Digital Commons Network^™

Unhealthy Weight Control Behaviors In Adolescents : Are There Classes Of Risk?, Grace M. Van Schoick

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This quantitative secondary analysis was undertaken to determine if classes of risk exist for the use of Unhealthy Weight Control Behaviors (UWCBs) in adolescents. Engagement in UWCBs increases the likelihood that an adolescent would develop a full-syndrome eating disorder, which are both difficult and expensive to treat. Using data previously collected as part of the 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, it was possible to conduct a Latent Class Analysis (LCA) using 8,885 responses which contained data about a number of potential risk factors that might influence a participant’s likelihood to engage in UWCBs. Factors considered were gender, race/ethnicity, experiences …

Student Satisfaction With The Quality And Quantity Of Mental Health Services Offered By Their Msw Programs, Willa R. Mayo

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study sought to explore the mental health needs of clinical MSW students, and the degree to which they feel satisfied by the quality and quantity of mental health services provided to them by their schools. For this mixed-methods study, 111 current MSW students were surveyed, representing twenty eight different graduate programs. Participants reflected on their experiences with counseling services at their schools and commented on their level of satisfaction with the resources provided to them. Overall, 13% of respondents reported being “somewhat” or “very satisfied,” 31% were “not very” or “not at all” satisfied, and 50% were “neutral.” Areas …

Toxic Stress : Exploring Mental Health Narratives Of Environmental Justice In Richmond, California, Elizabeth Gonzalez

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The purpose of this exploratory study was to gather narratives of residents and/or community members who perceive the presence of the Richmond Chevron Oil Refinery in their community as a psychological stressor. The study used semi-structured interviews with eight community organizers and activists to gather qualitative data providing personal accounts of the possible psychological impact of living near a toxic facility with great political power in the city. The common trend among the narratives was the tendency of the participants to focus on a macro interpretation of how mental health is affected by a corporate giant. A collective sense of …

Caregiver Involvement In Child And Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatient Care : A Clinician's Perspective, Erika Wentworth

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This mixed-methods exploratory study aimed to contribute to the knowledge about caregiver involvement during child and adolescent inpatient psychiatric treatment, as it is the most agreed upon factor of treatment outcomes by both psychiatric providers and previous research. Thirty-two licensed clinicians who either currently work or worked within the last five years on child and/or adolescent psychiatric inpatient units completed an online survey. The survey included both multiple choice and open ended questions about participants’ perceptions of how they involved caregivers during treatment as well as the involvement of the unit and day programming. The findings of the study confirmed …

Clinician Perceptions Of Harm Reduction, Psychotherapy And The Role Of Traditional Abstinence Models, Abigail R. Vayda

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study sought to better understand clinicians’ perceptions of harm reduction, psychotherapy, and the role of traditional abstinence models when working with actively using clients. This study analyzed the results from a survey completed by 52 practicing clinicians in the United States. The survey contained demographic questions and Likert scale questions measuring attitudes toward harm reduction, abstinence, and psychotherapy with actively using clients. In addition to rating questions, there was also one open-ended question allowing participants to express their understandings of the development of a substance use disorder. The overall response to this survey was a positive attitude toward harm …

Social Work Professional Ethics, As Affected By The Concept Of The Wounded Healer : An Investigation Into The Gatekeeping Practice Of Clinical Social Work Supervision, Cristina B. Bloom

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The objective of this exploratory qualitative study was to assess how the field of social work currently maintains and preserves professional social work ethics in the clinical practice field. This study sought to understand how, in a field where the self is one of the main tools utilized, the field ensures that the practitioner’s self is fit to practice and to do so ethically. This is of particular significance in a field that research indicates that high percentages of people are attracted to because of challenging personal life experiences (Lackie, 1982; Marsh, 1988; Vincent, 1996). More specifically, this study centered …

The Promise Of The Wild For Families : Factors Of The Anasazi Foundation's Wilderness Therapy Program Associated With Positive Parent-Adolescent Relationships : A Project Based Upon An Investigation At The Anasazi Foundation, Mesa, Arizona, Katharine W. Reynolds

