Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Smith College

Discipline
Keyword
Publication Year
Publication
Publication Type

Articles 631 - 660 of 1285

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

The Impact Of Religious And/Or Spiritual Identity On The Parental Experience : Self-Perceptions Of Parents, Tiffany M. Sermini Jan 2013

The Impact Of Religious And/Or Spiritual Identity On The Parental Experience : Self-Perceptions Of Parents, Tiffany M. Sermini

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The rate at which American adults are changing religious affiliations and/or incorporating multiple religious/spiritual traditions at once to suit their individual needs is growing rapidly and changing the traditional religious landscape. Three new categories of religiosity/spirituality have been identified in the literature: being both religious and spiritual, spiritual but not religious, or religious but not spiritual. This qualitative study explored how parents that self identified as having a religious/spiritual identity made meaning of these identities and how these identities influenced their parents. The majority of participants identified as being both religious and spiritual, followed by spiritual and religious and lastly …


Social Workers In Private Practice And Psychotropic Medications, Rosy L. Metcalfe Jan 2013

Social Workers In Private Practice And Psychotropic Medications, Rosy L. Metcalfe

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study explored how social workers in private practice view the role of psychotropic medications in treatment and handle psychopharmacological issues in practice. It specifically focused on social workers' perspectives on the helpfulness of psychotropic medications and the nature of their communication with prescribing providers. Split treatment has become the standard arrangement for providing both psychotherapy and psychopharmacotherapy to mental health clients, yet there is limited research on issues that social workers encounter in split treatment relationships and how they view them. Fifty-six independently licensed social workers who provided psychotherapy in private practice completed a mixed method survey that asked …


Enduring Attunement : Emerging Adults Attachment Patterns And Desires For The Nature Of The Primary Attachment Relationship, Marian Salley Jan 2013

Enduring Attunement : Emerging Adults Attachment Patterns And Desires For The Nature Of The Primary Attachment Relationship, Marian Salley

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This mixed methods study was created to explore the relatively unexplored nature of the primary attachment relationship between emerging adults and their parents/parent figures in the hopes of discovering to what extent the following attachment patterns—angry withdrawal, compulsive care giving, compulsive self-reliance, and compulsive care seeking—are represented in the relationship between emerging adults and their parents or parent figures; is an emerging adult's attachment pattern with her or his parent/parent figure mediated by particular characteristics of an emerging adult's life; and what specific desires do emerging adults have for the nature of the attachment relationship with their parent or parent …


Perceptions : A Quantitative Look At The Impacts Of Gsas On Bullying And Overall School Climate, Meghan E. Mcgrath Jan 2013

Perceptions : A Quantitative Look At The Impacts Of Gsas On Bullying And Overall School Climate, Meghan E. Mcgrath

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Bullying and school climate are salient topics in today's society particularly in the educational setting. They are especially salient topics for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) youth because they are targeted more frequently and with more intensity. However, there is little existing information regarding risk and protective factors for this population. This quantitative study examined the perceptions of the faculty and staff at one high school, Helix Charter High School in San Diego, California, with regard to the Gay/Straight Alliance (GSA) and its impacts on bullying and overall school climate. The 72 participants answered an online survey. The …


Forming Therapeutic Relationships With People Living With Schizophrenia-Spectrum Diagnoses, Eliza J. Morgan Jan 2013

Forming Therapeutic Relationships With People Living With Schizophrenia-Spectrum Diagnoses, Eliza J. Morgan

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study aimed to explore how one attempts to build a therapeutic alliance with someone who is living with a schizophrenia-spectrum disorder. Finding out more about how one attempts to form therapeutic relationship with a client who has symptoms of schizophrenia-spectrum may help provide more insight about the challenges that may arise in trying to connect to these individuals, what mental health workers have found to be barriers and how they attempted to mend any breaks in the relationship, thus adding to literature for further research. A narrative online survey link was emailed to all members on the United States …


Growing Empathy : An Exploratory Study On The Effects Of School Gardens On Children's Social And Emotional Development : A Project Based Upon An Investigation At Berkeley Independent Study, Berkeley, California, Emily W. Mcmane Jan 2013

