Digital Commons Network^™

Use Of Multi-Informants In Predicting Adolescent Treatment Dropout, David A. Mitchell

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

High rates of dropout are common among adolescents in therapy making efforts to reduce adolescent psychopathology and behavioral problems challenging. The present study examined archival data from multiple informants who enrolled in a 16-week intensive outpatient treatment program for self-harming youth. The purpose of this study was to assess potential predictors of treatment dropout. Preliminary analysis indicated that adolescents who dropped out of treatment did not make clinically significant improvements when compared with adolescents who completed the program. This supports the need to retain adolescents in treatment for a complete course of treatment. The study also found that for the …

Parental Stress And Child Behavior Problems In Families Of Children With Autism, Allyson Davis

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background: Studies have shown that parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) exhibit higher levels of stress than parents of typically developing children or children with other types of developmental disabilities. This relationship appears to be mediated by elevated levels of behavior problems observed in children with ASD. However, little is known about what specific child behavior problems are most common in this population, how these behavior problems relate to parental stress, and/or how these behavior problems may impact the efficacy of a stress-reduction intervention. We examined the relationship between parenting stress and child behavior problems in parents of …

Impact Of A Natural Disaster On The Mental Health Of A Rural Maya Community In The Philippines, Kaneez Batool

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to examine the impact of a natural disaster on the mental health of a rural Maya community in the Philippines. Specifically, the study assessed how an individual’s housing conditions, the household size, and general utilities can have an impact on a person’s mental health.

The study used a quantitative survey design with self-administered questionnaires. Center for Disease Control and Prevention Modified Community Assessment survey was used for this research investigation. A total of 84 participants completed the survey. Participants were asked of their perceptions regarding the habitability of their own homes, the safety of …

Preserving, Interpreting, And Displaying Mental Health History: Establishing The Patton State Hospital Museum And Archive, Shannon Rene Long

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

There are few museums in the western half of the United States that provide an opportunity to educate the public about the history of mental health care. Recently, a mental health museum and archive of artifacts, photographs, and documents was established on the grounds of Patton State Hospital in Highland, California. The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the establishment of this museum and archive and to provide an account of the 125 year history of Patton State Hospital. Understanding the history of Patton provides an opportunity to understand the history of mental health care in the United …

Social Work Students' Perceptions Of Sex Offenders, Mayra Bernal, Henry Christopher Meza

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Social workers who choose to work in the field of child welfare will almost unavoidably be exposed to sexual trauma. This requires that social workers are prepared to understand and work with those who have been sexually abused, as well as the perpetrators of sex crimes. The purpose of this study was to explore social work students’ perceptions of sex offenders since it is anticipated that they will work with the sex offender population at some point in their careers. Exploring this topic could help future social workers gain valuable knowledge related to recognizing barriers that may exist when working …

The Relationship Between Self-Determination And Client Outcomes Among The Homeless, Samuel M. Hanna

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This paper has attempted to determine if there is a significant relationship between self-determination and client outcomes among the homeless. The study has been based upon the conceptual framework set forth in Self-Determination Theory. The purpose of the study was to explore the relationship between self-determination and client outcomes among the homeless. Using a data collection instrument, based on empirically validated instrumentation, clients from several homeless service providers in the City of San Bernardino were assessed for the level of self-determination and autonomy support they experience within these agencies. Outcome measures included such things as whether the client was going …

The Unspoken Truth: A Practical Guide For Pastors, Helping Abusers Break The Cycle Of Sexual Abuse, Teresa Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

For years, men, women and children have suffered silently as a result of sexual abuse. The abuser suffers and the cycle continues. Destroying the silence of sexual abuse is the beginning of breaking the cycle. Research has shown that the abuse goes far beyond the actual act and causes physical, emotional, and psychological damage. This project will investigate and encourage open discussion, address the abuse, and give valuable insight to the causes and consequences of sexual abuse. This project will offer prescriptive and preventative measures to all parties involved, in an effort to heal and stop sexual abuse. Through research …

Predictors Of Money Spent On Drugs In Substance Users, Simona Ciobotaru

DePaul Discoveries

Financial need is a major stressor for individuals who are reentering the community after substance abuse and/or incarceration. Family members and friends make up a great majority the support networks from which reentering people can receive financial support. However, that financial support could possibly contribute to drug use when the individual is actively using. The goal of this study was to further understand the implications of material and financial support specifically being transmitted from family members. This study looks at psychosocial predictors in relation to money spent on drugs in the last 30 days of 270 individuals entering substance abuse …

Social Media As Support For Partners Of Veterans With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Susan L. Ruiz, Lee Stadtlander

