Mental and Social Health Commons^™

Criteria Used In Assigning A Diagnosis Of Passive-Aggressive Personality Disorder, Laura J. Hunsucker

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Passive-aggressive personality disorder has a long history in the literature and has been present in all versions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. However, there have been many different conceptualizations of the disorder over time, and there is not a clear consensus concerning what symptoms constitute the disorder. The purpose of this study was to examine the criteria that clinicians consider most representative of a prototypic patient with passive-aggressive personality disorder. This research also examined differences in symptom presentation of male versus female passive-aggressive individuals. Finally, this study examined symptom overlap with other personality disorders. A list …

Correlates Of The Mmpi-A Immaturity (Imm) Scale In An Adolescent Psychiatric Population, Eric Albert Imhof

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Despite numerous theories of adolescent ego development, there is no objective measure of ego development or maturation targeted for the assessment of adolescents. The Immaturity (IMM) Scale developed for the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory - Adolescent (MMPI-A) was designed to fill this void in adolescent assessment. The present study examined the concurrent validity of the IMM Scale based on sixty-six adolescents (13-18 years old) in an inpatient setting using four prominent measures of maturity, i.e., The Defining Issues Test (DIT), the Washington University Sentence Completion Test (WUSCT), the Extended Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status - Second Revision (EOM-EIS-2), and …

Weighing Evidence In Sexual Abuse Evaluations: An Introduction To Bayes's Theorem, James Wood

Selected Works Temporary Series

This article introduces readers to Bayes' theorem, a simple mathematical formula that can illuminate general issues and assist evaluators in the field of child sexual abuse. The theorem is applied to a case study of sexual abuse allegations that arose during a custody dispute.

Weighing Evidence In Sexual Abuse Evaluations: An Introduction To Bayes's Theorem, James Wood

Departmental Papers (Psych)

This article introduces readers to Bayes' theorem, a simple mathematical formula that can illuminate general issues and assist evaluators in the field of child sexual abuse. The theorem is applied to a case study of sexual abuse allegations that arose during a custody dispute.

How Do Children Tell: The Disclosure Process In Child Sexual Abuse, April Bradley, James Wood

Selected Works Temporary Series

Children's disclosure of sexual abuse has been described as a quasi-developmental process that includes stages of denial, reluctance, disclosure, recantation, and reaffirmation (Sorenson & Snow, 1991, Summit, 1983). It has been reported that nearly 75% of sexual abuse victims initially deny abuse and that nearly 25% eventually recant their allegations (Sorenson & Snow, 1991). The present study examined disclosures in 234 sexual abuse cases validated by Protective Services in El Paso, Texas. Denial of abuse occurred in 6% of cases, and recantation in 4% of cases in which a child had already disclosed abuse. Four of the eight victims who …

An Evaluation Of How Direct Practice Clinicians Define And Operationalize The Term Codependency, Gail Willhite

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

How Do Children Tell: The Disclosure Process In Child Sexual Abuse, April Bradley, James Wood

Departmental Papers (Psych)

Children's disclosure of sexual abuse has been described as a quasi-developmental process that includes stages of denial, reluctance, disclosure, recantation, and reaffirmation (Sorenson & Snow, 1991, Summit, 1983). It has been reported that nearly 75% of sexual abuse victims initially deny abuse and that nearly 25% eventually recant their allegations (Sorenson & Snow, 1991). The present study examined disclosures in 234 sexual abuse cases validated by Protective Services in El Paso, Texas. Denial of abuse occurred in 6% of cases, and recantation in 4% of cases in which a child had already disclosed abuse. Four of the eight victims who …

The Kinetic Family Drawing As A Measure Of Minuchin's Structural Family Concepts Among Hispanic American Families With Substance-Abusing And Nonsubstance-Abusing Adolescents, José Osorio-Braña

Dissertations

Problem. There is a need for validation of new cultural-sensitive tests for assessing the Hispanic population in the United States that will take into account their cultural competence in the psychological evaluation practice. The purpose of this study was to explore the suitability of the Kinetic Family Drawings as a measure of Minuchin's Structural Family Theory among Hispanic American families with substance-abusing and nonsubstance-abusing adolescents.

