Digital Commons Network^™

Beyond Borders: Exploring Counselors’ Perceptions Of Multicultural Counseling Competencies Following Cultural Immersion, Kassandra M. Kavanaugh

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Research has revealed that cultural immersion can increase multicultural counseling competencies in counselors-in-training (Barden & Cashwell, 2014; Barden et al., 2015; Choi & Protivnak, 2016; Dietz & Baker, 2019; Gaia, 2015; Wathen & Kleist, 2015). In light of the increasing diversity within the counseling profession and cultural competency continuing education requirements, the examination of cultural immersion as a means of shaping counselors' cultural competence is both justified and imperative. By utilizing interpretive phenomenological analysis, five participants were interviewed to better understand professional counselors’ perceptions of their multicultural counseling competencies following cultural immersion. The results from this study identified five themes, …

Examining School Psychologists’ Perspectives Of School Resource Officers, Kaylee Engle

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Following highly publicized acts of school violence since the 1990s, school resource officers (SROs) have become increasingly common fixtures in U.S. public schools. However, research on educational stakeholders' perceptions of school resource officers is limited, and studies that have been conducted have produced mixed results. The purpose of this study was to examine school psychologists' perspectives of school resource officers. School psychologists have unique training and knowledge regarding the establishment of safe and supportive schools, as well as an ethical obligation to promote practices that contribute to positive school environments, yet no previous studies had examined these professionals' perceptions of …

Embodied Affliction: Somalis’ Perception Of Trauma, Ahmed M. Hassan

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Somali immigrants and refugees have a high rate of trauma, mainly because of their traumatic experiences during the Somali civil war and subsequent migration. Nevertheless, they do not readily access available psychological services in the countries to which they migrate. Research of the past two decades has revealed that different cultures conceptualize and communicate mental distress differently from one another. Those differences affect how Western mental health providers approach the treatment of clients who immigrate from an unfamiliar culture to Western countries, where the biomedical model of mental health dominates the health care system. Improved cultural awareness and communication between …

Knowledge And Education Of Minnesota High School Coaches Regarding The Signs And Symptoms Of Eating Disorders In High School Athletes, Mikaela Whiteford

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to assess the level of education and knowledge among Minnesota high school coaches regarding the signs and symptoms of eating disorders in high school athletes. Data were collected through a researcher-developed survey, adapted from three existing instruments. The survey was administered through Qualtrics and distributed to participants through email. The findings indicate that while Minnesota high school coaches possess some knowledge of eating disorder signs and symptoms, their formal training and education on the topic are limited. Most of the education or training received by coaches was obtained for reasons unrelated to their responsibilities …

Juvenile Arthritis, Body Image, And Disordered Eating: An Exploration Of Experiences, Katelyn Ann Melcher

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This qualitative study examined eating and body experiences among youth with juvenile arthritis (JA). JA, an autoimmune condition affecting nearly 300,000 youth in the United States, poses significant challenges including chronic pain, disability, and psychological concerns such as anxiety and depression. Adolescence is a critical developmental time for body image and disordered eating concerns to emerge. However, no qualitative research has explored the interactions of JA, body image, and eating behaviors among youth. Twelve youth with a JA diagnosis participated in a semistructured qualitative interview examining their experiences with JA and their feelings about their bodies and food as they …

Social Cognition And Interaction Training In First Episode Psychosis, David W. Rose Iii

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Social cognition (SC) involves a suite of neurocognitive and neuropsychological functions that are relevant to and crucial for successful navigation and overall functioning. Within this suite are domains of function such as emotion processing/recognition, attributional style/bias, and theory of mind. In individuals with schizophrenia and first episode psychosis (FEP), these faculties are grossly impaired, and result in difficulties with occupational, social, and basic functioning. Social Cognition and Interaction Training (SCIT) is a treatment intervention that was developed to improve these SC domain impairments in individuals with Schizophrenia, but has not been experimentally applied to FEP populations as thoroughly, where the …