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Researchers have established that partners of veterans who isolate socially because of posttraumatic stress disorder are also socially impacted. It is not known how partners cope with their own social isolation and the influence of social media on the isolation while maintaining commitment to their veteran partners. Weiss’ theory of the syndrome of loneliness was used as the basis for this phenomenological study investigating social experiences in 10 female participants drawn from social media groups. Although the study was open to male or female partners, only female partners of male veterans chose to participate. Qualitative email interviews established how the …

Effects Of Job Type And Culture On Relationships Between Job Characteristics And Worker Outcomes: A Multilevel Analysis, Justina Oliveira

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

There has been a great deal of research regarding how job characteristics affect workers' perceptions, yet there are very few studies examining how job type (white-, pink-, or blue-collar) and culture impact these relationships. Through the use of data from over 11,000 employees in 24 countries, this project remedies the lack of multilevel study designs to determine how job type and culture each play independent roles in relationships between job characteristics (autonomy, task significance, and skill variety) and the worker outcomes of job satisfaction, organizational commitment, turnover intentions, and perceptions of the job as stressful and exhausting, as well as …

Fatalism, Diabetes Management Outcomes, And The Role Of Religiosity, Vincent Berardi, John Bellettiere, Orit Nativ, Slezak Ladislav, Melbourne Hovell, Orna Baron-Epel

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

This study aimed to determine whether fatalistic beliefs were associated with elevated levels of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and to establish the role of religiosity in this relationship. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on a sample of 183 Jewish adults with diabetes visiting a large medical center in northern Israel. Self-administered questionnaires assessed level of religiosity, fatalistic beliefs, diabetes management behaviors, and demographic/personal characteristics; laboratory tests were used to measure HbA1c. Multivariate regression indicated that fatalism was significantly associated with HbA1c (β = 0.51, p = 0.01). The association was no longer statistically significant after including self-reported religiosity in the …

Effects Of An Interdisciplinary Gerontology Course On First-Year Undergraduate Students, Christine Caroline Merz

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluated the impact of an interdisciplinary course on aging designed to improve attitudes toward older adults and aging, and generate interest in aging-related careers. Main outcomes included knowledge of older adults and aging, attitudes toward older adults and aging, and anxiety about personal aging. Participants included first-year undergraduate students enrolled in the course (curricular intervention group) and first-year undergraduate students not enrolled in the course (control group). Data were collected at the beginning and end of one semester. At the end of the semester curricular intervention students had increased in their knowledge about aging and showed more positive …

How Are Therapeutic Professionals Interpreting Ethics In Practice With Migrant Clients?, Madeline A. Brenner

Art Therapy Counseling Final Research Projects

The research study aimed to understand the praxis of mental health professionals working with immigrant and refugee populations in relation to ethical guidelines and agency protocols. Through practice-led inquiry, seven mental health professionals were interviewed from differing therapeutic backgrounds and orientations; including Marriage and Family Therapy, Clinical Social Work, Counseling, and Art Therapy. The researcher sought to identify how theory of therapeutic professionals differ, where professionals are engaging in culturally competent practice and what impact this has on the therapeutic relationship. Participants identified the key components of a positive therapeutic relationship include trust, cultural competency, approach, presence, as well as …

Satisfaction Of Students With Visual Impairment Within Different School Settings, Jeremiah Jordan

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

This is an investigation of the satisfaction of students with visual impairment attending school in different educational settings, including students attending school in a specialized educational setting, as well as students with visual impairment attending school in a mainstreamed educational setting. This paper explores research on the effectiveness and perceptions of inclusion for children with disabilities, particularly children with visual impairment. Specific research on this topic is sparse and the researcher proposed a new research study, in which the satisfaction of students with visual impairment was targeted and explored in both a specialized educational setting and mainstreamed educational setting. High …

Expanding Openness: The Effect Of Actor Emotional Expression On Audience Openness To Experience, Amalia Golomb-Leavitt

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Commonly regarded as one of the Big Five domains of personality, openness to experience has the social potential to deepen group connection, increase team growth and performance, and strengthen diverse relationships. In the current study I hypothesize that emotional expression on the part of an actor has the potential to increase the levels of openness to experience of the audience. To test this hypothesis, I administered the Big Five Inventory (BFI-44) to assess baseline levels of openness to experience, randomly assigned participants to view either three videos high in levels of emotional expressivity or three videos low in emotional expressivity, …

Resident Advisors React: Autoethnographic Reflections On High-Intensity Situations, Brenna A. Merrill

Sustainability and Social Justice

Resident Advisors (RAs) are paraprofessional peer leaders who are trained to respond to high-intensity incidents. Upon witnessing a crisis situation, I found it difficult to reflect and maintain my own personal wellness. The intent of this research has been to learn of and to give voice to the multiple ways in which RAs respond to such scenarios.