Growing Empathy : An Exploratory Study On The Effects Of School Gardens On Children's Social And Emotional Development : A Project Based Upon An Investigation At Berkeley Independent Study, Berkeley, California, Emily W. Mcmane

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The purpose of this research study was to explore the effects of school garden programs on children's social and emotional development, specifically the development of empathy as measured by prosocial behaviors. This exploratory study employed qualitative research methods to interview six children, three parents, and two teachers involved in the Berkeley Independent Study (BIS) garden in Berkeley, California, gathering data regarding the participants' observations and experiences of the garden program. The findings suggest that there are many aspects of school garden programs that may positively influence children's social and emotional development. The significance of community, attachment, teaching respect for life, …


Urban Teachers' Perspectives On Promoting Social And Emotional Well-Being In The Classroom, Sara Lipton-Carey Jan 2013

Urban Teachers' Perspectives On Promoting Social And Emotional Well-Being In The Classroom, Sara Lipton-Carey

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study explored urban elementary school teachers' perspectives on promoting mental health in the classroom. Despite the increased research indicating the value of classroom-based mental health interventions and the growing availability of social and emotional health curricula, there is yet to be a widespread adoption of mental health promotion practices in classrooms. As there is little empirical research on what teachers believe their role is regarding the promotion of social and emotional well-being, this study attempts to reduce the research to practice gap by eliciting teachers' perspectives on this topic. Teachers increasingly need to meet the social and emotional …


The Ambiguous Loss Of Post-Integration : A Theoretical Analysis Of The Effects Of Integration On Clients With Dissociative Identity Disorder, Elise A. Manning Jan 2013

The Ambiguous Loss Of Post-Integration : A Theoretical Analysis Of The Effects Of Integration On Clients With Dissociative Identity Disorder, Elise A. Manning

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Although undergoing integration treatment and achieving intrapsychic integration is widely considered an unmitigated positive outcome for individuals diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder, the literature suggests that integration, which may include experiences or perceptions of loss, may be an outcome of far more complicated and varied resonance than is generally acknowledged. This theoretical study examines this little-examined element of the treatment outcome—the phenomenon of an individual's experience or perception of loss following integration treatment. The phenomenon is analyzed through two theoretical frames: (1) ambiguous loss theory, a conceptual framework developed by Pauline Boss to explain the experiences of arrested grief and …


An Exploratory Survey Of Some Christian Leaders' Views Re: Causes And Treatment Of Mental Health And Substance Abuse Problems : "Let Go And Let God?" Or More?, Katryn A. Little Jan 2013

An Exploratory Survey Of Some Christian Leaders' Views Re: Causes And Treatment Of Mental Health And Substance Abuse Problems : "Let Go And Let God?" Or More?, Katryn A. Little

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This exploratory study was undertaken to determine the attitudes of leaders in Christian churches toward problems with mental health or substance abuse issues. As beliefs about causation of these problems may directly impact types of help offered to those suffering, leaders were also asked to identify particular types of treatment they recommended. This study was conducted in two parts. The first part involved a snowball sampling of known associates of the researcher who were asked for their help to enroll volunteers for an online survey. The survey asked about: how many and for what purpose the leaders met with congregants; …


Hooked On A Feeling : Clinician Views On The Construct Of Love Addition In Treatment, Zehara J. Levin Jan 2013

Hooked On A Feeling : Clinician Views On The Construct Of Love Addition In Treatment, Zehara J. Levin

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study was inspired by the gap between discussions of love addiction in pop culture versus academic literature. The data was derived from 45-minute, open-ended interviews with eight clinicians (six LCSW's and two LMFT's) in the San Francisco, Bay Area. This thesis discusses the preexisting literature, analyzes data from the interviews, and explores differences and similarities between the two. Participants tended to view love addiction patterns as related to early caretaking dynamics and, regardless of the participant's personal views on love addiction, they felt that 12-step-groups, such as Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous (SLAA), are beneficial. Participants also discussed …