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The purpose of this study was to identify which aspects of The Anasazi Foundation's wilderness therapy treatment are most strongly associated with positive parent-adolescent relationships after treatment. To this end, 59 parents and 36 adolescents completed surveys designed by the Anasazi Foundation to assess individual goal attainment, family relationships, continued connection to The Anasazi Foundation, aftercare follow-though, and physical and spiritual health after the adolescent had been discharged from the program, which lasted at least 49 days. Adolescent study participants ranged in age from 12 to 25 years, and parent study participants had children who ranged in age from 12 …

Supporting Probation Youth : An Examination Of Services And Access To Services Provided : A Project Based Upon An Independent Investigation Of San Francisco Bay Mental Health Agencies, Marjorie R. Gomez

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study explored a sample of the San Francisco Bay Area agencies providing mental health services to probation youth in hopes of looking at best practices and what barriers and facilitators there are for youth to access services. This study surveyed 19 program leads of agencies that have among their clients, youth on probation. The mixed methods survey included 28 questions covering topics such as services provided, funding sources, client demographics, program structure, coordination with other support services, post-program evaluation and barriers and facilitators to accessing services. The findings demonstrated that these agencies were mostly funded through MediCal contracts and …

Experiences Of Multilingual Social Workers : Trauma Therapy In Spanish And English, Emily H. Aviles

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This exploratory study examines the experiences of social workers engaging in multilingual—Spanish and English—therapy with individuals who speak both Spanish and English, identify as Latino/a, have a history of trauma, and identify as having a history (personal, familial) of immigration to the U.S. The study uses semi-structured interviews with 10 social workers to gather qualitative data about their experiences engaging in trauma therapy with individuals who identify as multilingual as well as Latino/a immigrants to the U.S. The project examines ways that multilingual clinicians process trauma with individuals in more than one language; paying attention to the ways clinicians think …

The Contribution Of Negative Social Responses To Self-Blame Among Survivors Of Sexual Violence : A Psychodynamic And Sociocultural Perspective, Jessica J. Somers

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Survivors of sexual violence often blame themselves for harms committed against them, echoing the negative responses they receive from others upon disclosure. While it appears that the hostile social climate surrounding sexual violence disclosure contributes to self-blame, the mechanism by which negative responses exert this pernicious influence has not been sufficiently articulated in prior research. Responding to this deficit, this theoretical investigation addresses three questions: 1) What is the psychic mechanism by which negative social responses engender self-blame among survivors of sexual violence? 2) What social factors explain why this mechanism is activated around sexual violence disclosure? 3) What are …

A Contemporary Psychometric Evaluation Of The Obsessive Compulsive Inventory-Revised (Oci-R), Bethany M. Wootton, Gretchen J. Diefenbach, Laura B. Bragdon, Gail Steketee, Randy O. Frost, David F. Tolin

Psychology: Faculty Publications

Traditionally, hoarding symptoms were coded under obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), however, in DSM-5 hoarding symptoms are classified as a new independent diagnosis, hoarding disorder (HD). This change will likely have a considerable impact on the self-report scales that assess symptoms of OCD, since these scales often include items measuring symptoms of hoarding. This study evaluated the psychometric properties of one of the most commonly used self-report measures of OCD symptoms, the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R), in a sample of 474 individuals with either OCD (n = 118), HD (n = 201), or no current or past psychiatric disorders (n = 155). Participants …

Social Identities Of Clients And Therapists During The Mental Health Intake Predict Diagnostic Accuracy, Ora Nakash, Tamar Saguy

School for Social Work: Faculty Publications

Across countries, common mental disorders are often more prevalent and/or more persistent among disadvantaged members (e.g., ethnic minorities) compared with advantaged group members. Although these disparities constitute a heavy challenge to national health organizations, there is little empirical evidence to help account for the mechanism underlying them. In this study, conducted in clinics across Israel, we investigated processes, rooted in the clinical encounter that may contribute to mental health disparities. We focused on the accuracy of diagnostic decisions, which are likely to substantially impact the client’s prognosis. Therapists’ diagnostic decisions following the initial intake with their client were compared with …

