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The Denial Of Emergency Protection: Factors Associated With Court Decision Making, Carol E. Jordan, Adam J. Pritchard, Pamela Wilcox, Danielle Duckett-Pritchard

Office for Policy Studies on Violence Against Women Publications

Despite the importance of civil orders of protection as a legal resource for victims of intimate partner violence, research is limited in this area, and most studies focus on the process following a court’s initial issuance of an emergency order. The purpose of this study is to address a major gap in the literature by examining cases where victims of intimate partner violence are denied access to temporary orders of protection. The study sample included a review of 2,205 petitions that had been denied by a Kentucky court during the 2003 fiscal year. The study offers important insights into the …

Sexual Values Among Latino Youth: Measurement Development Using A Culturally Based Approach, Julianna Deardorff, Jeanne M. Tschann, Elena Flores

School of Education Faculty Research

Latino youth in the United States are at higher risk for negative sexual outcomes compared to their European American counterparts. Adherence to traditional sexual values may protect against or increase their risk. Past studies have generally utilized proxy measures, such as acculturation, to assess sexual values. The objective of the current study was to develop and test culturally based sexual values measures among Latino youth. Focus groups and qualitative interviews were conducted to generate themes related to sexual values. Six measures were developed: three related to gender role norms (Sexual Talk as Disrespectful, Satisfaction of Sexual Needs as Important, Female …

Horses And At-Risk Youth: An Alternative Approach To Reconnect Adolescents, Christiane Deaton

Theses Digitization Project

The author developed a model for at-risk youth that outlines processes and incorporates best practices of an equine-facilitated program. The Horse Program Model (HPM) is designed to determine if and how participating in a horse program can help change attitudes, skills and behaviors of at-risk youth.

Ethical Issues In The Provision Of Online Mental Health Services, Donna M. Midkiff, W. Joseph Wyatt

Psychology Faculty Research

A number of ethical and legal implications of on-line therapy [e-Therapy] are examined. e-Therapy is defined and its strengths and weaknesses listed. Specific ethical issues addressed include boundaries of competence, basis in science, avoidance of harm, confidentiality, avoidance of false or deceptive statements, media presentations, testimonials, solicitation of clients, fees and informed consent. Legal issues are discussed including the issue of interstate eTherapy. As a necessary measure to protect the public, the profession and the practitioner, it is recommended that federal legislation be enacted, informed by the American Psychological Association based upon APA's review of other disciplines’ (e.g., medicine) e-Practice …

Examining The Social And Emotional Impact Of Substance Use On The Users' Family Members, Steven Phillip Beyer

ETD Archive

Alcohol use is a multibillion dollar problem in the United States that has been linked to higher rates of anxiety, depression and maladjustment within families. Most studies examining the impact of alcohol use in these areas focus on individuals within treatment facilities. This study extended that research to examine the effects of social and emotional effects of alcohol use on a greater sample of the population, the family members of alcohol users. This study examined the relationships between family alcohol use and higher rates of depression, anxiety, and maladjustment. The data was expected to follow one of two general patterns. …

Assessment Practices In Residential Treatment Facilities For Juvenile Offenders, Liz Marciniak, Diane T. Marsh

Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice

Given the high prevalence of mental disorders among juvenile offenders, as well as the link between untreated disorders and delinquent behavior, there is a critical need for standardized, cost-effective, and clinically effective procedures to identify youth with mental health problems. Surveys were sent to staff in juvenile residential facilities throughout Pennsylvania to examine statewide assessment practices, including the background and training of staff, the standard intake procedures used in these facilities, and the role of assessment in treatment planning. Although results provide evidence of some common statewide assess-ment practices, there was significant variability in the use of specific procedures. Suggestions …

A Primer On The Implementation Of Group Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. [Review Of The Book Cognitive Behavioral Therapy In Groups]., T. Taylor, Theodore Cooper

Departmental Papers (Psych)

No abstract provided.

An Examination Of Female Youth Gangs, Tiffiney Y. Barfield-Cottledge, Myrna Cintron, Jonathan Sorensen

Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice

Cohen's subculture of delinquency theory (1955) posits that male youth gangs exist largely as the result of the status frustration experienced by rejected adolescents in their search for middle class acceptance. Cohen concluded that social and structural factors, particularly neighborhood and school environments, impacted youth gang prevalence. While many studies related to the existence of youth gangs have been conducted, few have focused specifically on female youth gangs. In the current study, an examination of female youth gangs was conducted using self-report data gathered for the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (1997-2001). Contrary to arguments that gendered-specific criminological theories are …

Fostering A Healthy Body Image: Prevention And Intervention With Adolescent Eating Disorders, Michelle Giles, Michael Hass

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Eating disorders are among the most frequently seen chronic illnesses found in adolescent females. In this paper, we discuss school-based prevention and intervention efforts that seek to reduce the impact of this serious illness. School counselors play a key role in the prevention of eating disorders and can provide support even when not directly involved in psychological or medical treatment. Because of their ability to play a leadership role in school-based prevention of eating disorders, school counselors are essential in facilitating a collaborative approach to the prevention of and intervention in eating disorders and their associated risk factors.

