Digital Commons Network^™

The Efficacy And Usability Of Motivational Interviewing Just-In-Time Trainings For Youth Mentors, Mackenzie J. Hart, Samuel D. Mcquillin, Aidyn Iachini Ph.D., Msw, Lsw, Daniel K. Cooper, Mark D. Weist

Faculty Publications

Using youth mentors to deliver evidence-based psychosocial services has been proposed to increase the reach of treatments, in part given the affordability and ubiquity of mentors in youth settings. Further, tests of mentor-delivered motivational interviewing (MI) have shown increases in youth mentees' academic performance and wellbeing. Yet, traditional methods of training mentors to use MI can be costly and time-consuming. Previous work has suggested the value of asynchronous, brief, just-in-time training (JITT) to help offset these challenges; however, MI JITT for mentors has not yet been formally evaluated. As such, here, we report on a preliminary study of MI JITT …

Preliminary Evaluation Of A Brief Intervention To Enhance Trauma-Informed Attitudes Among Educators And School Mental Health Counselors, Cheri Shapiro, Kara Lee, Courtnie Collins, Tristan Collier, Carl Sorensen

Publications

Professional development training designed to advance knowledge of the impacts of trauma and trauma-responsive practices for educators and counselors in schools and mental health settings have become common. Given the popularity of these training approaches, it is important to understand the potential impact on trauma-informed attitudes and beliefs. This descriptive, exploratory study examined changes in traumainformed care attitudes as a function of participating in a novel intervention designed to support trauma-informed practices in a sample of elementary school educators, administrators, and school mental health counselors (n=194) from one state in the Southeastern US. Positive changes in trauma-informed attitudes from pre …

Cohesive Model Of Supervision: An Empirically Based Approach, Gülşah Kemer

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Supervision models are fundamental to our supervision practices and criticized for lacking empirical support. As a data-driven approach based on research with expert supervisors, Cohesive Model of Supervision unifies existing models’ central premises in a meaningful manner and emphasizes the understated areas of supervision practice.

Effects Of Group Theraplay On Emotional Regulation And Social Interaction Skills In Children With Emotional And Behavior Disorders, Andrea Hutchison

Graduate Research Papers

Childhood mental health has gained significant attention in recent years. Poor childhood mental health is quickly becoming a major problem in the United States. The impacts of this problem are wide-reaching, affecting families, communities, and schools. Play therapy is one well-known intervention that is often used to alleviate symptoms of mental disorders in children. This study focuses primarily on one play therapy modality: Theraplay®, which is an attachment-based intervention that can be delivered in group and dyadic settings. The purpose of this study is to examine the literature that exists regarding the effectiveness of Theraplay®, specifically Group Theraplay®. Specific questions …

The Unintended Consequences Of Normalization: Unmonitored Mental Health Discourse Among Youth And Suicide Risk, Farley Morris

Social Work Theses - Archive

Suicide has become an increasingly common cause of death among U.S. children ages 10–14. In 2001, suicide accounted for 8% of deaths in this age group; by 2010 the proportion rose to 12%, and by 2020 it reached 22% (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2020). Although factors such as adverse childhood experiences (Felitti et al., 1998; Jones et al., 2024), psychache (Shneidman, 1998), burdensomeness (Joiner, 2005; O’Connor, 2011), and hopelessness (Bat Tonkus et al., 2022; Qiu et al., 2017) are associated with suicide, these elements alone do not explain the significant rise in suicide deaths over the past …

Resilience And Reality: Exploring The Lived Experiences Of People Living With Hiv In Texas During The Covid-19 Pandemic – A Qualitative Study., Ahmed F. Alanazi

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

This study investigated the lived experiences of individuals living with HIV (PLWH) in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area of Texas during the COVID-19 pandemic, using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) framework. The research examined the intersection of health, social dynamics, and psychological resilience among PLWH, who faced compounded vulnerabilities due to systemic inequities and the dual public health crises of HIV and COVID-19. Through semi-structured interviews with ten participants from diverse backgrounds, the study captured the profound impacts of disrupted healthcare systems, heightened stigma, and social isolation on this marginalized population. The findings reveal that the pandemic exacerbated existing inequities …

Mistrust Among Injured Immigrant Workers: A Conceptual Framework, Maude Arsenault, Daniel Côté, Jessica Dubé

Revues de littérature, synthèses de connaissances

Background

In Quebec, injured workers have access to medical assistance, wage replacement indemnities, and rehabilitation measures, with most injuries resolved easily. However, a small percentage of cases require a lengthy rehabilitation process, which is particularly complex when involving immigrants. The therapeutic alliance is at the heart of the process, involving mutual trust and confidence and a degree of consensus about the therapeutic interventions to be used and, ultimately, the return to work.