Method. The Kinetic Family Drawing (KFD), the Structural Family Interaction Scale-Revised (SFIS-R), and the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Scales (FACES II) were administered to 141 families, 74 with an adolescent with substance-abusing problems and 67 …

Contributing Factors In Medication Nonadherence In Schizophrenic Clients: A Descriptive Study, Sharron E. Howarth

Masters Theses

Medication nonadherence in schizophrenic clients is a major issue for psychiatric nurses. The purpose of this descriptive study was to explore factors identified by the schizophrenic client and the client's primary nurse that contribute to medication nonadherence. The Health Belief Model and Peplau's Model were the theoretical frameworks used. The sample included 20 schizophrenic clients with a history of medication nonadherence and 20 primary psychiatric registered nurses.; Face-to-face interviews using the Compliance Interview Questionnaire were conducted with the psychiatric client and the primary nurse. Results indicated a difference between nurses' and clients' perceptions of the reasons for medication nonadherence. Most …

Views Of Feminist Family Therapy: A Q-Methodological Inquiry, Bronwen Cheek

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The feminist critique of family therapy has had a growing impact on theory and practice for almost two decades (Hare-Mustin, 1978; Bograd, 1990). Writings on feminist family therapy (FFT) reveal both common and diverse opinions about what FFT is. The present study examined how views of FFT are segmented using Q-methodology (Stephenson, 1953; Brown, 1980; McKeown & Thomas, 1988), a small-sample empirical technique for identifying emergent viewpoints and studying their similarities and differences. A Q-sort instrument of 60 statements was constructed to sample diverse discourse on FFT. Magraw's (1992) interviews with leading experts in FFT served as a primary source …

Mmpi And Rorschach Findings Of Individuals Approved For Gender Reassignment Surgery, Gregory Ralph Caron

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Both clinical experience and empirical data from psychological tests present a picture of extreme clinical variation among those individuals who request gender reassignment surgery. Results of past empirical studies utilizing the MMPI and the Rorschach Test have tended to be equivocal regarding the level and nature of psychopathology associated with samples of gender dysphorics. These past studies are considered limited particularly in terms of methodological problems related to statistical power. This present study examined the nature and degree of psychopathology in a sample of candidates approved for gender reassignment surgery as reflected on their MMPI-2 clinical scale values and scores …

The Association Between Perceived Family Support And Psychological Well-Being In Infertile Couples, Linda Marquardt Mintle

Health Services Research Dissertations

A correlational research design utilizing a cross-sectional survey methodology was used to investigate the association between perceived family support and psychological well-being in infertile couples. Family stress theory and the construct of boundary ambiguity were conceptual frameworks applied to the developmental family life cycle. Respondents were 35 married infertile couples with primary infertility recruited from a private For-profit infertility clinic located in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Responses on the Moos and Moos (1984) Family Environment Scale and from the SCL-90-R developed by Derogatis (1977) measured perceived family support and psychological distress respectively. Major findings indicated that infertile couples rated their families …

Crisis Of Infertility: Effects Of Length Of Treatment On Emotional And Marital Adjustment, Christie L. Markestad

Graduate Theses

Twenty infertile couples participated in the present study to investigate whether infertile couples receiving medical treatment experience changes in their emotional, marital and sexual adjustment as a result of the length of time they have been in treatment. The couples were divided into three groups based on how long they had been seeking medical attention for infertility. The instruments administered were: SCL-90-R (Symptom Checklist), Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) and Index of Sexual Satisfaction (ISS). It was predicted couples who were in the initial stages of treatment would experience increased levels of emotional, marital and sexual distress, however those levels would …

Development Of A K-Correction Factor For The Mmpi-A, Jody Jacobson Alperin

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

In 1992, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory - Adolescent (MMPI-A) was developed to meet the unique experiences and needs of adolescents. Despite evidence that adolescents often demonstrate response biases in taking the MMPI-A, currently there is no method to systematically "correct" for the effect of test-taking attitude on profile configuration with this age group. The K-correction factor has been widely used to correct for defensiveness or underreporting of symptomatology on the MMPI among adult respondents, although results of cross-validation research on the effectiveness of the K-correction factor have been inconclusive. The present study derived age-appropriate K-weights to determine the degree …

Psychosocial Predictors Of Health Risk Factors In Adolescents, Steve Sussman, Clyde W. Dent, Alan W. Stacy, Dee Burton, Brian R. Flay

CGU Faculty Publications and Research

Previous research has confirmed the role of problem-behavior theory constructs as predictors of nonconventional behaviors such as adolescent drug abuse. No prospective study, however, has examined this theory's relevance to less extreme nonconventional adolescent behaviors, such as poor health practices. In the present study, an attempt was made to predict an index composed of seven health risk factor items measured in 8th grade from numerous variables measured in 7th grade selected to reflect personality, perceived environment, and behavior systems of problem-behavior theory. In addition, problem-behavior theory was compared in predictive efficacy to a wellness notion. Factor analysis did not support …