High School Students' Academic Achievement And Their Mothers' Attitudes And Level Of Education, Nicole M. Classen

Masters Theses

What is life like for a teenager growing up with a sibling who has a disability? Using their own words, five high school students explored, through an interview format, how their experiences, family systems, and identity have been shaped in direct and indirect ways by having a brother or sister with a disability. Several common themes emerged and included how sibling-care responsibilities influenced their ability to participate in social activities outside of the home, reported perceptions of having more household responsibilities than their peers and/or siblings, recognition that the sibling with a disability influenced family members and family life, an …

Television Violence Prevention Versus Juvenile Violence Prevention: Any Connections In Parental Control?, Sharlette Kellum

Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice

Animated features, like children's cartoons, are considered by some to be the most violent shows on televi-sion, with approximately 25 to 50 acts of violence per hour (Dietz and Strasburger, 1991). Cartoons, unlike other shows that portray violence, present instances of violence to children in an "acceptable" way, which teaches children from zero to 17 years of age that hurting people is tolerable. Television violence has been linked to juvenile aggression, which has been linked to juvenile violence. In researching several studies, the author found that many of the preventions mentioned in the television violence studies were also mentioned in …

A Survey Of Pennsylvania School Psychologists' Training, Knowledge And Evaluation Practice For Assessing And Diagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorders, Loren M. Pearson

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The main purpose of this research was to survey Pennsylvania school psychologists regarding their training, knowledge and evaluation practices when assessing and diagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). A 65 question electronic survey focusing on four areas: A) training, B) knowledge, C) current practice and D) demographic information, was distributed to 908 certified school psychologists in Pennsylvania and completed by 243 respondents. Results found that school psychologists in Pennsylvania play a key role with assessment and diagnosis of ASD, yet have limited formal training in important aspects of ASD. Doctoral level school psychologists and school psychologists with the greatest number of …

A Phenomenological Study Of Foster Carers' Experiences Of Formal And Informal Support, Tara Cavazzi

Theses : Honours

Foster children are showing a higher prevalence of maladaptive physical and psychosocial issues than ever before. The presence of these issues is predictive of foster placement instability, which is compounded by the inability to recruit and retain foster carers. As placement disruption can have numerous consequences, the factors that influence placement stability have been reviewed. Carer strain is a widespread destabilizing factor, which is augmented by many factors including the perceived level of practical and emotional support from both formal and informal networks. Formal support is linked to placement stability, although carers generally feel undervalued and unappreciated by formal networks. …

Benchmarking The Board-Executive Director Relationship Of The Fayette Foundation, Jodie Butler Markey

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

The Fayette Foundation is a young, nonprofit organization in Lexington. Although it has only been incorporated for four years, it has already raised over one million dollars to fulfill the organization’s mission. The executive director has been with the organization for two years and believes that a strong relationship with the board is important for the success of the organization. As a result, the executive director would like to find out how to maximize the effectiveness of the board-executive director relationship.

The research question asks what makes an effective board-executive director relationship, as well as which elements of the organization …

An Exploration Of Satisfaction, Psychological Stress, And Readiness For Interprofessional Learning In Medical, Nursing, Allied Health, And Social Work Students In An Interprofessional Health Care Course, Anne M. Haskins

Theses and Dissertations

Medical errors are a prominent problem in health care systems in many countries, including the U.S. One source of medical errors is communication and collaboration between health care team members. Many medical, nursing, and allied health care programs have implemented interprofessional health carecourses to improve communication between future team members. However, a dearth of literature on the effectiveness of interprofessional education and the variables that may influence its efficacy continues to persist.

