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Attrition In A Telephonic Intervention Program For Depressed, Low-Income Patients In A Primary Care Setting, Benjamin C. Salazar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Telemental health interventions are currently being implemented in primary care settings in order to reduce the cost of providing treatment and increase access to services of underserved groups. Studies of the efficacy of telemental health interventions have generally demonstrated high rates of attrition. Eysenbach (2005) suggested that the reality of high attrition rates in telemental health studies prompts further investigation into the factors related to attrition. Such research should focus on identifying the characteristics of clients who drop out of treatment and at what points such clients are likely to drop out. The purpose of this study was to identify …

Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment: Does Family Systems Therapy Improve Family Functioning And Decrease Drug Use?, Darin J. Wallis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Family systems therapy is a way of working with individuals, couples, families, or a group of people that emphasizes relationships and a person's/family's greater "system" as important factors in establishing change and health (Haley, 1976; Minuchin, 1974). Treating adolescent substance abuse with family systems therapy has been demonstrated in the literature as being an effective method of intervention (Coatsworth, Santisteban, McBride, & Szapocznik, 2001; Kumfer & Alvarado, 2003; Leichtling, Gabriel, Lewis & Vander Ley, 2006; Liddle, 2002; Liddle et al., 2001; Rowe & Liddle, 2003), as the various ecological and epidemiological factors associated with adolescent substance abuse can be addressed …

Relationship Adjustment In African American/White Interracial Couples, Elizabeth Rose Muino

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Interracial intimate partnerships are at greater risk for relationship dissolution (i.e., divorce or permanent separation in cohabitating couples) than their endogamous counterparts (Bratter & King, 2008). However, a disparity in dissolution rates exists between African American male/White female pairings and African American female/White male pairings. This study sought to elucidate psychological variables that may be related to this sizable discrepancy. It was hypothesized that differences between these pairings exist with regard to color-blindness, empathy, sexism, and relationship adjustment. It was further hypothesized that color-blindness, empathy, and sexism, as controlled for by gender and race, would predict relationship adjustment.

Participants included …

Arts-Based Research In Cultural Mental Health, Erminia Colucci

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

Arts can be employed as a powerful tool to elicit thinking and discussion (thus generating and gathering data), as well as a means to report and disseminate findings. The arts have been used for decades in research and practice and they are increasingly being used, also because of a counter-movement to the dominance of positivist epistemologies. However, health sciences continue to be reticent toward embracing the application of art in research. This has resulted in limited art use even in disciplines such as Psychiatry and Psychology, which could arguably benefit most from such practices.

Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of School-Based Services Among Mental Health Therapists, Jolene-Fe Caguicla Balancio, Suzette Carolina Covarrubias

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this research project was to gather the perceptions of mental health therapists regarding the effectiveness of providing school-based services to children and adolescents in grades K-12. The methodology used in this study included face-to-face interviews with fourteen mental health therapists from diverse educational backgrounds and various fields of practice.

A Case Study Of The Effects Of Privatization Of Child Welfare On Services For Children And Families: The Nebraska Experience, Grace S. Hubel, Alayna Schreier, David J. Hansen, Brian Wilcox

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Privatization, or contracting with non-governmental agencies for provision of state or federally funded services, is a strategy that has gained recent attention from policymakers as a potential tool for successful child welfare reform. The Child Welfare Privatization Initiatives Project was created in 2007 as a joint effort between the United States Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. The framework identified by this project produced twelve key considerations for states moving towards a privatized system. This case study considers these twelve considerations in a description of the large-scale effort to …

Robert Frost's "Mending Wall" As An Allegory Of Tolerance: Understanding, Acceptance, And Invitation, Kristina Hansen

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

Lane Fischer’s discussion of the nature of law in Turning Freud Upside Down (2005) describes tolerance as the combination of understanding, acceptance, and invitation to do better. This conceptualization of tolerance is equated to love for the other. The poem “Mending Wall” by Robert Frost is analyzed as an allegory of tolerance so defined.

Countervailing Parental Monitoring On Teenage Deviance, Cheng-Hsien Lin

Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice

No abstract provided.

The Boston Miracle Version 2.0: The Organizing Role Of Technology In The Boston Police Department's Community Problem Solving Strategy, Michael J. Jenkins

Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice

No abstract provided.