Objective

This article delves into the concept of mistrust as more than the absence of trust, and sheds light on its role in the rehabilitation process of immigrant …

Ubuntu In Namibia And Kenya: How Emerging Adults Live An Essential African Value Today, Julia S. Rotzinger, Lene Arnett Jensen, Amber Gayle Thalmeyer

Psychology

Psychology in Africa often relies on Euro-American theories, despite their limitations in African cultures. Here, a shift to an Afrocentric perspective was made by exploring Ubuntu in two sub-Saharan African countries using a cultural-developmental psychology approach for in-depth emic understanding. Ubuntu (also known as botho, etc.) is a moral ideal that at core means placing a higher importance on the community than on oneself. Most literature on this important African concept has been theoretical rather than empirical, and little is known about how well it describes contemporary worldviews and experiences of emerging adults. In this interview study, Namibian and …

Why People Stay: Factors Contributing To Staff Retention In Community Mental Health Clinics, Brianna D. Boggs

Theses and Dissertations

The current behavioral health crisis is exacerbated by a crisis in the behavioral health workforce. Recruiting and retaining workers in behavioral health has become a challenge, making access to services for those needing them even more difficult. This study aimed to examine which factors have the strongest influence on an employee’s work engagement and decision to remain employed at their current organization. This study used Aarons et al.’s multilevel, multiphase implementation model (2011), with a focus on inner contextual factors as a means to help inform potential interventions to address the factors and improve retention. This study also applied the …

Factors Affecting The Joy Of Life In Old Age: A Scale Development Study, Yalçın Karagöz, Yusuf Karaşi̇n, Mustafa Filiz, Mehmet Ateş

Adultspan Journal

This study aims to introduce a measurement tool into the literature that can reveal the factors affecting the joy of life in older adulthood. Participants included 266 individuals aged 55 and over living in Izmir, Turkey. The process of developing the scale includes the following stages: problem identification, item pool creation, expert opinion, form shaping, pilot application, and finalizing the scale. The exploratory factor analysis revealed that the scale consists of 6 different dimensions, and the variance explained by these dimensions was found to be 65.184%. The acceptable values for the scale's fit indicators are as follows: χ²/df0.90, IFI > 0.90, …

Describing And Understanding The Use Of Coaches For Eating Disorder Recovery: A Mixed Methods Study, Taylor E. Penwell

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Individuals with eating disorders (EDs) experience high rates of relapse and delays in accessing treatment. Considering these factors, individuals with EDs may seek out non-traditional support, such as coaching services (e.g., an unlicensed individual providing support). However, there is currently no research on individuals with EDs’ experiences with using coaching services for ED recovery. The current study aimed to a) describe who is utilizing coaching support, b) describe coaching services received, c) evaluate the motivations for seeking coach support, and d) evaluate the perceived impact of coach support on an individual’s ED recovery. Participants included 86 adults with a self-reported …

Burnout And Job Satisfaction In Practicing School Psychologists, Cole Westmoreland

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to identify the primary variables associated with burnout among practicing Midwest school psychologists. More specifically, the purpose was to determine if the same variables that correlated highly with Illinois school psychologists’ burnout levels in a 1994 study by Niebrugge and a 2004 study by Hoffman have held constant over the last two decades. Additionally, the varying roles of school psychologists and how they have impacted burnout and job satisfaction were addressed by identifying differences between ideal and actual role involvement. Survey materials used included the Maslach Burnout Inventory, 4^th edition, a Job Satisfaction …

Racial Health Disparities Among Pregnant Women Of Color In New York City: Biological And Systemic Impacts, Kaylin Peña

Pitzer Senior Theses

Racial Health Disparities Among Pregnant Women of Color in New York City: Biological and Systemic Impacts

Abstract

This thesis aims to explore how racial health disparities, underrepresentation in gynecology, and socioeconomic barriers contribute to adverse pregnancy outcomes among women of color in New York City. Through an interdisciplinary approach that combines resources from medical anthropology and human biology, this research will examine the biological implications of chronic stress, specifically HPA axis dysregulation, and its role in maternal health outcomes. With the idea of intersectionality, as conceptualized by Kimberlé Crenshaw, the study analyzes the various effects of systemic inequities and social …