Assessment Of Clinical Information: Comparison Of The Validity Of A Structured Clinical Interview (The Scid) And The Clinical Diagnostic Interview, Rebecca Drill, Ora Nakash, Jared A. Defife, Drew Westen

School for Social Work: Faculty Publications

Adaptive functioning is a key aspect of psychiatric diagnosis and assessment in research and practice. This study compared adaptive functioning validity ratings from Structured Clinical Interviews (SCIDs, symptom-focused structured diagnostic interviews), and Clinical Diagnostic Interviews (CDIs, systematic diagnostic interviews modeling naturalistic clinical interactions focusing on relational narratives). Two hundred forty-five patients (interviewed by two independent interviewers) and their interviewers completed the Clinical Data Form which assesses adaptive functioning and clinical information. Both interviews converged strongly with patient-reports, with no significant differences in validity of the interviews in measuring global and specific domains of adaptive functioning variables. Findings suggest that CDIs …

Hoarding And Emotional Reactivity: The Link Between Negative Emotional Reactions And Hoarding Symptomatology, A. M. Shaw, K. R. Timpano, G. Steketee, D. F. Tolin, Randy O. Frost

Psychology: Faculty Publications

Hoarding disorder (HD) is characterized by difficulty discarding, clutter, and frequently excessive acquiring. Theories have pointed to intense negative emotional reactions (e.g., sadness) as one factor that may play a critical role in HD's etiology. Preliminary work with an analogue sample indicated that more intense negative emotions following emotional films were linked with greater hoarding symptoms. Symptom provocation imaging studies with HD patients have also found evidence for excessive activation in brain regions implicated in processing emotions. The current study utilized a sample with self-reported serious hoarding difficulties to examine how hoarding symptoms related to both general and hoarding-related emotional …

Primary Mental Health Prevention Themes In Published Research And Academic Programs In Israel, Ora Nakash, Liat Razon, Itzhak Levav

School for Social Work: Faculty Publications

Background: The World Health Organization Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan (CMHAP) 2013-2020 proposes the implementation of primary prevention strategies to reduce the mental health burden of disease. The extent to which Israeli academic programs and published research adhere to the principles spelled out by the CMHAP is unknown. Objective: To investigate the presence of mental health primary prevention themes in published research and academic programs in Israel. Methods: We searched for mental health primary prevention themes in: (1) three major journals of psychiatry and social sciences during the years 2001-2012; (2) university graduate programs in psychology, social work and medicine …

Treating Non-Offending Caregivers With A History Of Childhood Sexual Abuse And Their Sexually Victimized Children : A Case Study Using Object Relations Theory And Trauma Theory, Maytal Schmidt

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Childhood sexual abuse is a horrific crime and prevalent social problem within our society that requires multiple levels of intervention. Sexual victimization and sexual offending of children is not a new phenomenon. Although literature is available on childhood sexual abuse, much less is known about non-offending caregivers of sexually abuse children who have their own history of childhood sexual abuse. A consistent finding across research on childhood sexual abuse and non-offending caregivers is the importance of the child-caregiver relationship in facilitating recovery for both the child and caregiver. This theoretical study examined the phenomenological experiences of non-offending caregivers whose children …

Farm Work As Treatment For Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Mindy L. Walls

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This exploratory, descriptive study assessed what, if anything, is beneficial about engaging in agricultural work, or, farm work, for individuals living with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). An anonymous, online survey was utilized, asking a series of multiple choice and open ended questions about the participants’ farm work history, PTSD experience, and demographic information. Thirty-nine participants responded with varying identities and work history, but many shared experiences of PTSD. Almost all of the participants found farming to be beneficial for managing PTSD. Specifically, four themes arose from the data that explained what about farming was beneficial for individuals with PTSD: farming …

Flow In The Therapy Setting : An Examination Of Optimal Experience In Clinical Social Work Practice, David E. Landry

