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How Does Bullying In The Workplace Impact Mental Health Professionals : A Project Based Upon An Independent Investigation, Hilary Sara Garrison-Botsford

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Numerous forms of aggression in the workplace have been systematically studied in recent years; however, there is a gap in the literature with regards to the mental health field. The present study used a mixed method approach to examine the impact of workplace bullying on mental health professionals (n=48). Data were collected using an anonymous online survey containing The Negative Acts Questionnaire (NAQ), a standardized measure of workplace bullying. The NAQ assessed frequency of exposure to bullying behaviors during the previous six months while multiple choice questions and comment/essay boxes obtained further information about participants' experiences with bullying, perceptions of …

Pathology, Risk, And Emancipation : The Impact Of Dominant Discourse On Lgbtq Youth In Out-Of-Home Care : A Project Based Upon An Independent Investigation, Jill Christine Mccullough

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Currently, there is a scarcity of comprehensive research that has addressed the experiences and service needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth who enter public and private out-of-home care settings. However, existing literature has illustrated significant experiences of discrimination and victimization related to the sexual identity, gender identity, and/or gender expression of these youth from both caregivers and peers in public out-of-home care settings. The purpose of this study is to critically examine the impact of dominant discourse or "master narratives" of LGBTQ identity development on the lives of those youth who enter out-of-home care settings. Recent …

Lacan's Critique Of Freud's Case Of Dora And The Therapeutic Action Of Working In The Symbolic : A Project Based Upon An Independent Investigation, Sean Michael Breidenthal

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study was undertaken to determine the therapeutic action of working in the symbolic order. Lacan critiques psychoanalytic theory for reducing psychoanalysis to a therapy of the imaginary, thus ignoring the true significance of Freud's discovery. A review of contemporary accounts of therapeutic action established interpretation, the clinical relationship, and the position of the analyst as key identifiers of a theory of therapeutic action. The case of Dora was utilized to identify Freud's theory of therapeutic action. Lacan's critique of Freud's case in "Intervention on Transference" resulted in an explication of Lacan's theory of therapeutic action, particularly in regards to …

An Exploration Of The Social Construction Of Race And Racial Identity : A Project Based Upon An Independent Investigation, Elizabeth Castrellon

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This theoretical study explored the social construction of race and racial identity through the lens of Queer Theory and Narrative Theory. Although the concept of race is understood as a social construct, research literature shows that this concept is complex and that there are many factors that contribute to the social construction of race in a way that has real life consequences for people. The use of Queer Theory and Narrative Theory to examine this social construct provides a broader base of understanding for clinical applications. The researcher provides recommendations for social workers in their work with diverse populations.

Shame And Guilt Responses Of Adolescent Sexual Offenders : A Project Based Upon An Independent Investigation, Amanda Fay Crutchley

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Offenders under the age of 18 account for 16.7% of arrests or convictions of forcible rapes and 20.61% of other sexual offenses (U.S. Department of Justice: CSOM, 2000). This study attempts to uncover emotional responses to crimes committed by adolescent sex offenders, particularly guilt and shame responses. Researchers have found that, despite their seeming interchangeability, guilt and shame can be considered separate emotional responses. These emotions can lead to differing behaviors and actions, with guilt typically resulting in a more pro-social response. For the purposes of this study, guilt and shame responses of adolescent sex offenders were explored, in comparison …

Girls Just Want To Be Funny : The Potential For Increased Self-Esteem, Self-Efficacy And Empowerment Through All-Female Comedy Groups : A Project Based Upon Independent Investigation, Elizabeth S. Ehrenberg

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Offenders under the age of 18 account for 16.7% of arrests or convictions of forcible rapes and 20.61% of other sexual offenses (U.S. Department of Justice: CSOM, 2000). This study attempts to uncover emotional responses to crimes committed by adolescent sex offenders, particularly guilt and shame responses. Researchers have found that, despite their seeming interchangeability, guilt and shame can be considered separate emotional responses. These emotions can lead to differing behaviors and actions, with guilt typically resulting in a more pro-social response. For the purposes of this study, guilt and shame responses of adolescent sex offenders were explored, in comparison …