Booklet Of Selected Theses From The Ma In Criminology, Ma In Law, Ma In Child, Family And Community Studies, And The International Masters In Early Childhood Education, 2010-2012, Matt Bowden, Carmel Gallagher, Kevin Lalor

Dissertations

This booklet highlights and celebrates the research work of graduates from taught Masters programmes in the School of Social Sciences and Law:

• the MA in Criminology

• the MA in Law

• the MA in Child, Family and Community Studies

• the International Masters in Early Childhood Education, co-delivered with Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences (Norway) and the University of Malta (Malta).

The MA in Criminology and the MA in Law commenced in 2006 and the MA in Child, Family and Community Studies commenced in 2007. Each has quickly become established in its field as a …

Understanding The Role And Decision-Making Process Of The Juvenile Court Judge: A Descriptive Survey, Nathan C. Lowe, Adam K. Matz, Amy J. Messer

Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of A Prayer Intervention On The Process Of Forgiveness, Sarah L. Vasiliauskas, Mark R. Mcminn

Faculty Publications - Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program

A vast amount of research examining forgiveness has now been reported, as has a sizable amount of research on prayer, but these two constructs have rarely been examined together. This experimental intervention study investigated potential benefits of prayer among Christians seeking to forgive an interpersonal offense. Participants consisted of 411 undergraduate students from private Christian colleges across the United States, randomly assigned to a prayer group, a devotional attention group, or a no-contact control group. The prayer group participated in a 16-day devotional reading and prayer intervention focused on forgiveness, whereas those in the devotional attention group meditated on devotional …

A Qualitative Study Of Stakeholder Perceptions In Early Childhood Intervention Partnership, Ruth Schumacher

Dissertations

The first three years of life are a period where significant growth occurs in all areas of development to prepare infants and toddlers for further learning. Early experiences and relationships impact that early cognitive development. As the literature suggests, the greatest opportunity to break the cycle of poverty and decrease the achievement gap is to intervene early with at risk young children and families. In order to promote resiliency, it is imperative that children have at least one adult who is a consistent and reliable figure in their lives. Early childhood intervention programs serve to empower parents to meet that …

Ensuring Rigor In Qualitative Research Within The Field Of Cross-Cultural Psychology, Carolin Demuth

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

Within recent years, there has been an increasing call for qualitative research in cross-cultural psychology. Despite this general openness, there seems to be some confusion about how to evaluate the quality of such research. This has been partly due to the heterogeneity of the field and the epistemological underpinnings of qualitative research that do not allow for standard criteria of rigor as in the traditional psychological research. Nevertheless, there is an emerging canon of recognized standards of good practice in qualitative research which the present paper will briefly discuss. The paper aims at motivating cross-cultural psychologists to produce high quality …

Religious Acculturation And Spirituality In Latter-Day Saint Committed Converts, Kristin L. Hansen, Laurie Page, Lane Fischer, Marleen Williams

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

This study examines religious acculturation and spirituality in committed Latter-day Saint (LDS) converts living in Utah. We conducted a qualitative analysis using interviews from a sample of 20 North American and 20 International Latter-day Saint converts attending or working at Brigham Young University (BYU)—a western LDS private university—of varying age, time since baptism, and country of origin. Of the 40 converts, 39 were classified as committed in their LDS religious affiliation using Henri Gooren’s (2007) Conversion Career Model. Based on our analysis of the interviews, several pertinent themes emerged: converts (1) recognize and choose to acculturate; (2) report positive changes …

Self-Compassion As A Mediator Between Coping Styles And Psychopathology, Yamini Bellare

Masters Theses

Self-compassion helps an individual to respond to suffering or pain with mindfulness, common humanity and self-kindness. It has been identified as a protective factor, which promotes physical and mental health. Self-compassion was examined as a potential mediator in the relationship between coping strategies and psychopathology. A literature review of the existing research on self-compassion and its links with specific coping strategies, depression and anxiety is presented. Findings indicate that self-compassion partially mediates the relationship between avoidance-oriented coping and social-anxiety. Self-compassion also was associated with lower levels of psychopathology and avoidance-oriented coping and higher use of adaptive problem-focused coping. The probable …

Get Rich U Or Get Transformed U: Reflections On Catholic Liberal Arts Education In The 21st Century, Thomas G. Plante

Psychology

Catholic liberal arts educators can proclaim boldly that we are in the business of formation and transformation of students at multiple levels and in multiple ways. We want our students to be competent, ethical, and compassionate global citizens who are thoughtful, savvy, deep thinkers who love learning and who love helping others. Research and best practices support the claim that the virtues cultivated by the liberal arts contribute to the flourishing of individuals and society as a whole. Catholic colleges and universities have a long history of promoting the liberal arts, and data from various sources suggest that we are …