Mental Health Perceptions Among Caribbean Adults In The United States, Ambika Ramjawam

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate mental health literacy (MHL) among Caribbean American adults and to assess the extent to which mental health perceptions (MHP) and acculturative stress contribute to variations in MHL. A cross-sectional, quantitative survey design was utilized to examine MHL, MHP, and acculturative stress among a sample of 138 participants. Pearson correlation analyses were conducted to assess associations among MHL, MHP, acculturation, and age. Independent samples t-tests and one-way ANOVAs were performed to examine demographics across key variables. Findings revealed moderate levels of MHL (M = 4.7, SD = .99) and a weak, positive correlation …

A Preliminary Program Evaluation: Rates Of Intimate Partner Violence In An Urban Child Welfare Prevention Program, Athena Roca

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Intimate partner violence (IPV) remains a pervasive public health concern with significant consequences for families. Traditional batterer intervention programs (BIPs), which often focus solely on the person causing harm (PCH), have demonstrated limited success in reducing recidivism, particularly when grounded in punitive or authoritarian models. This study evaluated the Child-Welfare IPV Prevention Program (CWIPVPP), a family-centered, trauma-informed intervention that engages the PCH, co-parents, and children to reduce IPV-related behaviors and promote healthier family functioning.

Recidivism indicators, including domestic violence incident reports (DIRs) and arrests, were analyzed for 57 fathers referred to the program, with 53 retained for final analyses. A …

ประสบการณ์ของผู้ให้คำปรึกษาที่ประสบกับการเสียชีวิตของผู้รับบริการโดยไม่คาดคิด, ทิฆัมพร เสาร์วิบูลย์

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การประสบกับการเสียชีวิตของผู้รับบริการโดยไม่คาดคิดก่อให้เกิดผลกระทบทั้งทางอารมณ์และต่อความมั่นคงของอัตลักษณ์ทางวิชาชีพของผู้ให้คำปรึกษา แต่ยังมีงานวิจัยที่อธิบายประสบการณ์ดังกล่าวค่อนข้างจำกัด งานวิจัยเชิงคุณภาพนี้ จึงมีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อสำรวจและทำความเข้าใจประสบการณ์ของผู้ให้คำปรึกษาที่เผชิญการเสียชีวิตของผู้รับบริการโดยไม่คาดคิด โดยเก็บข้อมูลจากการสัมภาษณ์เชิงลึกในผู้ให้คำปรึกษา 4 ราย และวิเคราะห์ด้วยการวิเคราะห์เชิงปรากฏการณ์วิทยาแบบตีความ (Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis: IPA) ผลการวิจัยแบ่งออกเป็น 3 ใจความสำคัญหลัก ได้แก่ 1) ความสั่นคลอนตัวตนจากการสูญเสีย 2) การเยียวยาตนเองเพื่อฟื้นคืนความสามารถในการให้บริการ และ 3) การมีทรัพยากรรองรับเพื่อรับมือกับความสูญเสีย ผลการวิจัยแสดงให้เห็นว่า การเสียชีวิตของผู้รับบริการโดยไม่คาดคิดก่อให้เกิดอารมณ์ทางลบอย่างรุนแรงและการโทษตนเอง แต่ผู้ให้คำปรึกษาสามารถฟื้นคืนความมั่นคงทางใจผ่านการดูแลตนเอง การตระหนักว่าตนได้ปฏิบัติหน้าที่อย่างเต็มที่แล้ว และการได้รับการสนับสนุนจากบุคคลรอบข้าง ทั้งยังตอกย้ำความสำคัญของการมีทรัพยากรและสวัสดิการที่ช่วยเตรียมความพร้อมในการรับมือกับความสูญเสีย โดยได้นำเสนอการอภิปรายผลผ่านทฤษฎีและงานวิจัยที่เกี่ยวข้อง พร้อมทั้งเสนอแนะแนวทางในการเสริมสร้างการดูแลใจของผู้ให้คำปรึกษาอย่างมีประสิทธิภาพ

Examining How Adverse Childhood Experiences, Resilience, And Social Support Influence Academic Satisfaction, Zoe Caldwell

