Digital Commons Network^™

Reporting On Un Security Council: Decoding Media Bias, Alessandra Loiero

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis explores Western media's representation of the United Nations (UN), focusing on the Security Council's role in global conflict resolution. It examines how UN-accredited correspondents perceive the effectiveness of the Security Council, particularly when the body faces deadlock. The study employs text analysis techniques to identify biases and perceptions in media coverage, using The New York Times' reporting on the Ukraine conflict as a case study. It illuminates framing effects in journalistic narratives, revealing how journalists subtly interject their views when reporting, often revealing unrealistic expectations and shedding light on the limitations of the UN's mandate or its inability …

Parasympathethic Nervous Activity And Social Exclusion In Borderline Personality Disorder, Rebecca E. Barnes

Dissertations and Theses

Abstract

The experience of being excluded is universally unpleasant. However, for individuals that suffer from Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), the experience of social exclusion, or ostracism can be unbearable (Bortolla, et al., 2019). While there is a significant amount of research on physiological reactivity in BPD, no studies adequately connect the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) responses of people with BPD to social exclusion which is critical to understand as the inability of the PNS of individuals with BPD to adapt to stressors may be a contributing factor to the elevated rate of suicide and suicide attempts in this clinical population …

Depression In African American Males And The Mental Health Stigma, Deanna Carrington

Dissertations and Theses

Depression is a common mental health disorder in the United States. In particular, African Americans have a greater risk of depression because they are predisposed to depressive symptoms as opposed to their White counterparts (Miller and Taylor, 2011). Moreover, African Americans are 20% more likely to experience psychological distress that leads to depression compared to other racial groups. While African American cultural norms focus on resilience and independence, discussion around mental health is discouraged, which leads to underreporting and delayed treatment. For males in the African American community, they can be hesitant to seek help, let alone discuss their experiences …

Social Determinants Of Psychosis: An Examination Of Loneliness, Stress, Discrimination, And Neighborhood Cohesion In Psychotic Disorders, Alexandria Selloni

Dissertations and Theses

This study examined social determinants in individuals diagnosed with psychotic disorders in a large, diverse, sample from the NIH-sponsored All of Us Research Program. Participants completed self-report measures of loneliness, perceived stress, everyday discrimination, and neighborhood social cohesion. Analyses showed that individuals with a diagnosis of a psychotic disorder experience significantly more feelings of loneliness, stress, everyday discrimination, and poorer neighborhood social cohesion compared to individuals without any diagnosis of a mental disorder as well as compared to individuals who may have other mental disorders other than psychosis. We further examined racial difference among individuals with psychotic disorders and found …

Exploring Spatial Operations Of Distractor Suppression In The Sense Of Touch, Nicole A. Serino

Dissertations and Theses

The ability to select sensory information in our environment is key to facilitating goal-directed actions. Sensory selection mechanisms are prevalent in all sensory modalities, and can be implemented by enhancing information at the relevant location and/or suppressing neural information outside the focus of attention (a mechanism known as distractor suppression). Although we have a decent understanding of how the brain enhances information within the focus of attention, less is known about the mechanisms that mediate suppression of distractors, especially in sensory modalities outside vision. In this study, we conducted a series of behavioral experiments to investigate the spatial flexibility of …

The Menstrual Cycle In Psychotherapy: Interventions, Therapist Engagement, And Blind Spots, Rozita Alaluf

Dissertations and Theses

There is a dearth of literature on psychotherapy and menstruation, except for the treatment and diagnosis of issues associated with premenstrual distress. This study aimed to bridge this gap by investigating the frequency and context of discussions about the menstrual cycle, the factors influencing therapists’ engagement with this topic, and the therapeutic approaches utilized to address the menstrual cycle within psychotherapy.