An Exploration Of Social Supports And Cultural Traditions On The Development Of Posttraumatic Growth Among Adult Haitian Immigrants, Patricia L. Weldon

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The research objective was to explore how post-traumatic growth is expressed in Haitian immigrants and what role social supports and cultural traditions may play in the development of post-traumatic growth. Post-traumatic growth is defined by positive changes in one or more of five domains including; personal strengths, relating to others, appreciation of life, spirituality and life philosophy (Calhoun & Tedeschi, 2006). Conceptual frameworks of constructivism (Rodwell, 1998), strength based approach (Saleebey, 2000)and eco systems theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1979) were employed to guide the study.

Relation Of Therapeutic Alliance To Retention In Eight Cases Of Brief Strategic Family Therapy, Alyson H. Sheehan

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This mixed-methods study was designed to explore how the therapeutic alliance may influence retention in conjoint family therapy with adolescent drug abusers. Eight videotaped first sessions from a large-scale effectiveness study of Brief Strategic Family Therapy (BSFT; Robbins, Feaster, Horigan et al., 2011) were selected in which four trained BSFT therapists saw one family that continued in treatment and one family that dropped out after that session.

Effect Of A Diversity Training Workshop On College Students' Prejudice And Awareness Of Privilege, David Kasson

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Universities and college are attempting to build more multicultural environments with various programming. One type of program is the prejudice-reduction workshop. Such programs are believed to encourage reductions in participants' prejudicial attitudes and biases. Another consideration is whether such interventions may promote elevations in students' multicultural awareness and sensitivity. Verification of the effectiveness of such programs is often lacking. A common prejudice-reduction workshop employed on college campuses is the National Coalition Building Institute's (NCBI) Welcoming Diversity/Prejudice Reduction Workshop (NCBI, 2001). The model is purported to encourage reductions in participants' prejudice and encourage an appreciation for diverse people. However, there is …

The Importance Of Counseling Self-Efficacy In School Mental Health, Bryn Elizabeth Schiele

Theses and Dissertations

Clinician or counseling self-efficacy (CSE), defined as beliefs about one's ability to effectively counsel a client in the near future (Larson & Daniels, 1998), is widely accepted as an important precursor of effective clinical practice (Kozina, Grabovari, De Stefano & Drapeau, 2010). While previous research has explored the association of CSE with variables such as counselor aptitude, achievement, and level of training and experience, little attention has been paid to the self-efficacy of school mental health practitioners. The current study examines the influence of quality training and supervision on the level of counseling self-efficacy amongst school mental health practitioners, as …

Readiness For Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports (Pbis) And School Mental Health (Smh) Interconnection: Development Of A Stakeholder Survey, Vittoria Anello

Theses and Dissertations

Positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS) and school mental health (SMH) are prominent initiatives in the United States to improve student behavior and promote mental health and wellness, led by education and mental health systems, respectively. Unfortunately, PBIS and SMH are often separate initiatives in districts and schools, which usually results in many missed opportunities from this failed interconnection. The current paper details a necessary first step in the process by describing the development of a measure of assessing readiness to interconnect PBIS and SMH within the schools. Relevant literature, pilot data, and methodology are discussed, in addition to psychometric …

Individual Worker Level Attitudes Toward Empirically Supported Treatments, David A. Patterson Silver Wolf (Adelv Unegv Waya) Phd, Eugene Maguin Phd, Catherine N. Dulmus Phd, Bruce C. Nisbet

Brown School Faculty Publications

Objectives: There is a growing literature indicating that organizational and individual worker-level factors affect decisions about whether or not empirically-supported treatments (EST’s) are adopted within health care agencies. The purpose of this pilot study is to further investigate and measure worker’s attitudes within a community organization. Methods: A small organization participated in the study due to their diversity in services offered. Of the 92 workers eligible for participation in the study, 66 (72%) completed the Evidence-Based Practice Attitude Scale (EBPAS) survey. Results: Multivariate analyses revealed that female workers scored higher on both Openness and total score; workers with nursing, education …

Re-Arrest Among Juvenile Justice-Involved Youth: An Examination Of The Static And Dynamic Risk Factors, Jun Sung Hong, Joseph P. Ryan, Yu-Ling Chiu, Bushra Sabri

Social Work Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study is to investigate the static and dynamic risk factors for re-arrest among detained youth by examining gender, race/ethnicity, age, special education and mental health variables (i.e., anger/irritability, depression/anxiety, somatic complaints, suicide ideation, thought disturbances, and traumatic experiences). The demographic profiles of detained youth with one admit were also compared with those with multiple admits to the juvenile detention center. With regards to static risk factors, older, white, and special education were significantly at risk of re-arrest. Concerning dynamic risk factors, only anger/irritability predicted re-arrest. Practice implications are also discussed.