This survey research explored medical, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and social work students' achievement of knowledge, psychologicalstress, and satisfaction in an interprofessional health care course. Ninety-six students …

Resiliency In Hispanic Middle School Students: A Direct Assessment, Randy Horner

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to identify the level of resiliency found in middle school Latinos in the south suburbs of Chicago. The Hispanic population is currently booming with the most growth coming from Mexican Immigrants. Many young Hispanics face munerous stressors attributed to cultural issues and low Socioeconomicstatus (SES). Few studies have examined resiliency in young Hispanics. Resiliency plays an integral part in adjusting to life, and a lack of, or passel of it can lead to maladjustment or negative outcomes. This study compared the level of resiliency between Hispanic middle school males and Caucasian middle school males. …

An Examination Of Self-Reported Parenting Practices Among First-Generation Spanish-Speaking Latino Families: A Spanish Version Of The Alabama Parenting Questionnaire, Melissa R. Donovick, Melanie M. Domenech-Rodriguez

Psychology Faculty Publications

The present study examined the applicability of the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire to a Spanish-speaking Latino population. Results of the reliability and concurrent validity testing suggest that the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire may be a valuable tool for use with Spanish-speaking Latino families. The Alabama Parenting Questionnaire in Spanish assessed parenting practices among 50 first-generation Spanish-speaking Latino families of primarily Mexican origin with a child between 4 and 9 years of age (n = 96 parents, n = 50 children). Mothers and fathers completed questionnaires in Spanish to assess parent and child behaviors. Results show that over 80% of parents included …

A Direct Comparison Of Effect Sizes From The Clinical Global Impression-Improvement Scale To Effect Sizes From Other Rating Scales In Controlled Trials Of Adult Social Anxiety Disorder, Bruce L. Brown, Dawson W. Hedges, David A. Shwalb

Faculty Publications

Objective: The clinical global impression-improvement scale (CGI-I) is used to monitor treatment outcome in mental disorders. To better understand the properties of the CGI-I scale in social anxiety disorder, effects sizes from the CGI-I scale were compared to comparably calculated effect sizes from other rating scales obtained from double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitors in social anxiety disorder. From peer-reviewed, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies evaluating selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in social anxiety disorder, we extracted CGI-I data and scores from other assessment scales of severity and function. Using calculations that enabled direct comparisons, effect sizes for the binarily reported CGI-I …

Consumers’ Mental Health Recovery In A Psychiatric Outreach Program: A Process And Outcome Evaluation, Phillip Chan

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This study was a process and outcome evaluation of a relatively innovative Canadian psychiatric outreach program that was multi-disciplinary, shared-care, community-based, consumer-directed, and self-determination oriented. Using structured interviews with participants (n=32), both quantitative and qualitative approaches were employed. The quantiative process measures included a demographic survey, a frequency of service utilization and satisfaction survey, and a shortened version of the Recovery Oriented System Indicator (ROSI) instrument. These measures revealed that the program was serving the target population; the conumsers utilized the services frequently and they were satisfied with the program; and, in the eyes of consumers, the program …

The Relationships Between Cyber And Non-Cyber Bullying And Depressive Symptoms Among Adolescents In Western Australia, Mitch J. Read

Theses : Honours

Much research has explored the nature, prevalence and impact that bullying behaviours have on children and adolescents. Correlations have been found between bullying behaviours and depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety, loneliness, psychosomatic symptoms and conduct disorders. With a rapid increase in the availability and use of information and communication technologies young people are now able to bully others in a relatively anonymous, removed fashion, often referred to as cyber bullying. This paper provides a review of the research that has investigated the nature, prevalence and impact of cyber and non-cyber bullying. The bullying literature highlights the negative consequences this behaviour often …

A Parental Perspective: The Role Of Companion Animals For Children During Separation And Divorce, Jessica Michel

Theses : Honours

Children grow up in interdependent family systems, where transitions affect all members. A prevalent transition in Australian families is divorce. When divorce occurs children are exposed to significant risk factors that have the potential of affecting many developmental outcomes. However, certain protective factors may reduce the impact of life stressors and a pivotal protective factor is social support. Companion animals have been recognised as beneficial to adults and children alike for many years, however, recent research has highlighted the fact that pets may also serve as sources of social support. The current paper will review relevant literature to determine the …

Cross-Cultural Transition, Coping, And Social Support: Relationships Among Psychological Outcomes Among British Migrants In Australia, Samantha Shooter

Theses : Honours

This review examines the relationships among coping strategies, social support, and migrant adjustment. Research suggests that due to losses of the homeland, such as loss of family, friends and community, and adjustment difficulties in the new country, migration can be a difficult experience. Several key findings in the literature however, revealed that particular coping strategies and social support are two key factors that can ameliorate the negative effects of migration. Research has typically found an association between coping strategies and psychological outcomes, such that, problem-focused or active coping strategies, whereby migrants take direct action to solve the problem, are typically …

The Benefits Of Pet Ownership For Single Adults In Midlife, Lauren Mcgillivray

Theses : Honours

Pets are shown to enhance quality of life through support and companionship. Midlife is a time where pets may be most valuable, since it is a time that involves critical changes to intimate relationships, roles and status. In this article a critical review of the literature on midlife development and demographic trends was carried out. Further, the psychological literature on human-pet relationships was reviewed and integrated with midlife research. Evidence for the psychological and physical benefits of pets is examined and the implications and potential benefits for middle aged adults are discussed. Findings suggest that pets may help to reduce …