In phase 1, 118 psychotherapists from various theoretical backgrounds completed a survey on menstruation in clinical practice. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. In phase 2, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 7 psychotherapists, primarily identifying their theoretical orientation …

Motherhood In Crisis: A Qualitative Study Of First-Time Mothers Diagnosed With Breast Cancer, Tamzin M. Baker

Dissertations and Theses

The aim of this study is to explore the psychological impact of pregnancy-associated breast cancer (PABC) on a first-time mother’s identity. What effects does life-threatening illness have on the development of maternal identity and connection? This question was explored with a sample of six mothers via semi-structured interview and self-report measure with the aim to shed light on a scarcely studied phenomenon that is predicted to affect a greater number of mothers in the future. These research questions were explored through Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) (Smith et al., 2009) resulting in group experiential themes and three theoretical constructs: (1) a …

Teach Them How To Say Goodbye: Student Therapist Termination At A Psychodynamic Training Clinic, Michael Ferrara

Dissertations and Theses

Termination is arguably one of the most important aspects of psychotherapy, however, the research into training for termination is sparse. Further, student therapists report that their training for termination provided little guidance, instruction, or acknowledgment of clinical realities around treatment endings. Using a semi-structured interview with a sample of 11 student therapists at a psychodynamic training clinic, this study explored experiences of termination and the preparation for those endings. Qualitative thematic analysis indicated that this group of student therapists did not experience shared and structured termination training but did not feel they were unprepared for the endings with their patients. …

The Shadow Of Grief: Understanding Grief Among Ethnoracially Diverse Young Adults, Rona R. Tarazi

Dissertations and Theses

Background: Complicated grief, characterized by prolonged and intense mourning, presents unique challenges for individuals grappling with loss, as it is shaped by a multitude of factors influencing the grieving and mourning processes. While the literature has identified several factors that significantly impact complicated grief, such as post-loss symptom severity, stigmatization, the quality of the relationship to the deceased, and grief-related avoidance, this two-part study aimed to expand on existing findings by shedding light on the landscape of grief among a sample of ethnoracially diverse young adults. Part 1 of the study examined whether previously identified factors remain significant in this …

Identity-Focused Therapist Self-Disclosure In Matched Sexual/Gender Minority Dyads: A Longitudinal Therapy Process-Outcome Study, Brian Thomas Neff

Dissertations and Theses

Therapist self-disclosure (TSD) is a controversial clinical intervention whose benefits and drawbacks remain contested. Notably, no prior research has differentiated explicitly between self-disclosures related to the therapist’s core identities and those peripheral to identity, and qualitative studies suggest that identity-focused therapist self-disclosure (TSD-I) may be beneficial when therapist and patient share at least one marginalized identity. LGBTQ+ people, who experience significant health disparities and utilize psychotherapy more than their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts, could benefit particularly from TSD-I. The mental and physical health challenges facing LGBTQ+ individuals are predominantly explained through minority stress theory, which suggests that societal prejudice and …

The Development Of A Computerized Text Analysis Measure Of Differentiation Relatedness: A Pilot Study, Liang Yi Wong

Dissertations and Theses

Self-definition and relatedness are considered two important processes for psychological development. Self-definition refers to an individual’s ability to maintain a stable, agentic, integrated sense of self that is differentiated from others. Relatedness refers to one’s ability to establish and maintain mutually reciprocal, stable, interpersonal relationships. Research shows that impairments in self-definition and relatedness are connected with various forms of personality and psychiatric disorders. Assessing for these impairments may allow clinicians and researchers to identity relevant factors that lead to therapeutic change. One way to assess for self-definition and relatedness is by understanding an individual’s description of self and others, which …

The Mental Health Of Southeast Asian American Lgbtqia+ Adults, Phetsamone P. Phoummavong

Dissertations and Theses

The current study examines the prevalence of and relationship between mental health outcomes (depressive symptoms, anxiety) and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among a sample of Southeast Asian Americans (age: M = 26.6, SD = 4.0) who self-identified as sexual and gender minorities (e.g., gay, lesbian, bisexual, nonbinary, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, asexual and plus [LGBTQIA+]) (n = 41). Our national online survey was co-developed with a partnering community-based organization (CBO), Mekong NYC, and was disseminated through Southeast Asian American and/or LGBTQIA+ serving CBOs, university-affiliated organizations, and relevant affinity groups.

