Digital Commons Network^™

Transgender & Gender-Expansive Therapy Participants: A Roundtable Discussion, Gabriel Delong, Logan Harding

Great Lakes Regional Counseling Psychology Conference

This roundtable is an open, honest, and affirming space for mental health professionals to discuss the current challenges faced by the transgender and gender-expansive community. Using cultural humility, participants will have the opportunity to ask challenging questions, discover new outlooks, and hopefully feel empowered to advocate for the community.

Critical Consciousness, Community, And Systemic Change: Uplifting The Mental Health And Resilience Factors Of Black Trans Women, Matthew J. Kasopsky Ma, Ncc, Imani S. Linton M.Ed, Sharon L. Bowman Ph.D., Hspp, Abpp, Lmhc

Great Lakes Regional Counseling Psychology Conference

Black trans women face systemic barriers to mental health care, often ignored by traditional counseling models. This roundtable explores developing critical consciousness in psychology, supporting community resilience, and advocating for systemic change. Discussion centers on affirming, trauma-informed care that depathologizes experiences and fosters joy, strength, and self-determination.

Guidelines For Engaging In Social Justice In Clinical Settings, Liza Cohen, Sydney Majka

Great Lakes Regional Counseling Psychology Conference

The need for resources regarding social justice in counseling professions is imperative, but clinicians report that they face barriers to engaging in advocacy (Brown et al., 2020). The following narrative review will present recommendations for practitioners that are grounded in intersectional feminist and liberation psychology frameworks (Moane, 2013).

The Impact Of Parental Involvement On Therapy Outcomes For Children With Anxiety: A Systematic Review, Jade E. Carriero B.A.

Great Lakes Regional Counseling Psychology Conference

Childhood anxiety impacts 6.5% of children globally, often persisting without intervention. This review examines the role of parental involvement in therapy outcomes for children with anxiety aged 5-18. Key themes include CBT’s prominence, standardized tools, enhanced outcomes, and varied parental approaches. Findings highlight the need for individualized, culturally responsive strategies.

Lgbtq+ Youth’S Experiences Of Minority Stress: A Survey, Liz Ballinger B.A., Jesse Chen M.A., Caitlin Johnson M.A., Sarah Kiperman Phd

Great Lakes Regional Counseling Psychology Conference

This poster will cover a proposed study on LGBTQ+ youths' experiences of minority stress in the current day and context. We used the minority stress theory to evaluate the relationship of stressors to outcomes, and how protective factors moderate the relationship.

Years Of Mindfulness Practice And Intervention Impacts, Anderson Boatman, Ellary Darling, Mark St. Martin, Zeljka Vidic

Great Lakes Regional Counseling Psychology Conference

Does prior mindfulness experience influence outcomes in online interventions? This study examined years of mindfulness practice as a predictor of changes in stress, resilience, mindful attention, and mindfulness among 87 participants. Findings explore the potential importance of tailoring interventions to varying experience levels to promote mental health and well-being.

Lgbtq+ Trauma And Dissociation: An Integrative Review, Laci Johnson M.S.Ed.

Great Lakes Regional Counseling Psychology Conference

LGBTQ+ individuals have a heightened risk for experiencing trauma and dissociative symptoms. Current research focuses on trauma in LGBTQ+ populations, or dissociation in the general population, but not dissociation and trauma in LGBTQ+ populations. The purpose of this review is to synthesize literature regarding LGBTQ+ trauma and dissociation.

Lunch Hour, Lunch Time

Great Lakes Regional Counseling Psychology Conference

Lunch Time!

Ce Eligible Workshop: New Thinking In Ethical Decision-Making, Mark Leach Phd

Great Lakes Regional Counseling Psychology Conference

Dr. Leach's talk is one of two pre-conference CE workshops for the Great Lakes Conference. Please note that the CE workshops require a separate registration process that can found by visiting the main conference webpage.

