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Psychiatric Symptomatology Among Individuals In Alcohol Detoxification Treatment, Mark E. Johnson, Christiane Brems, Michael E. Mills, Dennis G. Fisher

Psychological Science Faculty Works

The coexistence of psychiatric symptomatology among individuals receiving longer-term treatment for alcohol use disorders has been well-established; however, less is known about comorbidity among individuals receiving alcohol detoxification. Using the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI; Derogatis, 1992), we compared psychiatric symptomatology among 815 individuals receiving short-term detoxification services with normative data from nonpatients, psychiatric patients, and out-of-treatment individuals using street drugs. Findings revealed that individuals in the current sample reported a wide range of psychiatric symptoms with over 80% meeting BSI criteria for diagnosable mental illness. These BSI scores were significantly more severe than those reported by out-of-treatment individuals using street …

From Seduction To Copulation: How Child Molesters Negotiate The Contingencies Of Child Sexual Abuse, Danielle Katrina Schiller

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research has focused primarily on the psyche of individual child molesters in order to create better treatment regimens and prevention strategies. However, the extant research neglects to provide an in-depth analysis of what child molesters do and how they do it. This paper examines the seduction process child molesters use to gain access to victims, manipulate the adult community, and create a safe environment to molest. Twenty-one male child molesters were selected from several accredited publications throughout the past twenty years. Through the use of grounded theory, a set of qualitative descriptions revealed common post- and pre-offense behaviors. The behaviors …

Female Sexual-Offenders: Personality Pathology As A Mediator Of The Relationship Between Childhood Sexual Abuse History And Sexual Abuse Perpetration Against Others, Kelly Ann Christopher, Catherine J. Lutz-Zois, Amanda R. Reinhardt

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective: The goal was to examine, in an all-female sample, possible mechanisms for the relationship between a history of childhood sexual abuse and the likelihood of perpetrating sexual abuse as an adult. It was hypothesized that Borderline and Antisocial Personality Disorder tendencies would mediate the relationship between these two forms of abuse.

Method: One hundred forty two female participants (61 sex-offenders and 81 non-sex offenders) were recruited from a women’s prison in the Midwest. The participants completed measures that included a childhood history of sexual abuse, socially desirable responding, primary and secondary psychopathy, and Borderline Personality Disorder tendencies.

Results: Participants …

The Health Implications Of Violence Against Women: Untangling The Complexities Of Actual And Chronic Effects: Part Two, Carol E. Jordan

Office for Policy Studies on Violence Against Women Publications

No abstract provided.

The Depiction Of Alcohol Tobacco And Other Substances In Children's G & Pg-Rated Animated Films Post 2000, Lindsay F. Graham

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

This study will analyze the depiction of alcohol, tobacco, and other substances in G and PG-rated animated films from November 1, 2000 to December 31, 2005. These films will include those released in theaters and video in English, at least 60 minutes in length, and of the animated genre during this five-year window. There is evidence that due to recent societal pressures facing the Motion Picture Association of America and their rating guidelines, the presence of alcohol and tobacco in children's animated Grated films has lessened. These incidents of exposure have since moved up the rating totem pole to receive …

Evaluation Of The Impact Of The New Jersey Access Initiative Mentorship Program On Drug Using Behavior In Clients With Opiate Dependence, Jennifer Ingegneri

Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted to examine the relationship between mentoring services and reported illicit drug using behavior for opiate-dependent individuals. Data used in this study were part of a larger project by New Jersey Access Initiative (NJAI). Participants were 2,424 individuals were addicted to opiates. Results indicated that none of the participants reported receiving mentoring services. In addition, large amounts of incomplete and missing data in the dataset made statistical analyses impossible. Instead, descriptive results on drug usage, living conditions, education, employment, and social support are described. Implications regarding how mentoring services could have impacted participants' drug use are also …

Evaluation Of The New Jersey Access Initiative Mentor Program, Tasha R. Binet

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this study were to (a) evaluate the effectiveness of the New Jersey Access Initiative Mentor Program and (b) determine if an increased number of sessions of ancillary, psychosocial services was related to improved treatment retention, periods of abstinence and decreased number of relapses with opiate-addicted participants. Correlational analyses were planned utilizing data collected and recorded in the NJAI database by program staff; however, analyses were unable to be performed due to a large amount of incomplete and missing data. For those participants with data, descriptive results are reported on alcohol and illegal substance usage in past 30 …

