Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Delayed And Misdiagnosed Endometriosis, Teresa Doyle

Nursing | Student Research Posters

Endometriosis is a chronic, painful disorder affecting approximately 10% of women of reproductive age globally.This condition arises when tissue similar to the endometrium, the lining of the uterus, grows outside the uterus, typically on the ovaries, Fallopian tubes, and other areas within the pelvis. Common symptoms of endometriosis include severe pelvic pain, fatigue, irregular menstruation, and infertility. These symptoms have a significant impact on women’s physical and mental health, affecting their interactions with their family, friends, and clinicians, often leading to significant impairment in their quality of life (Sims et al., 2021). The diagnostic journey for many women with endometriosis …

More Than Censorship: The Harm Of Libricide, James M. Donovan

Law Faculty Scholarly Articles

Libricide, although often deemed an extreme instance of censorship, is altogether different. Censorship involves the suppression of particular books due to alleged inappropriate content; libricide refers to the intentional destruction of entire libraries. Understanding the differing motives recognizes that the library is more than the books it contains, and is instead an institution rooted in its history of selection and use by the local community. Over time, the library reflects the users’ identity, a reminder that any aggressor would wish to eliminate when the goal is pacification by erasure of a population’s memory and history. Prerequisites for an act of …

Examining Working Memory Precision Estimates As An Individual Difference, Stephen A. Campbell

Psychology Theses - Archive

Working memory (WM) capacity has remained a central topic of individual differences research due to its ability predict performance in various cognitive domains and higher-cognitive abilities. While studies performing individual differences research with WM capacity are common, there are comparatively few studies investigating individual differences with WM precision. The present study examined WM precision as an individual difference, by examining the psychometrics of the modeled precision parameter derived from the Standard Mixture Model, investigating the relationship between precision for different feature types (e.g., color and spatial location), and looking at the relationship between precision and a well-known correlate of WM …

The Non-Standardization Of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder: A Call To Action, Gabriel L.S Gomez

Psychology Doctoral Specialization Projects

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most diagnosed disorders in adults and children, yet there is no standardized method to assess for ADHD. The similarity of symptoms shared across other disorders (comorbidity) makes the assessment of ADHD a very delicate process. This is not aided by the fact that the assessment of ADHD is not standardized. This allows individuals able to assess for ADHD to give a test or a combination of tests that they find fitting. This in turn brings into question the quality of testing and disagreement in diagnosing across fields. Lastly, ADHD-focused measures typically …

The Development Of 4thekids: An Educational Support Group For Caregivers Of Individuals With Cerebral Palsy, Khrista E. Neville

Psychology Doctoral Specialization Projects

Raising a child can be challenging. Raising or caring for an individual with a disability can be even more challenging. Currently, groups exist to support these caregivers for individuals with disabilities. For example, caregivers of children diagnoses with Autism Spectrum Disorder often have groups designed to build community with others in similar positions while they support their loved one. However, there are few to no groups supporting caregivers of individuals with cerebral palsy. This doctoral specialization project aims to provide clinicians with a treatment manual to guide them through running a group that supports caregivers of individuals with cerebral palsy.

The Suicide Gene: Examining The Environmental And Genetic Impact Of Someone Who Is Suicidal, Casey Allen

Psychology Doctoral Specialization Projects

Abstract

The progress of suicide focused research has been tremendous in recent years. There have been many theories posed that are foundational in understanding suicide. This project will examine the genetic and environmental impact of suicide. Serotonin, family heritability, twin studies, adoption studies, candidate genes, and genetic transmission of psychiatric disorders are key topics in the role genetics plays in suicide. Suicide has impacted many lives across the world. Survivors of suicide face stigma, trauma related symptoms, grief, and a whole host of other experiences. Suicide also poses a threat to the social, physical, spiritual, emotional, and psychological well-being on …

Development And Initial Validation Of The Triarchic Model Scales, Jordan A. Organ

Psychology Doctoral Specialization Projects

The term “psychopath” is a word used often, particularly on tv shows, courtroom dramas like Law and Order, and even in everyday language to describe the people we know who may be deviant, cold, and lacking remorse. Although these descriptors may be accurate, they don’t adequately encapsulate the construct of psychopathy entirely. The picture of individuals with actual psychopathy is much more complex, and our field’s history of attempts to parse out psychopathic traits is equally as convoluted, which has led to differences in conceptualization and measurement. Despite the attention paid to the psychopathy construct, a full conceptualization of …

Guideline For Creating A Support Group For Adults With Down Syndrome Who Suffer With Prolonged Grief, Brandon Chace Warman

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Adults with Down syndrome process and express their grief differently from the general population. There are a multitude of support groups and organizations for individuals grieving a loss and experiencing prolonged grief but there are none that exist for people with Down syndrome. This project develops a guideline for creating support groups aimed at adults with Down syndrome who experience prolonged grief. Fifty-one pieces of literature from all over the world were reviewed to formulate recommendations that were graded by seven stakeholders. These recommendations were then used to develop a guideline for creating support groups for this population. Analysis of …