Artificial Intelligence For Better In-Game Nfl Performance, Christopher Mcmanus

Honors Theses

In this thesis I examined the use of AI modeling for the use in the modern-day NFL, both for improving in-game play calling, and creating better recovery plans for players all around the league. When finding articles detailing these models, I only focused on works involving the current day NFL, and models used widely around the league to this day. The literature detailed in this thesis mainly describes modeling used by Amazon Web Services (AWS, 2024, The NFL’s partner for all things analytics, and data modeling. My main objective for this literature review was to show the impact AI modeling …

Artivism For Access: Disrupting The Educational Status Quo, Mercedes Albarran, Rocio Zamora

Journal of College Access

This piece explores the transformative role of art as a platform for historically marginalized populations to challenge educational inequities and catalyze social change. Through the concept of "artivism," art and activism merge to humanize complex social issues, fostering understanding and solidarity. Highlighting historical moments such as the Chicano/a movement and contemporary contributions from students at Hoover High School, the text underscores how creative expression empowers individuals to disrupt the educational status quo. It examines the rich tapestry of student-led artivism that elevates voices from diverse backgrounds, notably BIPOC and first-generation students, in their pursuit of education and societal change. Through …

From The Guest Editors, Mercedes Albarran, Rocio Zamora

Journal of College Access

No abstract provided.

Supportive Programming During A Worldwide Pandemic And Beyond, Rainie B. Jueschke, Charissa Lynch, Anne Stokes, Tracy Van De Vate

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

In the United States, approximately 2.4 million grandparents are the primary caregivers of their grandchildren (Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count Data Center, 2024). Relative caregivers provide an important opportunity to keep families together and avoid foster home placement when children are unable to safely be cared for by parents. “Parenting again” comes with its own unique set of challenges, and the COVID-19 pandemic significantly highlighted and exacerbated these difficulties. There are many organizations nationwide that work within the field of relative caregiving, providing diverse programming designed to address the needs of this unique population. Core principles include strategies to …

Building Blocks For New Kinship Partnerships And Coalitions, Kathy L. Dial, Daniel J. Koltz, Janet Salo, Erin Beasley

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

Building successful kinship partnerships and coalitions requires intentional effort to establish trust, align goals, and foster inclusivity. These collaborations are essential for addressing the unique and evolving needs of kinship families, who often face limited access to resources due to the informal nature of many caregiving arrangements. Effective partnerships prioritize clear missions, open communication, and active engagement with stakeholders, particularly those with lived experiences such as kinship caregivers. Research demonstrates that coordinated efforts among organizations enhance resource availability, improve advocacy capabilities, and strengthen service delivery. By integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion principles, coalitions can ensure that diverse perspectives shape solutions …

Sustaining Critical Support Services For Relative Caregivers Through The Covid-19 Pandemic And Beyond, Shelly Willis Mrs, Lori Latimer, Rolanda Pyle

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

This practice brief outlines model practice strategies for building and sustaining critical support services for kinship caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. While the long-term impacts of COVID-19 were still unfolding, research increasingly showed the profound effect the pandemic had on family well-being worldwide. Already managing the trauma that necessitated the placement of most children, kinship families faced additional challenges, including the fear and uncertainty surrounding health risks and the complete upheaval of community resources as schools, state offices, and social service agencies limited or closed their operations. This led to unprecedented levels of economic, housing, transportation, and food …

Learning From Experience: What Is Successful Respite During And Post-Pandemic?, Jennifer A. Crittenden, Darlene Sansone, Kristina Brant, Jennifer Odum, Caitlin O'Brien, Lisa Mccormick

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

The COVID-19 pandemic had immediate and long-lasting impacts on both kinship families and the organizations that serve them. During the pandemic, as families navigated health challenges, economic consequences, and school and daycare closures, relatives as parents programs (RAPPs) were challenged to surmount staffing and programming hurdles to meet family needs. Despite the difficulties posed by the pandemic, RAPPs developed creative solutions to offer respite programming. Some of these programs continue to be used today, over four years after the start of the pandemic. This article describes the presentations and discussions that took place during a 90-minute workshop at the 2023 …