The Power Of Relationships : Long-Term Outcomes For Older Adults With A History Of Interpersonal Trauma : A Project Based Upon An Independent Investigation, Miriam Lasden Elwell

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The research question of this theoretical thesis was to examine the manifestation of prior trauma in the older adult population. Previous research focused mainly on interpersonal trauma theory. The literature on elders who were survivors of childhood interpersonal trauma was minimal. The experiences of older adults who have a history of interpersonal trauma were further examined through attachment theory and Relationalcultural theory. Attachment theory speaks to the difficultly of a child exposed to prolonged interpersonal trauma to develop an adaptive method to regulate affect and seek help from others when distressed. These experiences later influence the relational capabilities of the …

The Importance Of Preventative Mental Health Services For All Children In Elementary Schools : School And Administrator And Teacher Perspectives : A Project Based Upon An Independent Investigation, Jessica Ann Olivares

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study examined the perceptions and opinions of elementary school professionals concerning the importance of providing proactive mental health services in elementary schools. There were ten participants, including one principal, two school committee members, 3 teachers and four mental health workers working in the elementary schools in Amherst, MA. This study addressed the following research question: What is the value of having preventative mental health services for all elementary school students in the Amherst public elementary schools?

A Brief Interview For Assessing Compulsive Hoarding: The Hoarding Rating Scale-Interview, David F. Tolin, Randy O. Frost, Gail Steketee

Psychology: Faculty Publications

This article describes the development and validation of the Hoarding Rating Scale-Interview (HRS-I), a brief (5-10 min) five-item semi-structured interview that assesses the features of compulsive hoarding (clutter, difficulty discarding, acquisition, distress and impairment). Trained interviewers administered the HRS-I to 136 adults (73 compulsive hoarding, 19 OCD, 44 non-clinical controls) along with a battery of self-report measures. An initial assessment was conducted in the clinic, and a second assessment was conducted in participants' homes. The HRS-I showed high internal consistency and reliability across time and context. The HRS-I clearly differentiated hoarding and non-hoarding participants, and was strongly associated with other …

Experiences Of Urban And Suburban Police Officers Encountering Mental Illness In Their Communities : Training, Attitudes And Actions, Sophie Madeline Ricks

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study was designed to explore the experiences of urban and suburban police officers who encounter persons with mental illness in their communities. The focus was on the issues of training, attitudes, and action when responding to calls involving the mentally ill. Specifically, this project targeted the experiences of police officers with at least one year on the force. Police officers came from two police departments in two different neighborhoods. Interviews were completed with 12 police officers of different backgrounds. Officers answered twenty-one Likert scale type questions addressing their experiences with the mentally ill and mental health agencies, in addition …

Waitlist-Controlled Trial Of Cognitive Behavior Therapy For Hoarding Disorder, Gail Steketee, Randy O. Frost, David F. Tolin, Jessica Rasmussen, Timothy A. Brown

Psychology: Faculty Publications

Objective: This study investigated a multicomponent cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) for hoarding based on a model proposed by Frost and colleagues and manualized in Steketee and Frost (2007).

Method: Participants with clinically significant hoarding were recruited from the community and a university-based anxiety clinic. Of the 46 patients randomly assigned to CBT or waitlist (WL), 40 completed the 12-week assessment and 36 completed 26 sessions. Treatment included education and case formulation, motivational interviewing, skills training for organizing and problem solving, direct exposure to nonacquiring and discarding, and cognitive therapy. Measures included the Saving Inventory-Revised (self-report), Hoarding Rating Scale-Interview, and measures …

Accessibility Of Animal-Assisted Therapy For Children With Autism : A Parent's Perspective : A Project Based Upon An Independent Investigation, Cheryl P. Giglio