Bench Book For Assessing Parental Gatekeeping In Parenting Disputes: Understanding The Dynamics Of Gate Closing And Opening For The Best Interests Of Children, William G. Austin, Linda Fieldstone, Marsha Kline Pruett Jan 2013

Bench Book For Assessing Parental Gatekeeping In Parenting Disputes: Understanding The Dynamics Of Gate Closing And Opening For The Best Interests Of Children, William G. Austin, Linda Fieldstone, Marsha Kline Pruett

School for Social Work: Faculty Publications

This Bench Book summarizes theory, research, and a forensic assessment model of parental gatekeeping relevant for understanding and resolving child custody disputes. This concise format is geared primarily as a resource for judges, though it may be equally valuable to evaluators, parenting coordinators, and others. Gatekeeping encompasses a common statutory factor of support for the other parent-child relationship. The gatekeeping model includes a continuum ranging from facilitative to restrictive gatekeeping. Behavioral examples are presented. Implications of a gatekeeping analysis for crafting parenting plans are described, including in relocation cases and when there has been a history of intimate partner violence.


Building Full-Service Schools: Lessons Learned In The Development Of Interagency Collaboratives, Thomas J. Mcmahon, Nadia L. Ward, Marsha Kline Pruett, Larry Davidson, Ezra E.H. Griffith Jan 2013

Building Full-Service Schools: Lessons Learned In The Development Of Interagency Collaboratives, Thomas J. Mcmahon, Nadia L. Ward, Marsha Kline Pruett, Larry Davidson, Ezra E.H. Griffith

School for Social Work: Faculty Publications

Although the history of clinical-school-eommunity collaboration can be traced back to the end of the 19th century, the full-service school movement represents a new era in the quest for more effective ways to deliver human services to children. As awareness that school systems alone cannot address the social problems affecting millions of children, the concept of full-service schools has been embraced as a potential solution to service delivery problems affecting children living in high-risk environments. Built on shared commitment to positive child development, full-service schools represent an effort to make human service systems partners in the educational process, while simultaneously …


Activities Of Daily Living Scale In Hoarding Disorder, Randy O. Frost, Veselina Hristova, Gail Steketee, David F. Tolin Jan 2013

Activities Of Daily Living Scale In Hoarding Disorder, Randy O. Frost, Veselina Hristova, Gail Steketee, David F. Tolin

Psychology: Faculty Publications

Research on hoarding over the last two decades has shown that hoarding disorder appears to be a distinct disorder that burdens the individual, the community and the families of people who hoard. Although hoarding clearly interferes with the daily functioning, especially in the context of extensive clutter, no validated measures of this interference have been developed. The present research examined the psychometric properties of the Activities of Daily Living in Hoarding scale (ADL-H) in two large samples of individuals with significant hoarding problems, one identified through the internet (n=363) and a second through clinical diagnostic interviews (n=202). The ADL-H scale …


A Multitrait-Multimethod Matrix Investigation Of Hoarding, Joseph F. Meyer, Randy O. Frost, Timothy A. Brown, Gail Steketee, David F. Tolin Jan 2013

A Multitrait-Multimethod Matrix Investigation Of Hoarding, Joseph F. Meyer, Randy O. Frost, Timothy A. Brown, Gail Steketee, David F. Tolin

Psychology: Faculty Publications

Hoarding is a serious and potentially life-threatening mental health problem that, until recently, was considered a subtype of OCD. However, recent research suggests it is distinct and more prevalent than OCD. Three key defining features have emerged in factor analytic studies of hoarding scales: excessive acquisition, difficulty discarding, and excessive clutter. Covariation among these defining features has received limited attention. The primary aim of the current study was to examine the role of the three key features in defining hoarding disorder. Convergent and discriminant validity of the three hoarding factors were examined in a multitrait-multimethod matrix. A secondary aim was …


Parental Rejection Upon Coming-Out As A Risk Factor For Substance Abuse For Gay/Bisexual Adolescents, Jessica Goheen Jan 2013

Parental Rejection Upon Coming-Out As A Risk Factor For Substance Abuse For Gay/Bisexual Adolescents, Jessica Goheen