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

College students face many challenges while working toward their educational goals (Meneghel et al., 2019). Although stressors may not seem significant, they are important to address as the effects accumulate over time and can have a negative impact on students' performance (Gresham & Karatekin, 2023). Without the impact of ACEs, children would be better equipped with skills that could help them continue with higher education, gain better employment, and break the cycle of trauma for any future children. Resilience can help students cope with challenges and improve their chances of graduation and academic success (Myat Zaw et al., 2022). One …

All The World’S A Stage: The Implementation Of Creative Arts Therapy Utilizing Psychodrama In Prison Populations, Rachael A. Yeager

Psychology Doctoral Specialization Projects

Incarceration rates continue to increase in the United States every year. Federally, the FIRST STEP ACT was passed to assist in rehabilitative programming and to reduce recidivism rates. Psychology programs intervene in areas such as trauma, a highly prevalent concern amongst adults in custody, and utilize evidence-based recidivism programming. Creative Arts Therapies (CATs) have been implemented in prisons in the United States, while Psychodrama is a psychotherapeutic technique generally utilized in European and Asian countries. The World’s Stage (TWS) is a treatment modality that provides psychoeducation on trauma and trauma responses in a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy format and integrates the …

Impact Of Adverse Childhood Experiences And Hostile Attribution On Adult Romantic Relationship Dynamics, Richeila Lora

Open Access Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine whether experiencing ACEs and hostile attributions led to engaging in conflict behaviors in adult romantic relationships. Additionally, it was examined whether hostile attributions served as a moderator in the relationship between experiencing ACEs and engaging in conflict behaviors. Participants were adults (N = 3.684) from the German Family Panel dataset. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the associations between experiencing ACEs, hostile attributions, and conflict behaviors. It was found that both experiencing ACEs and hostile attributions were related to engaging in conflict behaviors. However, hostile attributions did not serve as …

Sport-Related Concussions In Division Iii Athletes: A 10-Year Prospective Analysis Of Trends And Incidence, Shaylyn R. Thorne

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Sports-related concussions (SRCs) among college athletes remain a growing area of concern due to a myriad of potential short and long-term implications. Understanding concussion trends and incidence in collegiate sports is critical for guiding prevention and management strategies. This study examined concussion injuries among NCAA Division III collegiate athletes at a single institution over a 10-year period. Analyses focused on trends in concussion incidence across sports, genders, and changes associated with institutional and NCAA policy updates. Results indicated that concussion incidence varied across sports and time, with higher rates in contact sports such as football and soccer. Significant differences occurred …

Psychopathology, Symptomology, And Treatment In Offspring Of Holocaust Survivors: An Integrative Systematic Review, Lauren Grace Escobar

Theses and Dissertations

This systematic review aimed to evaluate the symptomatology, psychopathology, and treatment of offspring of Holocaust survivors (OHS). A comprehensive search was conducted in PsycINFO, PILOTS/PTSD, and Scopus for studies published between 1990 and 2024. Inclusion criteria required peer-reviewed studies, reports, books, literature reviews, and meta-analyses written or translated into English that reported on symptomatology and treatment for OHS. From an initial yield of 2,532 articles, 119 studies met the inclusion criteria. The findings suggest that OHS demonstrate significantly higher levels of symptomatology and psychopathology reported in nine clinical classifications. Psychodynamic treatment was the most commonly found treatment modality for OHS, …

Resilience And Stress: Trauma, Grit, Resilience And Perceived Organizational Support In First Responders, Paige Gallas Parker

Theses and Dissertations

First responders comprise an underserved and under-researched population, despite consensus that their work involves exposure to potentially traumatic events. Inconsistent definitions of “first responder” and unclear prevalence rates of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) limit efforts to assess and promote resilience. This study examined the relationships between grit, resilience, perceived organizational support, and trauma symptoms in a sample of 234 first responders (69% firefighters, 29% lifeguards) employed by a large West Coast fire department. Measures included a demographics questionnaire, the Professional Exposure to Traumatic Events (PETE), the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL-5), the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), the Short Grit Scale …

Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities As A Risk For Child Maltreatment, Maddie Hawley

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) and child maltreatment. Data from the 2022 National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) from the state of Minnesota was analyzed. The sample was made up of 38,083 reports of child maltreatment, where the average age of the child was 7.66 years. 51.2% of the children in the sample were female, and White children comprised the largest portion of the sample at 39.6%. Results of this study showed that children with IDDs are at an elevated risk of child maltreatment compared to typically …