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study was designed using flexible research methods to explore the accessibility of animal-assisted therapy for children with autism. The research question this study explored was Is animal-assisted therapy accessible to children with autism? An analysis of the literature revealed 1 out of every 150 children is diagnosed with autism and incidences are increasing rapidly. While there is no known cure for autism, many treatments have been found effective. Animal-assisted therapy has been shown to reduce the behavioral symptoms associated with autism, increase socialization and communication, and positively influenced the quality of life for those living with autism, making …

The Role Of Personality And Prior Criminal Offenses In The Prediction Of Perceived Helping Alliance Of Nonsexual Offending Adjudicated Adolescent Males In Residential Facilities : A Project Based Upon An Independent Investigation, Aimie E. Jalbert

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

There has been limited research conducted looking at the variables affecting helping alliance within the therapeutic relationship. This study examined the relationship between personality and delinquency with the perceived helping alliance of non-sex offending male adolescents with their residential staff. Confidential data were collected from 161 male youth with nonsexual offenses in 6 residential facilities in a midwestern state using the Millon Adolescent Clinial Inventory (MACI), the Self Reported Delinquency Measure, and the Helping Alliance Questionnaire-II (HAQ-II). The average age of the sample (N = 161) was 16.51 years (SD = 1.23 years). The results revealed that the variables which …

Who Directs The Play And Why? An Exploratory Study Of Directive Versus Nondirective Play Therapy, Carolyn Andrews

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how play therapists determine when to use a directive versus nondirective treatment approach with children. Eleven therapists who engage in play therapy with children participated in individual interviews designed to collect their perspectives about their preferred play therapy treatment approach. Participants were selected through a non-random convenience snowball sampling technique from across New England. The findings of this study reflect for this sample, there does not appear to be a uniform method of determining when a directive versus nondirective play therapy treatment approach is utilized. Participants tend to determine treatment method …

Awareness Of Vicarious Trauma Among Novice Social Workers, Jennifer L. Griswold

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This descriptive study was undertaken in order to determine if novice Master's of Social Work graduates were aware of the concept of vicarious traumatization. This study defines inexperienced social workers as those with zero through three (0-3) years field practice post graduation. This study asked the following research questions: How familiar are recent Masters of Social Work graduates with the term vicarious traumatization? What do they know about vicarious traumatization? Where and when did they learn about vicarious traumatization? Participants were recruited by the snowball data collection technique by contacting a professional network of colleagues in person and by e-mail. …

Clinicians' Use Of Mindfulness As An Adjunct To Trauma Treatment : A Project Based Upon An Independent Investigation, Lisa Beth Rogers

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This project was undertaken to explore how clinicians use mindfulness as an adjunct to trauma treatment. Data collection for this exploratory study consisted of hour long, face-to-face interviews or telephone interviews with a qualitative, flexible method of data inquiry. Eleven experienced clinicians from a variety of mental health disciplines whose practice of psychotherapy was informed by mindfulness training participated in the study which was designed to collect their perspectives about mindfulness practice. This study examined therapist perceptions of the effectiveness and contraindications of mindfulness, and their application of mindfulness in sessions through the use of case samples. Major findings of …

Psychosocial Capacity Building In New York: Building Resiliency With Construction Workers Assigned To Ground Zero After 9/11, Joshua Miller, Jeff Grabelsky, K. C. Wagner

School for Social Work: Faculty Publications

Construction workers who worked on “Ground Zero” after 9/11 in New York City were exposed to stressful and traumatic conditions. Clinicians, trade union leaders and the Cornell School of Industrial and Labor Relations designed a psychosocial capacity-building project which helped workers to recognize, understand and respond to their reactions through a series of interventions that included peer training, psychosocial workshops, brochures, and outreach and referral services. The project emphasized the use of mutual aid and social support through group interventions facilitated by clinicians and offered by trade unions. The article describes the planning and implementation of the project as well …

“Everything Has Changed”: Narratives Of The Vietnamese American Community In Post-Katrina Mississippi, Yoosun Park, Joshua Miller, Bao Chau Van