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Very few studies have examined how parental rejection impacts substance use or abuse behaviors among lesbian, gay, and bisexual adolescents. The purpose of this study was to explore lesbian, gay, and bisexual men and women's experiences with substance use or abuse after experiencing parental rejection upon coming out in adolescence. This qualitative study looked at the unique experiences of coming out during adolescence through in-person interviews with twelve lesbian, gay, and bisexual men and women,. Narratives from these interviews were obtained through a structured self-created interview guide, consisting of open-ended questions. Findings varied among each participant, but shared themes also …


Transmission Of Narratives Among Former Soviet Union (Fsu) ÉMigréS, Marina Kantarovich Jan 2013

Transmission Of Narratives Among Former Soviet Union (Fsu) ÉMigréS, Marina Kantarovich

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study explores the stories told by Former Soviet Union (FSU) Jewish émigré parents to their American-reared children about their experiences of life in the FSU and their reasons for emigration. Specifically, this study examines whether the stories transmitted reflect the mass oppression, suppression and state-sponsored brutality exacted upon Soviet Jews. The sample consisted of twelve participants between the ages of 18-35, all of whom had at least one parent who emigrated from the FSU. The analysis revealed the following noteworthy findings: 1) All twelve participants inherited stories depicting the collective discrimination that Jews were forced to endure under …


Exploring Cultural Competence In Clincial Practice Behaviors, Yolonda M. Young Armstrong Jan 2013

Exploring Cultural Competence In Clincial Practice Behaviors, Yolonda M. Young Armstrong

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative research study explores clinical practice behaviors that influence the perceptions of college students' of color regarding cultural competence in the therapeutic dyad. Interviews were used to obtain data from six college students of color in Western Massachusetts who had a history of engagement in outpatient therapy. This study uses Object Relations Theory as a conceptual framework for understanding social constructions of privilege and identity development and as a learning tool for examining interpersonal behavior as a reflection of one's internalized perceptions. More specifically, for this study, Object Relations Theory provides academic context for understanding how external social phenomena …


Meditation & Mindfulness In Dialectical Behavior Therapy : An Exploration Of Therapists' Experiences With Personal Meditation And Mindfulness Practices, Felicia Marohn Jan 2013

Meditation & Mindfulness In Dialectical Behavior Therapy : An Exploration Of Therapists' Experiences With Personal Meditation And Mindfulness Practices, Felicia Marohn

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The majority of mindfulness research conducted over the past two decades has examined client improvements and far fewer studies have connected the benefits of meditation and mindfulness to skills and well-being of psychotherapists. In this exploratory study, I examined how therapists who practice Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) experience a personal meditation and mindfulness practice. The goal was to explore DBT therapists' attitudes and perceptions regarding potential benefits of meditation and mindfulness, changes over time in meditation and mindfulness, and best avenues to acquire as well as maintain meditation and mindfulness skills. I drew from theories of classical Buddhism, contemporary mindfulness …


Implicit Communication : The Body's Role In Clinical Work With Trauma Survivors, Julia A. Jakubowski Dec 2012

Implicit Communication : The Body's Role In Clinical Work With Trauma Survivors, Julia A. Jakubowski

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This exploratory-descriptive study examined therapists' use of their physiological responses in work with trauma survivors. Broadly, the study sought to understand how a therapist's physiological responses play a role in how they construct meaning about a client. The study sample consisted of eight Relationally oriented therapists who worked with trauma survivors. Data were collected through hour-long, semi-structured interviews with each participant at a single point in time, utilizing the Physiological Response to Trauma Questionnaire. Findings revealed that participants used their physiological countertransference to inform clinical functions, specifically: ability to attune, choice of interventions, assessment, and ability to maintain boundaries and …


The War On Women And The War In The Self : A Foucaultian And Kleinian Analysis Of Anti-Choice Ideology, Shoshana A. Funk Dec 2012

The War On Women And The War In The Self : A Foucaultian And Kleinian Analysis Of Anti-Choice Ideology, Shoshana A. Funk