An Examination Of The Influence Of Gender In Juvenile Offending, Patterns Of Crime, Sentencing And Public Opinion. An Exploratory Study Of Public Opinion On The Sentencing Of Male And Female Juvenile Offenders And An Examination Of The Respondents Gender, Sarah J. Welch

Theses : Honours

The aim of this literature review was to examine public perception of juvenile crimes, laws and sentencing practices to address whether the public were content with current punishments. It also observed the methodological issues with public opinion survey research to see whether these may influence the belief that the laws and sentencing practices were inconsistent with how the public wanted juveniles to be punished. The review also examined whether the gender of the juvenile offender influenced the types of crimes committed and the types of punishments sanctioned by the courts. Additionally, it observed whether the demographics of the respondent, victim …

Experiencing Pet Loss As A Child: A Parental Perspective, Sarah Jayne Parkin

Theses : Honours

Due to the positive contributions many companion animals make to the lives of others, it is common for individuals to build strong emotional attachments to their pets. Individuals who have strong relationships with their pets are likely to experience an equally strong grief reaction following their death. Although the grief process is highly idiosyncratic, theory suggests common stages or tasks that adults progress through during grief. However, research indicates that the grief process for children may vary from that of adults. The developmental capability of a child at the time of a loss will determine their level of understanding about …

The Relationship Between Normative Beliefs And Tobacco Smoking : A Social Psychological Perspective, Wendy Cannon

Theses : Honours

Tobacco smoking has been classified as the single most preventable cause of death and disease in Australia. It has been estimated that 19,000 Australians die each year as a result of smoking tobacco. The highest level of smoking prevalence in Australia is among young adults aged between 20 and 29 years. While the pleasurable short-term effects of nicotine help to reinforce smoking behaviour, the long-term effects of the harmful chemicals in tobacco pose significant health hazards. This review provides background information on the effects of smoking and nicotine dependence, and discusses the individual and social costs related to tobacco smoking. …

Self-Efficacy, Sense Of Belonging And Social Support As Predictors Of Resilience In Adolescents, Anna Nowicki

Theses : Honours

Adolescence has been described as a period of many physical, cognitive and psychosocial changes. During such a tumultuous time some adolescents cope better than others with life stressors, and these individuals can be considered resilient. The degree to which a person is resilient can be influenced and determined by protective factors, including social support, sense of belonging and self-efficacy. Positive social support has been identified as a buffer that protects individuals from the negative effects of stressful life situations. A strong sense of belonging has positively reflected adolescents' motivation, participation and ability to relate to their environment. Self-efficacy has also …

The Role Of Inspiration In Scientific Scholarship And Discovery: Views Of Theistic Scientists, Kari Ann O'Grady

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative research study examined the ways those who identify themselves as theistic scientists and scholars experience inspiration, as defined as divine guidance or influence, in their scientific scholarship and discovery. It also explored participants' beliefs about how scientists and scholars can seek and prepare to receive inspiration in their work. Open-ended surveys of 450 participants from the behavioral and natural sciences and from a variety of religious backgrounds were analyzed for content themes in the areas of experiences with inspiration, preparing to receive inspiration, and further thoughts on inspiration in science. The themes extracted indicated that these scientists and …

An Examination Of Variables Influencing Undergraduate Hospitality Management Majors' Moral Reasoning, Tamantha L. Brooks

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Identifying factors that facilitate moral reasoning among hospitality management majors are important since it provides insight into their capacity for ethical decision making. This study examines if the variables of age, education level, gender, ethics coursework, or supervisory experience influence hospitality majors' moral reasoning. Participants (n=449) included students taking required hospitality management courses from five Midwestern universities in the United States. The Defining Issues Test II (DIT2) instrument and a demographic supplement were used to collect data. Results showed that there was no correlation between age and moral reasoning; the level of education did not influence moral reasoning; moral reasoning …

Outcomes Of Religious And Spiritual Adaptations To Psychotherapy: A Meta-Analytic Review, Timothy B. Smith, Jeremy Bartz, P. Scott Richards

Faculty Publications

The use of spiritually oriented psychotherapies has increased dramatically during the past decade. This article reports a meta-analysis of 31 outcome studies of spiritual therapies conducted from 1984 to 2005 with clients suffering from a variety of psychological problems. Across the 31 studies, the random-effects weighted average effect size was 0.56. This finding provides some empirical evidence that spiritually oriented psychotherapy approaches may be beneficial to individuals with certain psychological problems (e.g., depression, anxiety, stress, eating disorders). Recommendations for future research in this domain are offered.