Curriculum For Kinship Caregivers: Evaluating The Feasibility Of Implementing Across Different Service Settings, Joseph Crumbley, Sierra Wollenhall, Angelique Day

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

This localized program evaluation provides an example of how to determine the feasibility of utilizing a kinship parent training across different service settings. A total of seven facilitators taught the curriculum in different service settings including structured in-person and online training classes, support groups, and the utilization of training by tribal kinship navigators as part of individual service delivery. The fidelity tracking process provided a venue for each of these service provider types to document the strengths and challenges of implementing each of the components of the Inherent Strengths curriculum across these different service settings with the kinship populations they …

Comfort With Technology And Its Association With Depression Of Custodial Grandparents During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Sarah Pace, Yanfeng Xu, Theresa Harrison

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

During the COVID-19 pandemic, custodial grandparents faced heightened risks of depression due to increased social isolation and caregiving responsibilities. This study examines the association between comfort with technology and depression among custodial grandparents. Cross-sectional data were collected from 287 custodial grandparents across the United States between May 2021 and February 2022. Logistic regression analysis revealed that custodial grandparents’ higher comfort with technology was significantly associated with lower odds of depression (OR = 0.68, p < .001). Additionally, those who had reliable access to the internet had significantly lower odds of experiencing depression (OR = 0.78, p = .039). Furthermore, the need for telemental health services was associated with increased odds of depression (OR = 3.18, p = .003). These findings highlight …

Generations United & The Brookdale Foundation Group: An Overview Of Progress In Support Of Grandfamilies Over The Last Decade, Ana Beltran, Jaia Lent, Melinda Perez-Porter

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

Strategic partnerships and collaborations enable organizations that serve grandfamilies to address service gaps and facilitate the development or enhancement of services tailored to support their needs. These collaborative partnerships empower organizations to provide comprehensive support to caregivers and children and also play a crucial role in enabling organizations to create, expand, and maintain supportive services. By fostering strong relationships with a diverse range of partners, organizations can ensure that grandparents and other relative caregiver families receive information, assistance, and support. The authors, representing a national organization and a private foundation, have collaborated for more than 25 years to support grandfamilies. …

What Lies Ahead? Future Directions For Grandparent Caregiving Research, Bert Hayslip

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

Clearly, as a perusal of the literature will support, interest in the lives of grandparents raising grandchildren among practitioners and researchers has increased dramatically over the last decade. As we approach 50 years since the appearance of Meredith Minkler and her colleagues’ classic work on grandparent caregivers raising their grandchildren amid the crack cocaine epidemic, I take this opportunity at the 10th anniversary of GrandFamilies to reflect on what directions grandfamily research might take in the future.

Health Considerations With Grandfamilies, Susan Kelley

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

With four decades of accumulated evidence, we understand that despite the challenges they face, custodial grandparents (CGPs) demonstrate remarkable resilience. As a population, however, they are at increased risk of diminished health, both physical and psychological. Understanding the complex health-related factors frequently associated with CGP is crucial to devising and implementing effective interventions. CGP health status may be impacted by the demands of caregiving, demographics, trauma-induced stress, other factors, or a combination thereof. Underscoring this is the recognition that CGPs disproportionately experience cumulative demographic risk factors compared to their non-caregiving peers.

A Vision To Improve Policies For Grandfamilies, Kerry Littlewood

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

In 2007, my mentor, Anne Strozier, and I wrote an article about the various systems of care that were in place to help support grandparents and other relatives raising children in the US (Strozier & Krisman, 2007). We noted how difficult it was to completely understand the data related to the needs of grandfamilies, because they existed in so many siloed systems of care, including child welfare, aging, education, legal, health care, and others. Today is 17 years since that article was published and systems serving kinship families are just as segmented and siloed as ever.