School for Social Work: Faculty Publications

In this qualitative study of the Vietnamese American community of Biloxi, Mississippi, conducted three years after Katrina, we attended not only to individual experiences but to the relationship of individuals to their collective and social worlds. The interlocked relationship of individual and collective loss and recovery are clearly demonstrated in respondents’ narratives. The neighborhood and community of Little Saigon was significant not only as a symbolic source of identity but as a protected and familiar space of residence, livelihood, and social connections. The post-Katrina changes in the neighborhood are, in multiple ways, changing participants’ experience of and relationship to their …

Fragile Families And Child Wellbeing, Jane Waldfogel, Terry Ann Craigie, Jeanne Brooks-Gunn

Economics: Faculty Publications

Jane Waldfogel, Terry-Ann Craigie, and Jeanne Brooks-Gunn review recent studies that use data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS) to examine why children who grow up in single-mother and cohabiting families fare worse than children born into married-couple households. They also present findings from their own new research. Analysts have investigated five key pathways through which family structure might influence child well-being: parental resources, parental mental health, parental relationship quality, parenting quality, and father involvement. It is also important to consider the role of the selection of different types of men and women into different family types, …

Slavery In The White Psyche : How Contemporary White Americans Remember And Making Meaning Of Slavery : A Project Based Upon Independent Investigation, Ryan Nelson Parker

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study explored how contemporary white Americans remember and make meaning of U.S. slavery and assessed if there is psychological conflict in relationship to slavery. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 participants who identify as "white" and were born and raised in the United States. Participants were asked to reflect on their memories of learning about, talking about, and knowing about the history of slavery; to share their internal representations of slavery and how they imagine their familial, personal, and imagined relationship with slavery; to report their beliefs about the impact of slavery on themselves personally and on contemporary …

Between Scylla And Charybdis : How Does Race And Sexual Orientation Affect The Family Planning Process Of Interracial Queer Women-Identified Couples? : A Project Based Upon An Independent Investigation, Jaycelle Monsanto Basford-Pequet

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

In this cross-sectional qualitative study the intersection of race and sexual orientation in the family planning process of interracial queer women-identified (IQW) couples was examined. For total participants N = 13. Themes included the affirmative nature of the intentionality of the family planning process for IQW couples as well as the difficulties of assisted conception. Participants spoke to their relationship to their family of origin and their fears and visions regarding their own family formation, related to genetic heritage, language, and traditions. Support systems offered by family of choice and social networks were discussed, specifically the need for community mirroring …

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder And Depression In Combat Veterans Within Group Based Exposure Therapy Treatment : A Correlation Between Grief And Guilt? : A Project Based Upon An Investigation At Atlanta Veterans Administration Medical Center, Atlantic, Ga., Erin Hamilton Richter

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study examines the potential multifaceted relationship between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), grief, guilt and depression. A sample pool of 32 veterans diagnosed with chronic PTSD volunteered as participants for this study by completing the Posttraumatic stress disorder checklist (PCL), the Beck Inventory for Depression (BDI), the Prolonged Grief Diagnostic tool, and the Traumatic Related Guilt Inventory (TRGI), pre- and post- group based exposure therapy treatment (GBET). Participants for this study were all male veterans, who ranged in ages from 47-64 years old. Twenty of the participants were African American/Black; 11 participants were Caucasian/White; and one participant identified as "other." …

The Effects Of Joint Physical Custody On Fathers And The Father/Child Relationship, Evan Shopper

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study was conducted to better understand how, following divorce, fathers and the father/child relationship are affected by joint physical custody (JPC). Specifically, how does the post-divorce family system, altered and defined by JPC, influence the father's adjustment to the divorce and his subsequent relationship to his children? While there has been considerable research focusing on noncustodial fathers and those with joint legal custody, few studies have qualitatively examined the impact of JPC on men and the father/child relationship. The study used a semi-structured, one-hour interview to capture the subjects' specific language through an interactive method. Eleven men were interviewed …

Clinician Perceived Barriers To Effective Discharge Planning For Youth Coming Out Of Residential And Inpatient Treatment, Leah Alexandra Jackson