Utilizing autoethnography, I incorporate my experience with the perspectives of my coworkers and multidisciplinary literature. Seven current RAs, who had self-identified experiencing such an incident, volunteered to be interviewed. These narratives are embodied in the text in order to establish a dialogue between …

Effects Of Adverse Childhood Experiences On High Risk Inpatients Criminal Behavior, Alexis L. Booth, Jill D. Stinson Phd

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) play a role in the development of chronic mental and physical diseases in adulthood. These experiences include adversities such as: emotional/verbal abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse, and household dysfunction. In this study, we hypothesize that forensic mental health offenders will have higher ACE scores than community participants. Secondly, we hypothesize that these participants will show higher rates of and earlier incidences of offending, arrest, incarceration, and hospitalization as a result of their ACE scores. Further, we hypothesize that males and females will be affected by ACEs differently. Using archival data from a secure forensic psychiatric facility …

Identity As A Buffer Against Negative Outcomes Of Public Stigma Among Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Individuals, Emma G. Fredrick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sexual minority individuals suffer stigmatization which often predicts negative mental health outcomes and low self-esteem. However, specific dimensions of identity have been shown to buffer against negative outcomes in racial minorities and other stigmatized groups. Yet, limited research has examined identity as a buffer for sexual minorities. This thesis aimed to explore the moderating role of identity characteristics between sexual stigma and mental health outcomes. Findings in a sample of 209 gays, lesbians, and bisexuals suggested that public stigma, centrality, and private regard predict psychological distress. Private regard also emerged as a predictor of self-esteem. Additionally, centrality and public stigma …

A Descriptive Study Of The Use Of Neurofeedback In Counseling, Khwlah Jamil Al-Ansari

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines neuro-counseling in the mental health field and the concept of neurofeedback training (NFB) as an intervention in the counseling profession. Numbers of studies have indicated that NFB may be effective in the field of counseling. The purpose of this survey study is to explore the use of neurofeedback in the field of counseling.

Additionally, the study used a quantitative descriptive survey research method and descriptive statistics. The survey was sent to members of the American Counseling Association (ACA), and 93 professionals participated. The majority of the sample was licensed professional counselors, professionals with a degree in counseling, …

Effect Of The Physical Environment On Teacher Satisfaction With Indoor Environmental Quality In Early Learning Schools, Stuart Shell

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

While the quantity and quality of teacher-child interactions plays a key role in emotional and cognitive development for children, there is scant evidence regarding the contribution of physical environment to child outcomes. This study seeks to understand better the relative importance of variables within the physical environment for occupants. The research design targets teachers’ satisfaction with the physical environment as the outcome variable, based on the assumption that teachers who are more satisfied with their classroom provide higher-quality interactions with children. Teachers from two early learning schools with a total of 31 classrooms completed a written survey that asked about …

Effects Of An Electronically Guided Prayer Intervention, Brian Lee Goetsch

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Abstract Hope has been identified as an important factor in a variety of positive outcomes in psychotherapy, medicine, academic success, and for general levels of functioning. However, until now most studies on hope have been correlational in nature, and researchers have rarely sought to understand how hope can be facilitated. The present study considered the effect of prayer on experiences of hope in a national sample of Christian college students. An intervention group completed a guided prayer exercise once a day for 2 weeks. Pre and post-test levels of hope were assessed and compared to a control group, and a …

Depression And Spiritual Predictors Of Wellness In Family Caregivers Of Individuals With Alzheimer’S Disease, Christine Green

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

This study investigated the role of spirituality in family caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease as a means of lessening the development of depressive symptomology arising through caregiver burden. For this study, there were 41 caregiver participants taking care of a family member with Alzheimer’s disease. The population was obtained through various divisions of the Alzheimer’s Association of the United States of America. Participants completed a basic demographic survey, the General Well-Being Schedule, the Patient Health Questionnaire- 9, and the Spiritual Experience Index. Two groups, religious and non-religious, had their mental health functioning compared. Results from the 41 surveys suggest …

Problem Solving Skills Training With At-Risk Nicaraguan Children And Adolescents, Jessica Lee

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Problem solving skills have been used to effectively improve behavioral, psychological, and social functioning in a number of clinical and nonclinical settings, but there is need for additional research in cross-cultural settings. Dissemination research focuses on increasing our knowledge on how to effectively deliver evidence-based health care interventions to diverse communities. In this study, 23 Nicaraguan females, ages 9-19, from a girls’ home in Managua, Nicaragua received problem solving skills training, and a token economy system was implemented to measure behavior change. A significant improvement was found in the girls’ problem solving ability, externalizing problems, conduct problems, and adaptive skills. …