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This theoretical study explores the external power dynamics and internal psychic processes involved in both historical and contemporary anti-choice ideology, practice, and rhetoric. The three primary tactics of the anti-choice movement and current "war on women" involve 1) promoting the establishment of fetal personhood through measures—both rhetorical and political, 2) the co-opting of feminist and liberal rhetoric in establishing a woman-centered, as opposed to fetus-centered, anti-abortion strategy, and 3) the use of incremental policy measures and restrictions at the state and local level, including the creation of legal and practical barriers to the procedure for both women and abortion providers. …


Navigating The Experience Of Identity Intersection : An Exploration Of The Lesbian Mother Identity In The United States, Sarah A. Horn Dec 2012

Navigating The Experience Of Identity Intersection : An Exploration Of The Lesbian Mother Identity In The United States, Sarah A. Horn

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of lesbian women who have become mothers. My specific research aim was to investigate the formation of the lesbian-mother identity in terms of the way the individual woman's identity as a lesbian is shaped by her new experience and identity as a mother. Within this framework, I looked at which identity felt most salient in everyday life and how the individual woman felt each identity had contributed to her sense of self. I also looked at the different factors that either reinforce or inhibit an individual's likelihood to feel comfortable …


Interdisciplinary Collaboration In School Social Work : Building Relationships For Ecological Change, Alex J. Kim Dec 2012

Interdisciplinary Collaboration In School Social Work : Building Relationships For Ecological Change, Alex J. Kim

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

School social work is part of social work's historical commitment to seeing people as well as the systems and environments they exist in, but much of today's school social work practice focuses on the clinical treatment of individual emotional and social problems. With growing needs and fewer resources, school social work must find ways of impacting more students through ecologically-informed practice that affects multiple levels of the school environment. Interdisciplinary collaborative practice can be a powerful way to foster ecological change by involving other staff in the effort to craft a stronger school system. In this study, 11 social workers …


Having A Voice And Being Heard : A Scoping Review Of What Current Literature Tells Us Is Most Important To The Caregivers, Children And Social Workers Involved In Kinship Foster Care, Leah J. Hoffman, Leah J. Hoffman-Setka Dec 2012

Having A Voice And Being Heard : A Scoping Review Of What Current Literature Tells Us Is Most Important To The Caregivers, Children And Social Workers Involved In Kinship Foster Care, Leah J. Hoffman, Leah J. Hoffman-Setka

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study was undertaken in order to determine what the existing literature tells us about how children, kinship caregivers and social workers perceive the quality of care provided to children placed in kinship foster homes, using a scoping review methodology. The studies that made up the sample had a range of research questions and purposes, but all discussed to some degree, the views of their study participants – children, kinship caregivers and/or social workers – regarding their understandings of what aspects of quality care were most important to child well-being in kinship foster homes. Findings indicate that social workers tend …


Is Social Work The Work Of Love? : Love Practice And Queer Doing In The Process For Full Self-Determination, Sady K. Horn Dec 2012

Is Social Work The Work Of Love? : Love Practice And Queer Doing In The Process For Full Self-Determination, Sady K. Horn

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The 1915 National Conference of Charities and Corrections, during which Abraham Flexner stated that social work was not a profession because it lacked a "communicable technique", is understood as a historically significant event in social work history. Part of the discourse regarding the legacy of this conference has spoken to social work's struggle with comprehending the nature of its purpose and definition as a profession. In this thesis I explore the phenomenon of social work, understood as a profession, and how its professionalization may contribute to its struggle in developing a comprehensive practice method that makes its stated values of …


An Exploratory Study Of White People's Evolving Consciousness And How Their Awareness Of White Privilege And Racism Changed Their Consciousness, Phillip C. Horner Dec 2012

An Exploratory Study Of White People's Evolving Consciousness And How Their Awareness Of White Privilege And Racism Changed Their Consciousness, Phillip C. Horner

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study was undertaken to explore the many ways in which a White person's consciousness changes due to their awareness of White privilege and racism. The research was a qualitative study with a sample of 12 White people who self identified as able to recognize the benefits of their White privilege, accepted their own role in perpetuating racism, were knowledgeable about racial, ethnic, and cultural differences, and are able to talk about race. Through phone interviews, participants were asked to reflect on their lives and offer their narrative of how learning about and accepting their White privilege and racism have …