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study's purpose was to understand how licensed clinical social workers described their optimal experience when they are engaged in clinical practice. The specific focus of this study was to conduct interviews to obtain subjective narrative descriptions of these experiences. The question was based on the theoretical model of flow, a state of mind where one is wholly absorbed in the moment. Data reflected that the social connection between the therapist and client was the strongest indicator of optimal experience. Data from this study showed evidence that participating licensed clinical social workers described their optimal experience in practice within the …

I Googled. "How Do You Know You're Gay?" : A Qualitative Study On Lgbtq Identity Formation And The Internet /, Rebekah M. Meresman

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative, exploratory study examined the impact of the internet on the identity formation process of LGBTQ individuals. This study aimed to answer the question: How and why do some LGBTQ-identified adults use the internet as a tool to formulate their sexual/gender identity? Through an anonymous online survey, LGBTQ identified participants were asked several open-ended questions about their identity formation experiences, and the role of the internet on this process.

Fifty individuals participated in the study, from a wide range of sexual and gender identities, half of which identified as transgender or gender non-conforming. Of these participants, most indicated that …

Theories And Interventions With Transgender And Gender Non-Conforming Clients, Charles R. Shealy

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This original qualitative study identifies the theories and techniques therapists have found supportive in their work with Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming clients. Twelve clinicians currently in practice in the New York City area and one clinician from Virginia who had experience working with Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming clients were interviewed. The questions posed to them were intended to guide them to reflect on their practice considering what theories arose as themes in their work and what techniques or approaches arose as supportive in their work with this population. Their responses were in line with the current body of literature reflecting …

What Would Increase The Accessibility And Desirability Of College Counseling Services For Music Majors Presenting With Various Mental Health Issues?, David J. Winston

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Based on the perceptions of 11 college counselors interviewed at 5 private universities and music conservatories throughout New England, this qualitative research study examined the accessibility and desirability of college counseling services for music majors presenting with mental health issues. Findings suggested that the desirability of college counseling services would increase if there were more outreach and advertisements toward music majors from counseling centers. Participants reported that more flexible hours and increase in staff to accommodate the unique needs of music majors would be the solution to improving accessibility. An unexpected finding in this study was reported instructor abuse of …

Surviving The Divorce : The Power Of The Sibling Relationship, Jessica Hallberlin

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Out of all family relationships, the sibling relationship remains the least studied. Due to the limited research on sibling relationships, the study aimed to provide a greater understanding of the importance of sibling relationships and the significant role that siblings may play in one another's lives when coping with the stressful effects of parental divorce. In this qualitative exploratory study, 14 adult sibling dyads were interviewed to explore the ways in which they helped one another deal with the effects of parental divorce. The three main themes that emerged from this study are (a) positive impact of sibling relationships on …

The Role Of Fictional Narratives In Adolescent Identity Formation : A Theoretical Exploration, Anne Lind

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This theoretical study explores the ways in which adolescents' engagement with fictional narratives can support developmental processes of identity formation and individuation. The purpose of the study was to develop a theoretical framework for understanding the intense relationship that some adolescents have with favorite books, movies, and television shows. A review of the literature on the psychology of fiction showed that, when deeply engaged with a narrative, readers are able to simulate characters' experiences in ways that lead to changes in behavior, empathy, and self-concept. A review of the literature on parasocial relationships showed that readers and viewers often form …

The Birds And The Bees Can Have Canes And Wheels : The Sexual Identity Formation Of Women With Visible Physical Disabilities, Clara J. Miller

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The study descriptively examines the views women with visible physical disabilities have on their sexual identity formation. For the purposes of this study, the term sexual identity is defined as an awareness of one's self as a sexual being. 158 self-identified women with visible physical disabilities answered survey questions about their experiences during their adolescent years. Overall, this study found that women with disabilities face the same difficulties as their abled-bodied peers, but face additional struggles having to do with their disability when forming their sexual identity.