Posttraumatic Stress And Emotion Recognition, Rachel Woody

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

People with PTSD have problems with interpersonal relationships, but the maintaining mechanisms are not well studied. One potential mechanism relating PTSD and interpersonal difficulties is an inability for people with PTSD to recognize another’s emotion, preventing them from taking their perspective or reacting empathetically. This study aimed to experimentally test the effects of trauma cue exposure on participants with subthreshold PTSD’s accuracy in identifying emotions depicted by peoples’ eyes. Participants were randomly assigned to either the control (i.e., neutral script) or experimental condition (i.e., traumatic event script) prior to completing the “Reading the Mind in the Eyes” task to measure …

Contrasting Perceptions Of Motivation To Change: Clinicians And Substance Abuse Clients, Arthur Tabrizi

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Substance abuse persists as one of the most costly, prevalent, and damaging health problems in the United States. As of 2012, an estimated 22 million individuals, approximately 8.9 percent of the total population, were diagnosed with substance abuse or dependence disorder. Considering the significant number of clients served, successful national completion rates among individuals utilizing outpatient care remain markedly low. In the state of Nevada, where the present study is conducted, successful intensive outpatient treatment (IOP) completion rate remains at an alarmingly low 20.1 percent. Early dropout is a particular concern in that duration of participation in treatment has been …

The Moderating Influence Of Personality On Combat Veterans Transitioning Into Civilian College Life, Jason L. Davis

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Combat veterans returning to a civilian lifestyle are assisted in many ways during their transition. These services are not only demonstrations of patriotic support, but are typically intended to aid veterans with their transition. The transition for combat veterans is, in many ways, completely different from what most of us will ever experience. Several factors may influence the overall success of this transition for veterans. This study examined the relationship between veterans’ combat experiences and their transition into civilian college life. The constructs of transition were defined by grade point average (GPA) and current well-being. The influence of certain personality …

Perceived Stress And Suicidal Behaviors In College Students: Conditional Indirect Effects Of Depressive Symptoms And Mental Health Stigma, Esther Reynolds

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Suicide is the second leading cause of death in college students, making it a significant public health concern on college campuses. Perceived stress, depression, and mental health stigma are established risk factors for engaging in suicidal behaviors; however, their interrelationships are unknown. In a sample of 913 college students, we examined the role of depressive symptoms as a potential mediator of the relation between stress and suicidal behavior, and mental health stigma as a moderator of that effect. In bivariate analyses, perceived stress, depressive symptoms, mental health stigma and suicidal behaviors were all positively correlated. Additionally, depressive symptoms partially mediated …

Investigating The Theory Of Ambiguous Loss: The Role Of Ambiguity Tolerance In Pre-Death Grief For Caregivers Of Individuals With Dementia, Megan Kale-Cheever

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis sought to investigate the relationship between ambiguity tolerance and caregiver grief within the framework of ambiguous loss theory. Thirty-one family caregivers completed a quantitative survey comprising two pre-existing scales and several demographic questions designed to assess level of ambiguity tolerance, level of grief, caregiver age and gender, type of relationship to the care recipient, living situation, length of caregiving career, level of Social support and frequency of difficult behaviors. Quantitative data analysis revealed that while no relationship existed between total ambiguity tolerance and total caregiver grief, a modest, inverse relationship exists between tolerance toward general-type ambiguity and burden, …

Participation In Dual Language Immersion Programs: Using Theory Of Planned Behavior To Explore Enrollment Factors, Andrea Call

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The theory of planned behavior is used to explain and predict human behavior in a variety of situations. The theory proposes that attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control influence behavioral intention, which then influences behavior (Ajzen, 1991). Research has found that this model is useful in education for predicting teacher behavior in instruction, student participation in coursework, and parental involvement in education (Bracke & Corts, 2012; Campbell, 2010; Cheng & Chu, 2014; Lee et al., 2010). Dual Language Immersion consists of two languages being used for instruction in the same classroom (Alanis & Rodriguez, 2008). The goals of such …

Theories Of Victim Blame, Megan Crippen

Senior Honors Projects

Sexual assault is a serious, traumatic incident that is all too common on college campuses. Following the ordeal, those who are assaulted are often blamed. Victim blame occurs when the victim, rather than the perpetrator of a crime, is held at least partially responsible for the crime. This study seeks to determine the values that lead to victim-blaming behavior. After responding to the Ambivalent Sexism Scale, Belief in a Just World Measure, Sexual Script Scale, and Updated Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale, participants read a vignette depicting an encounter where an individual was not physically able to consent to a …