Links Between Perceived Mother-Adolescent And Father-Adolescent Conflict And Low Self-Control: A Cross-National Comparative Study, Tory Thomas

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

The influence of parent-adolescent relationships and adolescent adjustment have been well-documented. Self-control has emerged as a key probabilistic construct in understanding adjustment, well-being, and life success. The present study tests the links between adolescent perceptions of maternal and paternal conflict and self-control. In addition, to understand the extent to which cultural developmental context impacts these associations, the study will employ a cross-cultural comparative lens to test whether cultural context moderates these links. Self-report data were collected from N = 4,924 adolescents (Mage = 16.97 years, 54.08% female) across four countries (China, Czech Republic, Turkey, and the United States). In by …

Loneliness Is The Nucleus For Psychopathology: Relationships With Cognitive, Social, And Personality Disorders, Natalie S. Byrd

Soaring: A Journal of Undergraduate Research

Loneliness is not just a phenomenon observed in clinical practice but is a core issue in the study of mental disorders more broadly – psychopathology. Loneliness is the key to the study of all mental disorders as many have shown significant relation to loneliness either as a risk factor for developing or maintaining the disorder, or as a co-occurring condition of the disorder. In other words, loneliness is both a cause and a consequence of mental illness. Specifically, this review explores the relationships of loneliness in cognitive disorders (Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, and major depressive disorder), social disorders (social anxiety disorder, …

Transitioning From The Juvenile Justice System For Students With Disabilities, Michelle Cain

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Youth with disabilities are disproportionately involved in the juvenile justice system. However, there is limited research on how individuals with disabilities interact with support services or how their experiences may differ from youth without disabilities. The present study examined transition supports for youth exiting juvenile justice placements. The study utilized a semi-structured appreciative interview process. The purpose of utilizing an appreciative inquiry lens was to push past problem-focused ideas and highlight transition supports that have been successful. The primary research questions addressed the supports and services that have allowed youth with disabilities to successfully return to the comprehensive educational setting, …

An Examination Of An Online Program For Parents With Anxious Adolescents, Tracy Sciulli

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The researcher conducted a mixed-methods study to investigate the effectiveness of an online parent coaching program in influencing parental beliefs about anxiety and enhancing parenting self-efficacy for managing adolescent anxiety. The researchers developed the piloted parenting program to determine whether a brief online intervention for parents could alter parental self-efficacy and beliefs about adolescent anxiety to bring about positive outcomes for adolescents undergoing treatment for anxiety. The team recruited parents of adolescents diagnosed with or receiving treatment for anxiety symptoms from Philadelphia Integrative Psychiatry for a pre-intervention and post-intervention study. The proposed parenting program aims to address the shortcomings in …

Relationship Between Cognitive Distortions And Burnout Among Primary Care Physicians, Wilson Albarracin

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Burnout is a depleted state characterized by three components: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low personal accomplishment (Wong et al., 2020). A widespread problem among physicians, burnout may increase the likelihood of committing occupational errors (Buran & Altın, 2021). The medical profession encompasses many demanding responsibilities related to direct patient care (Amanullah & Ramesh, 2020). Burnout associated with the recent pandemic may have led to medical malpractice lawsuits and even jeopardized patient safety (Sung et al., 2020). Along with burnout, physicians are at a greater risk of developing psychiatric disorders and committing suicide than the general population (Ofei-Dodoo et al., 2021; …

Nature’S Relationship To Psychological Flexibility, Jake K. Sanders

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Acceptance and commitment therapy has defined and successfully discovered methods of increasing psychological flexibility. Various methods of increasing psychological flexibility could be used as interventions. Contact with nature, in various forms, has been shown to increase and be related to many physical and mental health benefits. These benefits include things like mindfulness and other aspects of psychological flexibility. The question arises whether or not contact with nature is related to increases in overall psychological flexibility. The current study involved administering a questionnaire comprised of multiple existing measures, to primarily a college sample of 349 students. The answers were statistically analyzed …

The Effects Of Resilience On Bipoc Graduate Students' Mental And Physical Health, Shelby N. Wilson

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Graduate school can be a challenging and demanding experience, with many students facing considerable stress and adversity throughout their academic journey. For BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) graduate students, the challenges may be amplified due to systemic and social factors, which can increase stress levels, potentially affecting their mental and physical health. This study explored the role of resilience as a protective factor for BIPOC graduate students, examining the correlation between resilience, mental health, and physical health, and the importance of religion. The sample consisted of 132 BIPOC participants and 242 White participants. Regarding their academic status, 63.6% …

God Attachment, Health Locus Of Control, Anxiety, And Health Behaviors During Covid-19 Among College Undergraduates At A Religious University, Jessica K. Wilbur