Systematic Reexamination Of Early Verb Dominance: Verbal And Nonverbal Characteristics Of Caregiver Input And Their Contribution To Long-Term Language Outcomes, Minju Kim, Jeonghee Mun, Gayoung Kim, Solyeon Jeon, Youngon Choi

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Early language input to infants varies in lexical composition across languages and contexts. For instance, American-English input emphasizes nouns more than verbs, while Mandarin Chinese and Korean inputs provide more verbs than nouns, the difference of which is considered an influential factor in the child’s early vocabulary acquisition. Furthermore, a possibility was raised that nonverbal input accompanying child-directed language provides additional support for verb meanings in verb-dominant caregiver input. However, these early verb dominance and support patterns have been derived from a handful of studies that examined very small samples. Thus, we aimed to systematically reexamine the verb dominance pattern …

Childhood Prosocial Behavior And Body Mass Index: Longitudinal Findings In The Millennium Cohort Study, Farah Qureshi, Krista Woodward, Laura D. Kubzansky, Julia K. Boehm

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Objective: Childhood obesity affects millions worldwide but is challenging to treat. Prosocial or helping behavior may help mitigate childhood obesity. We investigated whether prosocial behavior at ages 5–11 was associated with body mass index (BMI) and reduced obesity risk through age 17. Method: Data were from 8,894 participants in the Millennium Cohort Study. Parents reported children’s prosocial behavior using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire at ages 5, 7, and 11. BMI scores (kg/m2) were calculated from children’s height and weight at ages 5, 7, 11, 14, and 17, which were then standardized by sex (M = 0, SD = 1) …

Community Resilience Factors For Gsm Individuals: Considering The Roles Of Transgender Identity And Age, Benny Ilac

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Gender and sexual minority (GSM) individuals face a variety of health disparities, including increased rates of depression, anxiety, and substance use. One explanation for the presence of these health disparities is the minority stress model, which suggests that proximal (internal) and distal (external) experiences of minority stressors contribute to poorer health outcomes in GSM populations. An important yet understudied component of this model is resilience, which acts as buffer against the negative impacts of minority stressors. Focus on community resilience factors, as opposed to individual resilience factors, may be particularly important in GSM populations in reducing the onus placed on …

A Pilot Training Program For The Cultural Formulation Interview In School-Based Assessment, Jaida A. Lilly

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

School psychologists are responsible for promoting and maintaining an equitable, inclusive environment for all students to learn. For those who work in school settings, assessment of a student’s academic, mental health, and behavioral difficulties are often a significant component of school psychological practices. However, for various reasons, the assessment process can be flawed, and can unintentionally perpetuate systems of oppression in school-settings; this is especially true when working with children from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds. Within culturally responsive assessment, conducting interviews is necessary for connecting with and effectively supporting the student and family. The Cultural Formulation Interview (CFI) …

The Development Of A Children’S Book Designed To Use Bibliotherapy And Mindfulness Skills To Promote Interoception In Young Children With Insecure Attachment As A Result Of Adverse Childhood Experiences, Zenaida Agramonte

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

One third of children in the United States have experienced trauma known in the literature as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). The long-term outcomes of ACEs have a higher likelihood of reducing interoceptive awareness—the ability to sense internal body signals like heart rate, hunger, pain, and emotions. Research suggests that interventions, such as mindfulness and attachment therapies are useful for increasing interoceptive awareness, regulating emotions, and fostering secure attachment in adults. However, apart from attachment, interventions are lacking for young children. Bibliotherapy is one such intervention designed for young children which potentially fosters secure attachment between child and adult storytellers and …

Therapy In The Age Of Ai: How Young Adults Seek Help, Support, And Solutions, Faith Maeba, Isabella Quilon, Abigail Adade

UROP Posters

Therapy has long been a foundational approach for addressing mental health, but advances in digital technology have led many young adults, especially Generation Z, to increasingly turn to AI tools for support. Rising costs, limited access to providers, and long wait times have further boosted the appeal of AI-based mental-health solutions. Despite this growing interest, the use of AI for emotional and psychological support raises important questions about trust, empathy, safety, and the ethical responsibilities of mental-health providers and developers. We conducted a brief scoping review of research on AI-based mental-health tools and student help-seeking behaviors. Searches were performed on …