Examining The Effect Of Random Student Drug-Testing In A High School Setting, Jacqueline Amonette

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this exploratory investigation was to ascertain the effectiveness of decreasing drug use in a high school setting by implementing a random student drug-testing program. High school students who were involved in any athletic or extracurricular activities or who were applying for a parking permit in one local school were required to obtain parental permission to participate in a random student drug-testing program. Approximately once a month, an outside agency performed confidential and private urinalysis screening at the high school on 10-14 students whose names were chosen randomly using a computer program. If a urine test was positive …

The Effect Of A “Don’T Know” Option On Eyewitness Identification Accuracy In Lineups, Matthew Calamia

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

The Health Implications Of Violence Against Women: Untangling The Complexities Of Acute And Chronic Effects: Part One, Carol E. Jordan

Office for Policy Studies on Violence Against Women Publications

No abstract provided.

Application Of Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment For Long-Standing Posttraumatic Stress Disorder In Law Enforcement Personnel, Tara L. Cornelius, Rita Kenyon-Jump

Peer Reviewed Articles

The development and maintenance of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be understood as a function of learning and cognitive processes. This case report addresses treatment of PTSD with a 72-year-old former police officer who was experiencing intrusive thoughts, nightmares, experiential and affective avoidance, and hyperarousal resulting from witnessing a series of traumatic events during his time in law enforcement. Although the latency between events and treatment was more than 20 years, this patient was responsive to a cognitive-behavioral, exposure-based treatment. Several other factors, including the client’s age and chronic pain, complicated this case. The aim of this study was …

Using Selected Scales Of The Mmpi-A To Differentiate Adjudicated From Nonadjudicated Adolescent Females., Brandon M. Robbins

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Juvenile crime has become an increasingly notable problem in society. Historically, a large portion of research on juvenile offenders centers on the psychological diagnosis of conduct disorder. Juveniles diagnosed with Conduct Disorder often possess other high-risk factors that further complicate their problematic behaviors. For example, deviant peer groups reinforce such behaviors as do home environments where parents exhibit antisocial behaviors and substance abuse (Kronenberger & Meyer, 2001 ). Female offenders constitute a small but important part of the population of adolescents who become involved in the legal system, yet they have been the subject of minimal research. Although only 7-27% …

Authoritarianism, Hostility Toward Women, Attitudes Toward Violence, Rape Myth Acceptance, And Sexual Aggression, Gina M. Bondi

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Almost one out of every five women has been, or will have been, the victim of sexual aggression and/or rape in their lives (National Institute of Justice, 2000). This staggering statistic exemplifies the importance of speculating which traits are related to, or are predictive of, sexually aggressive behavior. Based on previous research, the current study investigated relationships between authoritarianism, hostility toward women, attitudes toward violence, and rape myth acceptance, as related sexual aggression in undergraduate men It was projected that authoritarianism, hostility toward women, attitudes toward violence, and rape myth acceptance would significantly and positively predict all dimensions of sexual …

College Students' Concerns Regarding Prison Rape, Laura A. Rapp

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Abstract unavailable.

Culturally Adapted Mental Health Treatments: A Meta-Analysis, Derek Griner

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years psychologists have increased awareness and concern regarding the quality of mental health services provided to people of color. For several reasons clients of color often find traditional mental health services foreign or unhelpful. To help diminish obstacles faced by clients of color, several authors have advocated traditional mental health treatments be modified to better match clients' cultural contexts. Researchers have also begun investigating outcomes associated with culturally modified mental health treatments, often contrasting them with traditional mental health services. Recently numerous studies containing empirical data have been published. To date there has been no attempt to review …

The Effect Of Marshall University's Summer Enrichment Program On Reading Gains Program Evaluation, Ii, Kelli A. Potoczny

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the Marshall University Summer Enrichment Program on students’ reading success in grades Kindergarten through eighth. From June 26, 2006 through July 27, 2006, a 5 week chronological period, 105 students attended the summer program and were evaluated for reading achievement. The study measured students' reading performance during the 5 consecutive weeks. Students were divided into three groups, primary, intermediate and middle school to evaluate the different age groups for changes in reading ability. This study compared student's pre and post running records to determine any gains in reading skills. …