A Biopsychosocial Perspective On Alcohol Use And Abuse On The College Campus, Carol Ann Davis

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

Personality Variables Of Adult Children Of Alcoholics In A Treatment Sample As Measured By The Personality Research Form-E, Tamara K. Young

Masters Theses

There has been much personality research in the area of Adult Children of Alcoholics with varying results. This study examines personality variables in archival data of alcoholic clients in a residential treatment center with the use of the Personality Research Form-E (Jackson, 1984). A comparison was made between groups of non-ACOA clients and those with alcoholic parents in the areas of aggression, defendence, dominance and desirability. No significant differences were found between groups. Two other hypotheses were generated concerning male participants only. No significant differences were found for the trait of autonomy; however, male ACOA alcoholic participants were found to …

Personality Variables In Weeping Propensity, Michelle C. Lamb

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Until recently, few empirical studies have explored crying reactivity in normal adults. The present study investigated adult weeping by first developing the Weeping Propensity Scale (WPS) and then by comparing scores on that scale to traits which had been hypothesized to be related to weeping propensity. The WPS is a self-report, 22 item, Likert-type scale designed to measure an individual's tendency to react to emotional stimuli with tears. Factor analysis results and internal consistency are reported for the WPS. In order to investigate traits hypothesized to be related to the WPS, 173 university students completed the WPS, the Questionnaire Measure …

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder In Sexually Abused Children And Implications For Therapy, Robbie Jones

Graduate Theses

This study examined the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in sexually abused children. Sixty-seven children volunteered to participate in this study. Of the 67 children, 33 (26 female and 7 male) were sexually abused and 34 (22 female and 12 male) were non-sexually abused. Several instruments were employed to assess the severity of the symptoms of PTSD including the Children's PTSD Inventory, the Child Behavior Checklist, and the Children's Depression Inventory, as well as others. The results of this study showed that sexually abused children have more symptoms of PTSD than non-sexually abused children. Early diagnosis and treatment of …

Psychosocial Variables As Prospective Predictors Of Violent Events Among Adolescents, Alan W. Stacy, Steve Sussman, Clyde W. Dent, Dee Burton, Brian R. Flay

CGU Faculty Publications and Research

Violent events are main causes of mortality among children and include intentional (e.g., homicide) and unintentional (e.g., accidents) circumstances. This study investigated the prediction of the self-reported occurrence of 14 violent events among eighth-grade youth from psychosocial variables measured in these same youth in seventh grade. Psychosocial variables ineluded tobacco and alcohol use, demographic variables, interpersonal variables such as family conflict, and intrapersonal variables such as risk taking. An iterative procedure, involving selection of a set of predictors and a test of the correlation of the set of predictors to the set of events, provided support for an extension of …

The Influence Of Parental Alcohol Abuse On Later Adult Functioning, Jeanne Randle Hogan

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

An Evaluation Of Pre-Intake Attention On Kept Intake Appointments In An Outpatient Setting, Lauren Roberts

Masters Theses

The present study attempted to reduce the no-show rate for scheduled intake appointments at a local CMHC through the use of two interventions. Thirty-seven subjects who called for an intake appointment were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: an Orientation and Standard Intake Procedure or an Orientation and Modified Intake Procedure. Both treatment groups were compared to a Base Group consisting of intake appointments scheduled during the same time period the previous year. Individuals assigned to OMIP revealed a reduction in the no-show rate from 51% during baseline to 36%. Individuals assigned to OSIP did not reveal similar …

Personality Disorders In Mothers Of Children With An Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, Dennis E. Bowman Jr.

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This investigation examined the presence of personality disorders in the mothers of children with an Attention- Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). This was accomplished by examining 60 male subjects ages 6 to 12. The Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-II (MCMI-II) was administered to 20 mothers of children with ADHD, 20 mothers of children with ADHD and CD and a matched comparison group who did not meet the criteria for ADHD or CD. Repeated analysis of variance (ANOVAS) and Chi Square analyses were calculated on each MCMI-II scale and the Duncan's multiple range test was utilized to determine statistical significance. Data analyses revealed …

The Occurrence Of Alexithymia In Children And Adolescents With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Michael S. Routh