Identification Of Effective Play Techniques For Use With Children In A Outpatient Mental Health Clinic, Jan Schwarzrock

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this research project was to identify which play techniques are the most effective and produce good outcomes for children. Children enter therapy for a number of reasons to improve their emotional and cognitive wellbeing, however engaging them can be challenging. During a therapeutic session, children use play to share experiences through the toys they choose, whereas adults verbally express themselves. The Allina Health/NUMC Outpatient Therapy Department was interested in the identification of play techniques that they could be used to enhance their work with children with the intent to explore the impact of using play techniques on …

The Development Of An Undergraduate Study Abroad Program: Nicaragua And The Psychology Of Social Inequality, Ellen I. Shupe

Peer Reviewed Articles

In its recent report outlining principles for teaching undergraduate students in psychology, the American Psychological Association Board of Educational Affairs recommended including experiential learning in the curriculum and identified study abroad opportunities as being particularly valuable. Unfortunately, although American universities offer hundreds of faculty-led study abroad programs, only a handful of the programs offer coursework in psychology. In this article, I describe a program in Nicaragua on the psychology of social inequality I developed and have been leading for the past 10 years. I begin by describing the structure of the program and discuss my pedagogical approach and goals for …

Parental Influence On Inhalant Use, Alina M. Baltazar, Gary L. Hopkins, Duane C. Mcbride, Curtis J. Vanderwaal, Sara Pepper, Sarah Mackey

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this article is to examine the dynamics of the relationship between parents and their adolescent children and their association with lifetime and past-month inhalant usage. The population studied was seventh- through ninth-grade students in rural Idaho (N = 570). The authors found a small, but consistent, significant inverse correlation between parental bonding and monitoring of behavior and inhalant usage. There was also a significant positive correlation between verbally aggressive behavior in the family and inhalant use. The data imply that family interaction may play a significant role in the use of inhalants and that the family can …

The Relationship Of Personal, Family, And Abuse-Specific Factors To Children’S Clinical Presentation Following Childhood Sexual Abuse, C. Thresa Yancey, Karen Z. Naufel, David J. Hansen

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Past literature has proposed potential variables (e.g., age, gender, attributional style) that may relate to clinical presentation following childhood sexual abuse (CSA). However, few studies have tested these relationships. The current study examined multiple factors related to clinical presentation following CSA in 101 children and adolescents presenting for treatment at Project SAFE, a parallel group treatment for children/teens and their nonoffending parents. Using clusters developed in a previous study, relationships between proposed variables and pretreatment clinical presentation were examined. Results indicated that attributions about the abuse, parental mental health, and severity of abuse related to the differentiated clinical presentation. These …

Fathers, Divorce, And Child Custody, Matthew M. Stevenson, Sanford L. Braver, Ira M. Ellman, Ashley M. Votruba

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

A great many fathers will have their fathering eliminated, disrupted, or vastly changed because they become divorced from the child’s mother. In fact, between 40% and 50% of marriages end in divorce (Cherlin, 2010). Although the divorce rate (measured as divorces per 1,000 people) is high by the standards prior to the late 1960s, it has actually fallen more than 30% since its peak in 1980. The decline in divorce rates in recent years has, however, been concentrated among the college-educated portion of the population; divorce rates among the less well educated may have even increased (Cherlin, 2010). But for …

Youth Treatment Adherence At A Rural Community Mental-Health Clinic, Asma S. Ali

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study examined the relationships between youth and adult psychopathology, and sociodemographic factors and treatment adherence for youth attending outpatient treatment at a rural community mental-health clinic. “Adherence” was defined as attending more than five sessions, while “non-adherence” was defined as attending fewer than or equal to five sessions. Results revealed no significant differences between youth adhering or not adhering to treatment depending on the relation of caregiver to youth or the mode of transportation taken to the clinic. Furthermore, caregiver and youth psychopathology and caregiver’s estimated travel time to the clinic did not predict treatment adherence. Incidentally, examination of …