Detecting Denial Of Severe Psychiatric Disorder: An Mmpi-2 Investigation Of Criminal Defendants, L. Thomas Kucharski, Paul Tang, Barry Rosenfeld

Psychology Faculty Publications

The ability of the MMPI-2 validity scales to differentiate mentally ill defendants who denied being mentally ill from mentally ill defendants who acknowledged their illness and those without mental illness was investigated. A stepwise logistic regression analysis (LGA) was utilized to identify the most parsimonious set of predictors among the MMPI-2 validity measures. The F and K scales and the Es-K index significantly differentiated the denying mental illness group from those acknowledging their psychiatric difficulties with a high degree of accuracy. An ROC curve utilizing the prediction scores from the LGA yielded an area under the curve of .89. An …

Dialectical Behavior Therapy For The Treatment Of Stalking Offenders, Barry Rosenfeld, Michele Galietta, Andre Ivanoff, Alexandra Garcia-Mansilla, Ricardo Martinez, Joanna Fava, Virginia Fineran, Debbie Green

Psychology Faculty Publications

The need for effective mental health interventions for specific offender populations has become clear in recent decades. In particular, individuals who engage in stalking and harassment have increasingly attracted the attention of the public and mental health and criminal justice professionals, however no evidence-based treatment currently exists for this population. We adapted Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for the treatment of this offender group, in part because of the high prevalence of personality disorders. This study describes the application of a 6-month treatment program to a sample of 29 individuals, 14 of whom completed treatment. Treated offenders were significantly less likely …

Artists And Crooks: A Correlational Examination Of Creativity And Criminal Thinking, Luis Daniel GascóN

Theses Digitization Project

This study explores some of the possible correlations between creativity and criminal thinking evident in the literature in an attempt to link the two forms of cognition. An understanding of the concept of Malevolent Creativity can serve the purpose of elucidating another component of the criminal personality.

The Life And Times Of Young People On Remand: Recommendations For Future Policy In Ireland, Sinead Freeman

Conference papers

The remand population of children and young people continues to rise in Ireland. Despite this growth, little is known about their experiences on remand. This paper focuses on such experiences from the perspective of the young prisoners. It is based on 62 semi-structured interviews conducted with young males and females aged 16 to 21 years on remand in St. Patrick’s Institution, Cloverhill Remand Prison and the Dόchas Centre, Mountjoy Prison. The paper highlights how young people who have yet to be found guilty are frequently detained for long periods in prison and are exposed to punitive conditions. The findings have …

Ap-Ls Teaching Techniques: Deliberating The Benefits Of Learning Through Focus Groups, Garrett Berman, Judith Platania

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

This article describes how students in an undergraduate legal psychology class utilized focus group research (i.e., a jury simulation exercise) to assist in planning strategies for trial. In addition to conducting the focus group, students were responsible for providing an analysis of the results, and preparing their team for trial. Ultimately, students reported the focus group exercise helped them develop trial strategies, understand the role of trial consultants, and gain a better understanding of scientific jury selection. Rationale, course objectives, and a description of the activity are outlined, as well as suggestions for including this exercise in an upper-level legal …

Predictors Of Middle School Girls' Engagement In Suspendable School Offenses., Barbara Harlow Cavanaugh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite research evidence that social context and personal characteristics are related to girls' violent behavior, little is known about the relative contribution of such antecedents. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the relative strength of predictors of school violence among a sample of middle school girls. Of special interest were the intervening variables, because knowledge of their relative strength could enable schools to design targeted interventions to reduce school violence. Social learning theory formed the theoretical foundation for the study. A four-part survey consisting of sociodemographic items, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, an amended version of the Attitudes …

Science And Application: A Comparison Of Graduate Training In Counseling And Clinical Psychology, Nupur Jain

Masters Theses

Often times, when considering training and careers in psychology, students have difficulty deciding whether to pursue clinical psychology or counseling psychology as a career. The decision made might be a result of limited or biased information. Additionally, students often fail to make important distinctions between counseling psychology and the professional field of counseling, which has implications for the career path they pursue. The purpose of the current literature review is to provide readers with the range of knowledge and ideas, including contrasting perspectives and viewpoints that have been established in this area.