Results indicate that participants in our sample who identified as female, …

Character Strengths In Applied Behavior Analysis And The Treatment Of Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Pilot Study, Michael G. Johansen

Dissertations and Theses

Diagnoses of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have continued to rise. Individuals diagnosed with ASD may display a range of deficits in social communication, behaviors, and symptoms that limit everyday functioning. Among the treatments for ASD, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is typically the earliest and longest intervention individuals with ASD are exposed to. Concerns have been raised over ABA being a compliance-based therapy which potentially produces prompt reliance, reinforcement dependency, and a lack of intrinsic motivation. In an attempt to address these concerns, this study aimed to assess the potential benefits of including the concept of character strengths from the field …

Policing With A Double-Edged Sword: The Associations Between Neighborhood Deprivation, Coping & Substance Use Among Black & Latiné Families, Neil M. Allicock

Dissertations and Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated systemic racial inequities among Black and Latiné communities, increasing daily stressors such as exposure to violence, racial discrimination, and negative perceptions of the police. Social constraints from quarantining and social distancing have weakened community relationships that previously provided relief from these stressors. Persistent poverty and racial discrimination further strain community ties and challenge the well-being of marginalized communities. Negative experiences with the police are unique stressors for Black and Latiné youth, potentially increasing their risk for substance use. The erosion of community ties may heighten psychological stress and lead to less adaptive coping methods, such …

Comparing Perceptions Of Continued Presence Of The Deceased And Unidentified Sensed Presence Experiences In A Non-Clinical Sample Of Paranormal Experients, Scarlet Sidwell

Dissertations and Theses

Research on individuals' paranormal experiences, particularly sensed presence experiences, has predominantly focused on bereavement contexts (Kamp et al., 2020; Evrard et al., 2021). However, less is understood about the similarities and distinctions between perceived presence of the deceased and unfamiliar sensory perceptions of presence. The present study employs both quantitative and qualitative methods to explore the phenomenology of individuals' sensory experiences of presence within two distinct domains: perceptions of the continued presence of the deceased (PCPDs) and unidentified sensed presence experiences (USPEs). The current study utilized data from a sample of paranormal believers and experients to test the hypotheses that …

Mentalized Affectivity Among Adolescents In Wilderness Therapy: An Initial Exploration, William Holland

Dissertations and Theses

Mentalized affectivity (MA) blends emotion regulation and mentalization in a single construct that underlies psychopathology and is a target of psychotherapeutic intervention as a mechanism of change. Little research has investigated MA’s role in psychopathology and treatment for adolescents. Change in MA has yet to be investigated. Wilderness therapy is a non-traditional treatment model for “hard-to-reach” adolescents; its mechanisms of change have not been robustly researched. This study aims to investigate change in adolescents’ MA capacities over the course of wilderness therapy, in order to explore the role of MA components (Identifying, Processing, Expressing) in adolescent psychopathology; the relation between …

Making Sense Of The Space Between: A Qualitative Study Of Therapist’S Experience And Use Of Therapeutic Enactments, Paul Ballantyne Lafreniere

Dissertations and Theses

This study sought to examine a particular category of technical challenge in therapy: enactments. Enactments, broadly defined, are moments or stretches of time in therapy where both the patient and therapist cannot put their conflicts into words, and instead act them out within the therapeutic milieu. These phenomena frequently elicit shame and guilt on the part of the therapist, and can prove detrimental to treatment. Equally, however, investigation of these moments within treatment can be of considerable clinical utility. In this qualitative phenomenological study, 6 therapists were interviewed about their experiences working with enactments in clinical practice. The strategies which …

Adult Play And Its Relations To The Working Alliance And Psychosocial Dysfunction In Short-Term Psychotherapy, Charlotte B. Gendron

Dissertations and Theses

The importance of play in child development is well-documented: the capacity to play is associated with psychological health, and the cognitive and affective processes involved in play, such as fantasy, symbolism, narrative organization, divergent thinking, and affective expression, relate to areas of adaptive functioning. Research also illustrates that the inability to play is associated with adverse experiences in children, and that play therapy can facilitate the development of play and subsequent psychological health. In addition to its relation to psychological health, the capacity to play in childhood is inextricably linked to the infant-caregiver relationship. There is less literature on what …

Belonging In The Psychic Nowhere: Racial Trauma, Racial Melancholia And Related Mental Health Outcomes Amongst South Asian Immigrants In The Us, Anusha M. Kumar