Spanking And Children's Approaches To Learning: Estimates From A Longitudinal Matched-Sample Design, Jeehye Kang, Christina M. Rodriguez

Sociology & Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

One form of corporal punishment commonly used in the United States is spanking. Spanking is a well-known risk factor for adverse child development, although its influence on children's approaches to learning (ATL) has been largely overlooked. Existing research is particularly limited in inadequately considering multiple confounds and selection biases in children's exposure to spanking. This study examined the links between spanking and children's ATL, using a matched-group design to strengthen causal estimates among children aged 5 to 7.5 (N = similar to 12,800) from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-2011. Entropy-balanced matching mitigated selection and confounding biases, …

The Effects Of A Spiritually Intergrated Trauma Healing Program On Ptsd Symptoms And Spiritual Well-Being In Nigeria, Emily Hervey

Faculty Publications - Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been identified as a significant concern worldwide, but very few spiritually oriented programs to address trauma have been tested in low to middle-income countries. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a faith-based, community-centered program in reducing PTSD symptoms and enhancing spiritual well-being. The program is designed for the participants’ well-being, while also equipping them to help their community in a form of task sharing. A total of 98 Nigerians participated in six five-day workshops, half in the capital city and half in areas farther north, where conflict was more common. The Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist …

Natural Disasters, Psychosocial Distress, Psychological Flexibility, And Satisfaction With Life, Rodger K. Bufford, Javeen Skoubo, Kenneth Logan, Aundrea Paxton

Faculty Publications - Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program

Although common, natural disasters (NDs) remain little studied, and their aggregate psychological impact is unknown. No aggregate measure of ND exposure could be located. This study reports the development and preliminary validation of the Natural Disaster Scale (NDS). In a sample of 131 US adults, disaster exposure was measured for NDs, for childhood and adult human disasters, for psychological flexibility, and for social support. Criteria included general distress, simple and complex PTSD, and life satisfaction. The NDS showed good internal consistency. Eleven of thirteen items loaded on a single factor. After controlling demographic factors, social support, and psychological flexibility, the …

Does Type Of Metta Phrase Impact The Acceptability And Utility Of Loving-Kindness Interventions: An Experimental Evaluation, Shannon B. Underwood

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Loving-kindness (metta) meditation (LKM) is a widely utilized self-compassion intervention with numerous biopsychosocial benefits. Yet a smaller, emerging body of evidence suggests that LKM is difficult and various barriers impact its accessibility and effectiveness. Relational Frame Theory provides a behavioral and contextual perspective of language and cognition that may help clarify how LKM may yield receptivity or rejection of the practice itself. Prior research examining the role of language in LKM identified specific metta phrases more likely to evoke a coordinated (i.e., sameness/agreement) or oppositional (i.e., rejection/lacking) response, and found that indices of psychological suffering predicted oppositional responding (Underwood, 2023). …

Retrospective Recall Of Food Parenting Practices During Childhood, Current Adult Health Outcomes, And Intuitive Eating, Katelyn Bretzel

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Emerging adulthood is a time of exploration, change, and emerging independence, which can make individuals vulnerable to health changes. Previous research demonstrates that food parenting practices (coercive control, structure, and autonomy support) during childhood may relate to health outcomes into adulthood. In the current study, it was hypothesized that intuitive eating during emerging adulthood would be associated with food parenting practices; with coercive control and structure practices hindering intuitive eating, while autonomy support encourages it. The current study tested these relationships further, utilizing retrospective reports of food parenting practices during childhood and examining their relation to intuitive eating, dietary quality, …

Antisocial Behavior Among Students In Florida School Districts And Their Associated Disciplinary Approaches: A Cross-Lagged Panel Design, Kaylee A. Salt

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research suggests that antisocial behavior is a major problem for all those involved in school environments. Additionally, despite the prevalence of using harsher punishments in response to such behavior, these practices may present more negative rather than positive consequences. The aim of the current study was to explore antisocial behavior in schools and the disciplinary approaches used in response to such behavior. Using disciplinary data reported for public schools in 67 districts of the state of Florida, the prevalence of antisocial behavior incidents was compared to the prevalence of other, drug-related incidents. A cross-lagged panel model determined whether a preference …