Students also often fail to make important distinctions …

The Effect Of Celebrity-Status On Juror Decision-Making, Mark Skowronski

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Reported frequently in the popular press is a public perception that juries hold celebrities to a different legal standard. This study tested this hypothesis by presenting paiticipants with a trial transcript of a personal injury lawsuit in which the defendant was either a famous male actor or a comparable non-celebrity. Also tested was the hypothesis that the presence of a celebrity would render “jurors” more susceptible to heuristic- processing of trial information. Some participants were informed that the location of the accident was the estate of a famous male actor while for others the estate had non- celebrity ownership. It …

Clinical Treatment Provider Attitudes Toward Sexual Offender Management Within An Outpatient Treatment Center : Treatment Provider Attitude Survey, Dustan A. Barabas

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The present study's foundation is based on research suggesting that the attitudes of clinicians regarding their clients have profound effects on therapeutic alliances, empathy, and staff burnouts, which may contribute to treatment barriers. Because professionally appropriate behavior often conceals stigma, misconceptions, and negative feelings that clinicians may have toward sexual offenders, an anonymous survey of attitudes, job burnout, and empathy was conducted in an outpatient setting. The survey instruments tap into some latent factors concerning the attitudes of clinicians, their perceptions of burnout, and their abilities to empathize with their clients. This research focused on describing a population of clinicians …

Substance Abuse Severity, Treatment Motivation, And Criminal Thinking Factors : Predictors Of Treatment Retention With Substance Abusing Parolees In A Correctional Aftercare Program, Loretta Joan Henkel

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Substance abuse and substance dependence are complex disorders that affect millions of people in the United States. Two notable consequences of these disorders are increased criminality and higher rates of recidivism. This archival data study of 94 parolees admitted to the Day Reporting Center, Volunteers of America Delaware Valley in Camden, New Jersey examined the influence of substance abuse severity, of treatment motivation, and of criminal thinking factors on treatment retention in a correctional aftercare treatment program for parolees with a history of substance abuse or dependence. The extent to which parolees were deceptive in reporting information was also examined.

The Influence Of Childhood Factors On The Public Perceptions Of The Appropriate Consequences For Young Offender, Penny Hyde

Theses : Honours

With changes in policy relating to juvenile offenders being heavily influenced by the perceived public opinion of juvenile crime, the opinion of the public on the appropriate punishment for young offenders is important within contemporary society (Mukherjee, 1997). Public opinion research suggested that while society remains unsatisfied with current methods used to punish juvenile offenders, they believe a juvenile's punishment should be proportionate to the crime and that rehabilitation should be the main goal of juvenile punishment (Barber & Doon, 2004). This research further suggested that ignorance of both the juvenile's circumstances and the perceived prevalence of juvenile crime may …

Review Of 'Assessing And Managing Violence Risk In Juveniles', Frank Dicataldo

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Brief Education And Dispositional Variables On Attitudes Toward Harm Minimisation Among A University Student Population, Amy Mcalpine

Theses : Honours

Attitudes are essential to understanding the individual within the context of their social world (Perloff, 2003). Australia's policy toward drug use and drug-related harm encompasses a harm minimisation approach (Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy [MCDS], 2004). Harm minimisation seeks to ameliorate the social, economic and health consequences of drug use through a comprehensive framework of supply reduction, demand reduction, and harm reduction policies and programs (MCDS, 2004). This paper reviews the relevant literature on attitudes towards harm minimisation, both internationally and in Australia. Indeed, Australian research suggested (Bammer, 1995; Lawrence, Bammer & Chapman, 2000) that there is a heavy media …

Behaviorally-Based Disorders: The Historical Social Construction Of Youths' Most Prevalent Psychiatric Diagnoses, Christopher A. Mallett

Social Work Faculty Publications

The article discusses the historical social construction of the most prevalent diagnosis of youth in the U.S. The country's psychiatry controls the definitions of mental health disorders and diagnosis through required practice utilization of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. A research is conducted through a social construction theoretical paradigm to identify diagnostic classification systems, nosology changes, and critical time periods.