Graduate Theses

Previous studies of the relationship between alexithymia and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have utilized samples of combat veterans with PTSD. However, children and adolescents who have experienced trauma and are diagnosed with PTSD exhibit similar or identical symptomology. The current study examined alexithymia in a sample of children and adolescents diagnosed with PTSD. It was hypothesized that the sample, when compared to non-PTSD and control samples, would reveal a significantly greater severity of alexithymia and PTSD. Although overall results were not consistent with previous research, trends of group means supported a relationship between alexithymia and PTSD. 1

Dependency Autonomy Stress And Depression: A Test Of An Interactive Model, Kathryn Kern Drury

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Two diathesis-stress models were used to predict depression. The additive model combined dependency and autonomy (dependency-autonomy) as the diathesis and also combined dependent and autonomous hassles or life events as stressors. The congruent model used either dependency and dependent stressors or autonomy and autonomous stressors. Ninety-seven female and 42 male undergraduate students completed self-report measures of dependency and autonomy, hassles and life events, and depression at three testing sessions one week apart. Hierarchical multiple regressions — with prior depression entered first and followed by dependency and/or autonomy, stress, and their interaction — indicated that additive models with a significant interaction …

The Use Of Music Therapy To Influence The Self-Confidence And Hostility Of Adolescents Who Are Sexually Abused, Joy Clendenon-Wallen

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine whether music therapy would be an effective therapeutic medium for reducing hostility and increasing the self-confidence of sexually abused adolescents. The study utilized an experimental and control group which is unique in the sexual abuse literature. Most studies are descriptive or quasi-experimental in nature. Some of the subjects increased their self-confidence and decreased their hostility although no statistical significance was achieved for either group. This study describes the treatment problems of sexually abused adolescents and offers examples of non-confrontational and goal directed treatment strategies which can be achieved through music therapy. Music …

The Identification And Magnitude Estimation Of Stressors In A Selected Military Population At One Training Command, Susan W. Miller

Community & Environmental Health Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the most stressful aspects of being a student at a military training command. ·Forty students listed the significant stressors that they encounter at the training command. This list was reviewed and consolidated into a stressor rating questionnaire with 16 stressors. A convenience sample of 86 students rated the stressors. In the second part of the study, the students rated the stressors on a scale of "0 to 1000". The study revealed that the most significant stressors for students were absence of family and friends, uncertainty about their future, dealing with instructor's attitudes, …

Project Towards No Tobacco Use: Implementation, Process And Post-Test Knowledge Evaluation, Steve Sussman, Clyde W. Dent, Alan W. Stacy, Carol S. Hodgson, Dee Burton, Brian R. Flay

CGU Faculty Publications and Research

This paper describes the curricula contents, and presents data to evaluate the implementation, process and immediate post-test knowledge of Project Towards No Tobacco Use (Project TNT). Four different school-based tobacco use prevention curricula were developed to counteract the effects of three types of tobacco use acquisition variables typically addressed within a comprehensive social influences program: (1) peer approval for using tobacco (normative social influence), (2) incorrect social informational provided about tobacco use (information social influence) and (3) lack of knowledge or misperceptions about physical consequences resulting from tobacco use. Three curricula were designed to counteract the effects of single acquisition …

Refusal Assertion Versus Conversational Skill Role-Play Competence: Relevance To Prevention Of Tobacco Use, Steve Sussman, Alan W. Stacy, Clyde W. Dent, Catherine Burciaga, Dee Burton, Brian R. Flay

CGU Faculty Publications and Research

Conversational and refusal assertion skills of 768 seventh grade youth were assessed through ratings of global (for example, effectiveness) and non-verbal (for example, eye contact) behaviour performed in two role-play scenarios. The ratings were completed after each scenario by the subjects themselves, as well as by classmate and trained adult observers. Use of the Hays and Hayashi multitrait scaling method to interpret these data revealed two results. First, the items used to measure role-play behaviour did not achieve sufficient internal consistency to create global and non-verbal composites. Second, inter-rater agreement and discriminant validity were obtained only for ratings of the …

Identification Of Which High Risk Youth Smoke Cigarettes Regularly, Alan W. Stacy, Steve Sussman, Clyde W. Dent, Thomas R. Simon, Dee Burton, Brian R. Flay

CGU Faculty Publications and Research

This study investigated which variables distinguish high school-aged adolescents who identify themselves as members of a high-risk group and, among them, those who report regular (weekly) vs. light levels of cigarette smoking. Youth who identified with a high-risk group were most likely to report problem-prone characteristics, such as a preference to take risks and smoke cigarettes. Yet, only half of them reported regular levels of smoking. Two variables delineated light smoking among these youth: not having a close friend who smoked and placing an importance on health as a value. Development of new tobacco-use prevention strategies to impart health values …