40 Years Passing By In (A) “Heartbeat”, Christopher Janney

Monsoon: South Asian Studies Association Journal

This article outlines the forty-year history go Christopher Janney’s iconic performance work “HeartBeat.” Trained as an architect and jazz musician, Janney combines these two disciplines to create large interactive light/sound installations and performances. On the one hand, he attempts to make architecture more like music, more “alive” using real-time sensing devices as on his “Harmonic Convergence” installation on the Miami International Airport. On the other hand, he attempts to make music more like architecture, more physical more visual. In his “HeartBeat” performance, a dancer wears a heartbeat device that amplifies his/her heartbeat in “real time.” Over this pulse, live musicians …

Yoga Sūtra Book Four And The Yogabindu, Christopher Key Chapple

Monsoon: South Asian Studies Association Journal

Four themes from the fourth pāda of Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtra are examined here: karma (IV:2-13), individuality (IV:16), humility (IV:20-22), and freedom (IV:29-34). Affirmations and variant interpretations of these four are provided from Haribhadra Virahāṅka’s Yogabindu, most likely composed a century or two later.

Collective Karma: From The Yogasūtra To Taylor Swift, Zoë Slatoff

Monsoon: South Asian Studies Association Journal

The Indian knowledge traditions speak at length about karma, which is divided into three categories—accumulated (saṃcita), ripe (prārabdha), and future (kriyamāṇa). While much is said about our individual karma and how it affects our repeated reincarnation in cyclic existence, how does this affect others and how do others affect us? In other words, as this paper explores, what is our reciprocal and collective karma?

Painting Liberation: A Visual Ontology Of The Interplay Of Mind And Consciousness In Book Four Of The Yoga Sūtras, Melissa Townsend

Monsoon: South Asian Studies Association Journal

This presentation explores how artistic practice can illuminate philosophical questions about the nature of mind, consciousness, and liberation as articulated in Book Four of the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali. Through a series of paintings that visually translate these sūtras, I propose that art offers a unique, experiential means of engaging with the complex relationship between citta (mind) and puruṣa (consciousness).

The paintings function as a form of “visual ontology,” inviting viewers to engage with abstract philosophical concepts in a sensory, tangible way. By depicting the interplay between the mutable processes of the mind and the unchanging awareness of consciousness, these …

An Exploratory Study Into The Utility Of Toca Boca's Creative Play Model In Enhancing Social Skills And Creative Play For Autistic And Non-Autistic Children, Braden Laboret

All ETDs from UAB

This study examines the potential of Toca Boca World, a creative play app, to enhance social skills and creative play in autistic and non-autistic children aged 4-13. As children's screen time continues to rise, particularly among autistic individuals, it is essential to examine the quality and impact of digital media. The study included 18 children (7 autistic, 11 non-autistic), who participated in eight 5-minute sessions, monitored remotely by caregivers. Social skills were assessed before and after the sessions, while creative play was measured via touch efficiency during the sessions. Enjoyment was also tracked through brief post-session surveys. Results showed significant …

An Examination Of Sleep Quality And Experimental Pain Sensitivity In People With Hiv And Insomnia, Caroline Kathryn Webb

All ETDs from UAB

Prior research has established a bidirectional relationship between sleep and pain, yet this relationship has been understudied in people living with HIV. The current study investigated the relationship between HIV status (H+/H-) and insomnia status (I+/I-) on sleep and quantitative sensory testing (QST) variables. The study was comprised of two research visits where participants were screened and completed the QST protocol. Participants completed the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep (DBAS), and actigraphy as subjective and objective measures of sleep. There were four groups: H-/I- (n=46), H-/I+ (n=37), H+/I- (n=14), and H+/I+ (n=39) (N=136). Results showed …

Effects Of Ethanol And Neuropeptide-Y Signaling On Neurogenic Markers In The Hippocampus, Cassidy Taylor Leibold