In the 10 years …

Introduction To The 10-Year Anniversary Issue: Reflecting On The Past, Present And Future Of The Grandfamilies Journal As A Catalyst For Quality Innovative Research, Policy And Program Development, Esme Fuller-Thomson

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

This special issue celebrates the 10-year anniversary of GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy. The launch of this journal a decade ago marked a significant milestone in the study of kinship families, sparking a surge of scholarly work in the field. As is evident in the 12 articles included in this special issue, the journal has kept true to its original objective to be an important “forum for quality, evidence-based research with sound scholarship, knowledge, skills and best practices from the field for scholars, clinicians, policymakers, educators, program administrators and family advocates.”

A Decade Of Advancing Knowledge: Celebrating 10 Years Of Grandfamilies: The Contemporary Journal Of Research, Practice, And Policy, Angel L. Gullón-Rivera, Andrea B. Smith, Deborah M. Whitley, Deborah Langosch

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

In response to a 2012 needs assessment involving 243 professionals in the kinship care field, the journal GrandFamilies was established to serve as a vital resource, enhancing knowledge and skills among researchers and practitioners. Since its launch in 2014, GrandFamilies has reached a global audience, with articles downloaded in over 166 countries. To date, the journal has achieved 79,239 total views, including 22,952 views of abstracts and 56,287 full-text downloads. While the majority of downloads (30,374) originate from the United States, there is a steadily increasing international readership. The journal's diverse audience underscores its broad impact and relevance across academic, …

Table Of Contents

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

Table of Content

Complete Issue Vol. 8, Issue 1

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

Complete Issue Vol. 8, Issue 1 (10th Anniversary)

Art, Nature, And Occupational Therapy In The Arctic Circle, Erin Barrus

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Even Edvardsen, a Norwegian occupational therapist and artist, provided the cover art for the Winter 2025 issue of the Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT). “Loppa 1” is a 60 x 80 oil on canvas that shares a glimpse into living in the Arctic Circle. It is the first in a series of 10 variations of the island of Loppa, a small island off the coast of Norway, further north of Tromsø. Even’s paintings are what he calls meditations on nature and everyday moments; he invites viewers to slow down and reconnect with the world around them. In today’s fast-paced …

Addressing The Needs Of Jewish Clients And Students Through A Trauma-Informed Approach, Amiya Waldman-Levi, Robin Akselrud, Zahava L. Friedman, Lola Halperin, Shifra K. Leiser, Rivka Molinsky

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The worldwide Jewish community is notoriously nomadic because of persecution and displacement through several millennia. The diasporic experience of global Jewish communities led to traumatic events such as historical expulsion and genocide. These experiences embody all five components of occupational injustice. The recent rise in antisemitism has triggered intergenerational trauma among individuals, families, and communities. This paper, grounded in trauma-based research, aims to guide occupational therapists treating Jewish clients and/or teaching Jewish students. The paper outlines trauma-informed implications for therapist-client collaboration in the context of supporting occupational justice for diverse populations. The distinct role of occupational therapists in effectively serving …

Openness To Critique Is Essential, Brenda L. Beagan, Niki Kiepek, Heidi Lauckner, Paula W. Rushton

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

Establishing Reliability And Validity For A Professional Development Tool For Graduate Health Care Programs, Lisa Handler, Amiya Waldman-Levi

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Professional development ensures practitioners develop the necessary skills to succeed in multifaceted clinical roles. To provide evidence-based best practices, health practitioners need to possess critical thinking, executive functioning, and emotional intelligence skills. Study aimed to establish psychometric properties to the Inventory of Professional and Academic Reasoning (IPAR). Two cross-sectional studies of reliability and validity were used. The participants included 139 health profession students, of which 93 students participated in the first study and 46 occupational therapy students participated in the second study. Data were collected online and at fieldwork sites using a background questionnaire, IPAR, Executive Function Index, and the …