Impacts Of Sexual Assault On Mental Health In Adolescents, Nicole Trip

Graduate Research Papers

The current study focuses on the impacts of forced sexual activity on mental health among high school students. This study is a secondary data analysis, using the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), which is nationally representative data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A total of 19,945 high school students with an average age of 15.89 years, and about half of the students were White and male. This study found that experiences of sexual assault are associated with increased depression and suicidal ideation. This study also found that female youth experienced a higher level …

Police Interactions On Adverse Mental Health Outcomes Within Black Communities, Anessa Smith

Graduate Research Papers

This study examines the relationship between police interactions and psychological distress among Black adults, contributing to existing research on systemic racism and mental health disparities. Utilizing secondary data analysis, the 2023 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), this study focuses on the analysis of a nationally representative, address-based sample of non-institutionalized Black adults residing in California, with a sample size of 1,009. The study examines associations between the number of police stops over a three-year period and psychological distress by gender. Findings indicate that a higher frequency of police stops is significantly associated with increased psychological distress. However, no statistically significant …

Exploring Gratitude Journaling In 12-Step Recovery: Effects On Attitudes, Affect, And Cravings: A Pilot Study, Susan Elizabeth Hann Doyle

CGU Theses & Dissertations

This study explored the emotional and attitudinal effects of gratitude journaling exercises among 12-step program attendees for substance use disorders (SUDs) and behavioral addictions. A total of 152 participants were randomly assigned to either an experimental group, which completed Seligman’s “Three Good Things” exercise and a structured gratitude journal, or a control group, which engaged in a neutral journaling task. Emotional states were assessed using the positive and negative affect schedule-short form (PANAS-SF), while cravings were monitored with the Penn alcohol craving scale (PACS) to ensure the interventions did not exacerbate participants’ alcohol cravings. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed significant reductions …

Leadership In Behavioral Health, Rebecca Mccoy

School of Business Student Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Leadership in healthcare is difficult when dealing with human contact in its most raw and vulnerable way. Leadership in behavioral health is just as challenging as direct practice practitioners tend to be the ones who move up into these roles. This study will exam “Identifying factors that promote successful leadership and challenges that cause barriers to having successful leadership in behavioral health.” This includes soft and hard skill knowledge, growth opportunities and the strengths and struggles in moving into leadership roles in this industry.

The study is based on phenomenological research to gain an understanding of the individual experience …

Examining Collaborative Healthcare For Substance Use Disorder: A Case Study Of Brigham And Women's Hospital Bridge Clinic, Megan Bidgood

Psychology Honors Papers

Individuals with substance use disorders (SUD) are clinically underserved due to increased health and psychiatric comorbidities, structural barriers to treatment, stigma, and insufficient resources. This suggests that there is a need for an accessible and culturally competent treatment model. Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) Bridge Clinic is a multi-disciplinary, low threshold SUD treatment to promote collaborative healthcare and the transitioning of patients to longer-term care. The aim of the current study is to better understand personal accounts of patients and various clinical and non-clinical providers to optimize the BWH Bridge Clinic’s approach to treatment. Patients (N=5) and providers (N=6) participated …

Building A Burnout-Resistant Workforce: The Benefits Of Mindfulness For Clinical Psychology Doctoral Students, Joseph Dickhaus

Psychology Doctoral Specialization Projects

Burnout has long been a significant occupational hazard for mental health professionals. Despite the increasing recognition of its prevalence and impact, many graduate programs fail to adequately address self-care strategies. Mindfulness, a practice of focused attention, has emerged as a promising approach to prevent and mitigate burnout. This paper reviews the literature on burnout and its effects on mental health professionals. Next, the paper will provide an overview of mindfulness, mindfulness-based interventions, and benefits of mindfulness. It argues for the integration of mindfulness training into graduate programs to equip students with essential self-care skills early in their careers. The paper …

Predictors Of Psychologists’ Self-Reported Knowledge And Self-Perceived Competence In Treating Transgender Clients, Tara N. Bennett

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

It has been widely recognized that transgender (trans) and gender nonconforming (TGNC) populations face significantly greater rates of depression, anxiety, substance use, and suicidality than the general population. Despite these risks, little research has analyzed how psychologists are prepared to provide culturally competent therapy to trans clients or what predicts competence in treating this population. This study aimed to identify what factors predict psychologists’ selfperceived knowledge and self-perceived competence in working with trans clients. The study’s secondary aim was to collect information about how psychologists receive education related to trans clients. This study employed a correlational research design to examine …