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

According to the National Survey of Drug Use and Health in 2023, 28.9 million people over the age of 12 in the United States meet criteria for an Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). AUDs result in a range of both social and behavioral consequences, caused by damage to the central nervous system. The hippocampus is a brain structure that undergoes cellular changes in the presence of ethanol, thus causing structural and functional damage. Impairments in neurogenesis, or the production of new neurons, due to ethanol exposure result in decreased plasticity and consequently memory impairments. The mechanisms of these ethanol-induced decreases in …

The Effects Of Differential Rearing On The Social Renewal Of Fentanyl Seeking, Bree A. Humburg

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

The role of social influences regarding addiction-like behaviors have been shown to have both positive and negative impacts. Having a positive and wide supportive social network increases the longevity of abstinence in humans (Kelly et al., 2014; Mercer et al., 2021). Rodents that have access to enriching environments that include social peers self-administer less drug and drug seek less compared to rodents in isolation (Bardo et al., 2001; Garcia & Cain, 2021; Ranaldi et al., 2011). On the other hand, social factors can increase the likelihood of relapsing (de Wit & Sayette, 2018; Yates, 2023). In preclinical models, social peers …

How Identities Shape Belonging In Occupational Therapy Education: A Phenomenological Exploration Of Student Belonging, Quinn P. Tyminski, Rowhea Elmesky

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Belonging is defined in a variety of ways but most often refers to an individual’s feelings of acceptance, inclusion, support, and respect within a certain environment. Belonging is an innate human need and contributes to success in academic and professional settings. Within occupational therapy (OT) education, minimal attention has been paid to the specific concept of belonging with no research focused on long-term qualitative explorations of student belonging for students with historically minoritized identities (HMIs). Thus, the goal of the present study was to better understand how students with multiple HMIs experienced the phenomenon of belonging in OT education. Utilizing …

Psychometric Evaluation Of A Novel Measure Of Trauma-Related Cannabis Use To Cope, Sage E. Hawn, Terrell A. Hicks, Christopher Latourrette, Anita Thomas, Daniela Chaname, Sarah Ehlke, Abigail Powers Lott

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and cannabis use disorder (CUD) are commonly comorbid and are associated with many negative public health outcomes. One plausible explanation for this comorbidity comes from a self-medication framework, which suggests people use cannabis to cope with PTSD symptoms. Despite theoretical and empirical evidence for PTSD-related cannabis use to cope, no measure of this construct exists.

Objective: We sought to address this gap by developing and validating a novel measure of PTSD-specific cannabis self-medication, which we have termed the Trauma-Related Cannabis Use to Cope (TRCU) questionnaire.

Method: The psychometric properties of the TRCU and how it …

Emotional Balance, Health, And Resilience At The Start Of Covid-19 Pandemic, David Pincus, Bernard P. Ricca, Brooke Jenkins, Julia K. Boehm, Vincent Berardi, Amy C. Moors, David A. Frederick

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Self-organizing systems can shift between stability and flexibility in response to perturbation, a potential adaptive mechanism for understanding biopsychosocial resilience. Inverse Power-Law (IPL) structure, a frequency distribution that describes fractal patterns commonly produced by self-organization, produce measurements of stability and flexibility. This study applies these measures to emotional resilience at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Ratings of frequency over the past week (1-5 Likert scale) across 12 emotions (six positive and six negative) gathered in mid-April 2020 as part of a survey of adults’ (N = 4,094) pandemic experiences and health in the USA. The distributions of everyone’s emotion …

Organization And Activation Of Caffeine Expectancies, Catherine S. Forsyth

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Caffeine is the most consumed and widely used psychoactive substance in the world. Whether someone uses caffeine or not, expectations about use can be influential to some degree. Expectancies exist everywhere and are extremely influential in all aspects of life. Regarding drug use, expectancies can affect behavior, outcomes, and one’s experience with the drug. Caffeine is no exception, caffeine expectancies have been seen to play a role in several actions such as the development, maintenance, and reinforcement of caffeine use. This study examined latent use profiles of caffeine and relationships between the profiles and the activation of caffeine expectancies. Multidimensional …