalt perspective. Describing a fishbowl …