Dissertations and Theses

South Asian immigrants have experienced a nuanced immigration history in the US while straddling the Black-White racial binary. Despite their growing presence, research on South Asian mental health is relatively limited and often subsumed under the broader category of "Asian Americans," which obscures unique experiences due to the model minority myth and leads to a paucity of targeted studies, particularly in the U.S. Mental health outcomes, specifically depression, self-harm and disordered eating behaviors are prevalent within this community, and are exacerbated after large-scale sociopolitical events due to increased discrimination. Limited studies examine the intersection of racism and mental health outcomes …

A Qualitative Exploration Of Psychodynamic Therapist's Experiences When Working With Parents In Child And Adolescent Psychotherapy, Marie-Clair Siegman

Dissertations and Theses

A Qualitative Exploration of Psychodynamic Therapist's Experiences of Working with Parents in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy.

By

Clair Siegman, MA

Advisor: Steve Tuber, PhD

The aim of this study was to identify how therapists incorporate parent-work into their practices and explore the experiences related to this. The literature on engaging parents during child treatment suggests that it is a central to improving outcomes. Research about the treatment alliance that develops between the therapist and parent is limited, especially when considering the therapist perspective. Literature within the psychodynamic and psychoanalytic fields, suggests therapists have a hesitance to working with parents either …

Dostoyevsky And Wright On Becoming The Underground Man, Zain Alam

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis explores the parallels between Fyodor Dostoyevsky's Notes from Underground and Richard Wright's The Man Who Lived Underground, focusing on their shared use of the "Underground Man" archetype to critique philosophical and societal structures. Dostoyevsky's Underground Man embodies the contradictions of Determinism and Rational Egoism in 19th-century Russia, exposing the flaws of these ideologies through satire. In contrast, Wright recontextualizes this character to address racial injustice in mid-20th-century America, using Fred Daniels' descent into a literal underground to highlight systemic oppression. By comparing these works, the thesis demonstrates how both authors utilize the underground as a metaphorical space …

Author And Authorship In Arthur Miller’S Death Of A Salesman: Willy Loman's Attempts To Author A Nostalgic, Fictitious Past Lead To His Downfall, While Linda Loman’S Miller-Authored Warnings Fall On Willy’S Ever-Deaf Ears, Allison Stein-Jackter

Dissertations and Theses

Throughout the 20th century, the American male protagonist’s obsession with and longing for a past that never existed brings about his own downfall. In Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller, Willy Loman nostalgically fantasizes about a bygone era, the pre-war days of glory and greatness, but as he attempts to recreate his presumed former prestige in a post-war world, the fantasy unravels, with not only death and destruction in his dream’s widening, illusory wake, but the unraveling also presents itself in the recognition that Willy’s carefully crafted memories are works of fiction. Decades of literary research focus on Willy’s …

From Bushwick To Portland: Bori Girls Of The Diaspora Revolutionizing The Puerto Rican Coming-Of-Age Narrative, Lily V. Alvarado

Dissertations and Theses

Trailblazing Puerto Rican women in the diaspora have challenged dominant imagery and fought against patriarchy, U.S. imperialism, and white supremacy through their writing. Writers like Esmeralda Santiago and Nicholasa Mohr have transformed the literary canon via the bildungsroman, highlighting the unique struggles of Boricua girlhood and proving that our stories matter. Two prominent female Boricua writers today, Elisabet Velasquez and Gabby Rivera, have raised the baton that has been passed down to them and revolutionized the Diasporican literary canon. In their respective texts, When We Make It: A Nuyorican Novel and Juliet Takes a Breath, Velasquez and Rivera highlight the …

Situative Black Girlhood Reading Motivations: Why And How Black Girls Read And Comprehend Text, Sara Jones

Faculty Publications - College of Education

This study aims to illustrate the complex relationships between reading motivation and reading comprehension for Black girl readers. There is an urgent need for research that explicitly centers on the reading motivations of Black girls through a humanizing, asset-oriented lens. Through a Situative Black Girlhood Reading Motivations lens, which integrates a situative perspective on motivation and the tenets of Black Girlhood Studies, this multi-year study focuses on a group of Black girl readers participating in a summer reading program. Qualitative data, including video observations, student work artifacts, and small-group artifact-elicited interviews, were analyzed through a generic inductive approach to answer …