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study examines clinician perceived barriers to successful discharge planning from inpatient and residential treatment settings, as well as factors that may contribute to recidivism. Eight clinicians participated in semi-structured interviews in an attempt to elicit their views and best practices when discharging clients from treatment. Participants worked in a multitude of settings at different levels of care and were asked to evaluate both their individual approaches to discharge planning as well as practices within their agencies. Findings suggest multiple factors contributing to successful discharge plans, though clinicians reported having control over only a fraction of these factors. For …

Family Therapists' Responses To Monopolizing, Blaming, Critical And Unempathic Behavior In Parents, Andrew David Sussman

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This research was designed to address the question: "How do family therapists respond to monopolizing, blaming, critical and unempathic behavior from parents in family therapy. I was interested to see if they viewed the presentation as resistance, narcissism, or was it attributed to something else? I was also interested in the therapist's background, theoretical framework, training, and how they viewed family interventions. I hypothesized that family therapists would respond to monopolizing, blaming, critical and unempathic behavior in parents in a way that was influenced more by clinical practice experience than theoretical orientation. The instrument was a survey with closed and …

Religion As A Protective Factor In The Severity Of Crimes Committed By Juveniles With Sexually Offending Behavior, Alex Laughrey

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Religion as a protective factor in the severity of crimes committee by juveniles with sexually offending behavior

What Are The Mental Health Seeking Behaviors Of Female Sex Workers?, Serena Wong

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study asked the following question: What are the mental health help seeking behaviors of female sex workers? The study examined: (1) the mental health help seeking behaviors of female sex workers; (2) sex workers perception of the efficacy of talking to professionals (counselors, psychologists, social workers) and non-professionals about emotional issues and; (3) experiences and feelings related to the disclosure of their sex work status to their therapist. Fifty-eight women who were currently sex workers or had worked within the last year responded to a mixed methods survey questionnaire. The survey covered a range of issues in regards to …

Why Horses? Why Not Horses? : Equine-Facilitated Therapy As It Applies To Mental Health, Katie Ann Worms

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study explored the general benefits of equine-facilitated therapy and for whom this treatment is appropriate. Utilizing interviews of ten equine therapists and therapeutic riding instructors, who have an advanced degree in the areas of social work, psychology, education or therapeutic recreation, as well as at least one year of professional equine experience, this study explored the participants' perception of the use of equine-facilitated therapies as it applies to mental health treatment. Secondly, through this perspective, the study looked to identify a "preferred client profile" that participants felt would be best suited to engage in equine-facilitated therapy (EFT). The findings …

School Counselor Perspectives On Bullying Behavior In Urban Middle School Settings, Elizabeth Jean Zacher

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study examined middle school counselors' perspectives of bullying behavior as it occurred in their respective school environments. This exploratory study was conducted with 12 respondents who are current middle school counselors with at least three years of experience working in their school settings. Respondents were recruited from a variety of middle school settings including public, private, and charter school environments in the New York City area using a snowball sampling method. Participation in the study included answering a demographic questionnaire and engaging in a face-to-face taped interview that included questions about definitions of bullying, school setting, bullying incidents, …

The Effects Of Sexually Transmitted Illness (Sti) Stigmatization On Intimate Relationships : Non-Infected Partners' Perceptions, Reactions, Feelings And Attitudes Toward Female Partners' Disclosure Of Herpes Simplex Virus (Hsv) Positive Status, Sarah Heath Williams

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The purpose of this study was to explore in greater depth the effects of Sexually Transmitted Illness (STI) stigma on intimate relationships by examining the reactions of non-infected intimate partners to their female partner's disclosure of her Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) positive status. The research question was: what are non-infected partners perceptions, reactions, feelings and attitudes to their female partner's disclosure of HSV positive status? This exploratory mixed-methods study was informed by the extant literature on STI stigma and intimate relationships. The lens of stigma theory is used to frame the discussion of the findings. Forty-three participants responded to the …