The Dyad Of Colleagues : Transferential Experiences Of Clinical Trainees With Their Personal Therapists And Its Impact On Practice, Aubrey J. Koch

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study was conducted in pursuit of the answer to the following question: what is the experience of transference in the personal therapy of clinicians-in-training and how does this unique therapeutic relationship influence the practice of clinical trainees? This study utilized exploratory qualitative intensive interviews. Participants included individuals who were enrolled in a masters in social work (MSW), counseling, or clinical psychology program; participant had to have aspirations to be a therapist, voluntarily be in personal therapy, and reside in the United States. Questions were designed to draw from subjects their experiences of transference, specifically those that arose as a …

Self-Love Or Self-Obsession? : A Comparative Theoretical Analysis Of Black Women's Natural Hair Selfies On Social Media, Rachael E. Gardiner

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Whether selfies and use of social media is indicative of rising trends in narcissism in American culture is a ripe debate in academic and popular culture. This theoretical thesis will examine current research on social media usage and narcissism, and consider how aspects of culture, historical, and structural racism complicate understanding of the current trend. This project will consider how oppression of Black women's bodies and perpetuation of European standards of beauty in American culture negatively impacts Black women's self-perception, particularly in relation to their hair. Due to ongoing negative perception and attempts to control Black women's bodies through their …

Qualitative Study Of Benefits Of The Intensive Behavioral Support Program At Peck Full Service Community School In Holyoke, Massachusetts : A Project Based Upon An Investigation At Peck Full Service Community School, Holyoke. Massachusetts, Seweryn Kolysko

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Students presenting chronic behavioral challenges are few, yet they account for disproportionately high numbers of disciplinary referrals. These small numbers of students greatly impact the educational, behavioral, and socio-emotional outcomes of the entire student population and the functioning of the school as a whole. These students often respond in behaviorally undesired ways to their complex, unaddressed needs and to the environmental factors outside of their control. This pattern becomes especially pervasive in urban schools, where students face far greater challenges than in other settings. The typically used measures to address their behaviors often prove relatively ineffective and have the potential …

Conceptualization And Treatment Of Psychoanalytic Envy Through Kleinian/Bionian Lens, Maia Kolchin-Miller

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Envy, like so much in psychoanalytic thought, occupies something of a transitional space between concept and experience. Colloquially, envy is often used to mean something similar to (but worse than) jealousy. Psychoanalytically, the concept/phenomenon/experience is far more complex, however; it is something for which there are many causes and for which there can be no material cure. In this theoretical study of psychoanalytic envy, the work of Melanie Klein and Wilfred Bion are used to develop a conceptualization of envy and formulate recommendations for clinical work with the "envious patient." Case material is used to synthesize their two approaches to …

Jewish Annihilation Anxiety : Diasporic Legacies Of Trauma, Alexandra T. Samets

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This paper presents and discusses the existence of Jewish annihilation anxiety, using both psychoanalytic theory and thinking from critical whiteness studies to do so. First drawing from early psychoanalytic thinking by both Sigmund Freud (1916, 1926, 1933) and Melanie Klein (1935) on the most basic dangers and fundamental anxieties, and then from later psychoanalytic thinking on the role of inherited trauma in creating enduring anxieties across generations, this paper presents the concept of annihilation anxiety as both an internally experienced psychic state and a trauma-induced one. Using the work of Eric Goldstein (2006) on the process and experience of Jewish …

Understanding The Obstacles And Motivations Of Offering Human Sexuality Coursework : An Analysis Of Accredited Msw Programs In The U.S., Nicole M. Nelson

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This mixed methods study aimed to examine the regional variation among MSW programs that offer human sexuality coursework, determine some of the personal obstacles faculty of human sexuality coursework face and the motivations faculty members have in teaching such coursework. After completing a content analysis of 140 accredited MSW programs in the U.S., a series of eight semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with faculty who teach human sexuality coursework. The content analysis surveyed a purposive sample of MSW programs from each of the five regions of the U.S.; the eight participants were also purposively sampled by region. Findings of this …