How Do Elementary Induction Teachers Perceive Video Coaching As A Job-Embedded Professional Development Strategy?, Ursala Maddox Davis

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative narrative case study examines the perceptions of elementary school induction teachers on video coaching as a job-embedded professional development strategy. The research was conducted with 12 induction teachers from an urban school district in Georgia, utilizing questionnaires, focus groups, and individual interviews. Nine teachers participated in focus groups, and four in individual interviews. Initially, teachers expressed negative views about video coaching, primarily due to discomfort with being recorded. However, over time, increased self-reflection and structured mentor feedback led to a positive shift in perceptions. Teachers reported heightened self-awareness, instructional improvements, and a stronger emotional connection to their teaching …

Academic Performance And Educator Efficacy In Supporting Military-Connected Adolescents Among High Schools In A Georgia School District, Megan Louise Jones

Theses and Dissertations

The effects of a parent’s military service on their children are well-researched in the post-9/11 era, particularly for elementary-aged students. However, research involving adolescents is much narrower, despite 25% of all military dependents ranging between 9th and 12th grade. These students are already enduring major changes as adolescents, but military-connected adolescents are also navigating the many stressors of their family’s military affiliation. These students are oftentimes burdened by frequent moves, parental deployment, and acclimation to their circumstances. While the military family is acutely aware of the heightened stressors that potentially create chaos among the family unit, teachers’ awareness of these …

Signature Moves? An Environmental Scan Of The Intersection Between Educational Development And Sotl, Laura Cruz, Hillary H. Steiner, Clare Cruz

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

Although the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) has been described as the signature pedagogy of educational development (a professional field focused on support for teaching and learning in higher education), there is little systematic evidence of the scale and scope of the SoTL support practices that centers for teaching and learning (CTLs) are currently using, how they are using them, and how these practices connect across the ecosystem of higher education. To understand the evolving intersection between educational development and SoTL, we used web scraping/content analysis to explore the current state of SoTL support at U.S.-based CTLs (as reflected …

Faculty And Student Perspectives Of Critical Pedagogies Of Care In An Arabian Gulf Liberal Arts University, Noora Shuaib

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

Culturally and historically sensitive material and highly diverse student bodies challenge educators in the higher education classroom. Transformative and empowering pedagogies address how different types of learners may experience sensitive material. Critical pedagogies of care create supportive educational environments, compassionate teaching practices, and empower students through diversified content. Pedagogies of discomfort, a subset of pedagogies of care, push educators and students to leave their comfort zones, recognize the non-neutrality of educational processes, and confront the discomfort of challenging knowledge. When applied correctly, these pedagogies promote critical thinking and transformative action, and counter the neoliberal and white supremacist values that often …

Serving With Pride: Analyzing Lgbtq+ Personnel Policy In The U.S. Military, Sonja Woolley

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis examines the evolution of LGBTQ+ personnel policies in the U.S. military, analyzing how these changes reflect broader social transformations and the military’s role as both a mirror and catalyst in societal shifts. It traces the historical roots of discriminatory practices against queer and transgender servicemembers, identifying key periods of reform and resistance. Using institutional theory to dissect the mechanisms of policy adaptation, this paper focuses on coercive, mimetic, and normative isomorphism, which illustrate the complex interplay between external societal pressures, internal demands for legitimacy, and the professionalization of the military. Through detailed case studies, the thesis highlights how …

Reclaiming Democracy: Examining Disenfranchisement Laws And Policy Recommendations To Restore Voting Rights For Formerly Incarcerated People, Maeve Conte

CMC Senior Theses

This paper examines the disenfranchisement of formerly incarcerated people and the steps by which they can participate in civic society again. It delves into the history of these laws, both in the United States and abroad, and the philosophies behind disenfranchisement. It then uses Florida’s Amendment 4 as a case study in current debates surrounding voting rights. After a literature review on voting, it assesses the voting population inside prisons in states that allow it and includes policy recommendations for these states. This thesis also applies interventions from the literature review to reduce the cost for formerly incarcerated people. Ultimately, …