Coparenting Among Mexican-American And Non-Latino White Couples, Amy B. Kallenberg Dec 2012

Coparenting Among Mexican-American And Non-Latino White Couples, Amy B. Kallenberg

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Grounded in structural family theory, the present study examined how positive coparenting relates to couple satisfaction and to positive parenting for predominantly lowincome Mexican American and non-Latino white heterosexual couples. The sample was selected as a subset from the Supporting Father Involvement study, based in California. Participants included 73 mono-racial/ethnic families (56.2% Mexican American and 43.8% non- Latino white), each including a youngest child under age 11. Couple Discussion Task ratings from observed coparenting interactions were tested for associations with: 1) self-reported couple satisfaction, and 2) Parent-Child Interaction scales derived from observed parent-child interactions. Results indicated that the connection/cohesiveness aspect …


Social Workers' Changing Perceptions Of Disability Through Working With Clients With Disabilities, Juliette F. Kennedy Dec 2012

Social Workers' Changing Perceptions Of Disability Through Working With Clients With Disabilities, Juliette F. Kennedy

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study explores the changing perceptions (attitudes and language use) of clinical social workers toward clients with disabilities through a qualitative exploration of clinicians' experiences working with this population over time. Based upon in-depth semi-structured interviews with nine experienced clinical social workers currently in private practice, the findings suggest that clinicians' attitudes and language use toward persons with disabilities are influenced by many factors, including contact with individuals with disabilities, supervision, post-masters training and social work theory. While participants in this study were not versed in disability theory, they nonetheless were flexible in applying alternative approaches with their clients …


Coming Out : Sexual Orientation Disclosure To Siblings, Rachel M. Gottesman Dec 2012

Coming Out : Sexual Orientation Disclosure To Siblings, Rachel M. Gottesman

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study explores LGBTQ individuals' experiences navigating sexual orientation disclosure to their sibling(s). The purpose of the study was to examine the role siblings play in sexual orientation disclosure, how and why LGBTQ identified individuals 'come out' to their sibling(s), and provide a glimpse into their experiences of this disclosure. Eleven individuals, ages 25–32 who identified as Lesbian, Gay, Bi–sexual, Transgender or Queer were interviewed via open–ended, semi–structured interviews. LGBTQ participants were asked to speak about their sibling(s) relationship prior to and following their sexual orientation disclosure and the trajectory of their sexual orientation awareness through the process of …


Black Students' Classroom Silence In Predominantly White Institutions Of Higher Education, Mahajoy A. Laufer Dec 2012

Black Students' Classroom Silence In Predominantly White Institutions Of Higher Education, Mahajoy A. Laufer

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study explored Black students' silence in classrooms at predominantly white institutions (PWIs) of higher education in the northeast United States. Fifteen student interviews revealed that teaching material centered on European-American culture and history influenced their silence. Participants perceived devaluing of people of color in course material and perceived that professors used and allowed racist language and opinions to pervade the classroom. Students negotiated the tension of having discordant views from the mainstream and at times, between other students of the same racial and cultural group. They often elected to speak out against perceived discrimination and remained silent in …


The Role Of Emotion In Therapists' Training : A Psychological And Social Exploration, Loren D. Helms Dec 2012

The Role Of Emotion In Therapists' Training : A Psychological And Social Exploration, Loren D. Helms

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This theoretical study aims to explore emotionality and its particular relationship to students whom are training in psychotherapy. The study will examine emotion as it pertains to understandings of an individual's psychological structuring, the therapeutic process, and therapeutic growth. Emotion will be reviewed through psychodynamic theory and literature on therapeutic practice. In addition, the study will use a feminist lens to explore historical and social treatments of emotionality. Emotions and emotional expression will be considered as it becomes situated within social power heirarchies. Through these understandings and conceptualizations of emotionality, specific attention will be paid to the roles of psychotherapists. …