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

This study investigated the relationship between attachment to God, health locus of control (HLOC), perceived stress, and COVID-19-related attitudes and health behaviors among undergraduate students. Undergraduates from George Fox University were sampled, and data were collected from December 2021 to May 2022. Participants ranged from ages 18 to 36 years old (M = 19.1, SD = 2.1). The majority identified as female (68.3%) and European-American (70.2%). A K-cluster analysis revealed two groups utilizing attachment to God and HLOC scores: 81 healthy (43%) and 109 distressed (57%) individuals. The healthy group reported lower scores on anxious and avoidant attachment to God …

Spilling The T: Transmasculine Experiences With Testosterone Therapy, Kathryn Reinhart

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

This dissertation utilizes a critical health psychology lens to document the experiences of transmasculine individuals with testosterone and gender-affirming healthcare. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven transmasculine participants who had participated in hormone replacement therapy for at least 6 months. Interview transcripts were analyzed using a recursive qualitative approach, resulting in nine themes: gaps in information about hormone replacement therapy; individual variability in hormone replacement therapy effects; complexity of nonbinary identity; barriers in the transition process; necessity and burden of self-advocacy; importance of community support; significance of sociopolitical context; impact of provider attitudes and education; and the need for holistic, …

Antisocial Personality Disorder And Trauma In Females, Marissa Lange

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) is a diagnosis reserved for individuals who feature deceitfulness, impulsivity, aggressiveness, recklessness, and irresponsibility. Evidence suggests that experiencing trauma is an etiological factor in developing antisocial traits in males. The prevalence of ASPD in the U.S. is three to one, male to female. However, research indicates females are substantially underdiagnosed due to exclusionary diagnostic criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.-Text Revised; DSM-5-TR; American Psychiatric Association, 2013). The Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) is a personality measure that features a conceptualization of ASPD that differs from the DSM-5-TR and includes more personality-specific …

Examining A Virtual Neuropsychological Battery For Older Adults, Robert W. Kessler

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

The restructuring of clinical service provision during the COVID-19 pandemic prompted neuropsychologists to reconsider telehealth options for patient care. Subsequent advances in teleneuropsychology (Tele-NP) research and practice have demonstrated that virtual assessment is not only practical, but also increases accessibility to neuropsychological services for the elderly, medically at-risk, and rural patients. In order to ensure services are in-line with professional standards of evidence-based practice, it is incumbent on research to demonstrate the validity of virtual assessment, as well as patient acceptability of Tele-NP findings. The objectives of this research project were three-fold. First, I aimed to determine the reliability of …

Interrater Reliability Between Parents And Teachers Based On The Child’S Grade Level In A Rural Community: Behavior Assessment System For Children, Third Edition, Samantha B. Godoy

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

The process of conducting child and adolescent psychoeducational assessments has changed over the past 2 decades (Shapiro & Heick, 2004). In the past, the school psychologists commonly concentrated on behavioral, achievement, and projective assessments and usually did not include systematic multi-rater observation rating scales of behavior. There is now consensus within the professional community that an assessment should meet three criteria including data from multiple methods, data from multiple sources, and data in multiple settings (Alfonso et al., 2020). Multimodal assessment provides a more in-depth perspective and creates less administrator biases, as multiple views of the child’s functioning across contexts …

Sense Of Purpose And Sustaining Attention, Jiayi Yu

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

The dissertation investigated the interplay between an elevated sense of purpose moderated by heightened altruistic motivation and sustained attention in a college undergraduate population. Drawing on existing literature highlighting the positive effects of purpose on well-being and cognitive abilities, the study introduced an experimental design to explore the causal relationship between purpose and attention. Participants were recruited from the undergraduate population of a Christian liberal arts university in the Pacific Northwest. A continuous performance test (CPT) —the AX-CPT paradigm—was utilized to assess sustained attention. The experimental group was prompted with the opportunity to earn a monetary donation for a humanitarian …

Impact Of Head Injuries On Executive Functioning And Emotional Regulation, Kaitlin Allison

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Growing interest in diagnosed and undiagnosed head injuries has led to a growth in research focused on mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs). However, limited research has focused on the impact of undiagnosed head injuries on executive functioning and self-report measures of executive functioning and self-regulation in individuals' everyday environments. This study aimed to determine the impact of the number of head injuries sustained on executive functioning, emotional regulation, and psychological functioning in current and former athletes. Current and former student-athletes were recruited at a private university. Intake interview, psychological distress measures and measures of executive functioning were completed while undergoing …

Impacts Of Stigma On Female Service Members, Alisha Weatherly-Kershaw

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

There are a variety of factors that prevent people from seeking mental health treatment. The stigma associated with mental health disorders or seeking treatment is a primary deterrent. This stigma is particularly impactful within the armed forces when they are assessed for fitness for duty. Because most research examines stigma’s impact on male military members, this study aims to identify the type of stigma that creates the most significant barrier to female service members seeking mental health treatment. Results indicate that stigmatizing perceptions of service members significantly impact female service members holding negative views towards seeking treatment.

The Impact Of Nature Exposure On The Perceived Relationship Satisfaction Of Adults With Adhd Symptomology, Chloe Sohl

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

The present study investigated the impact of nature exposure on the perceived relationship satisfaction of adults with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) symptoms. In addition, researchers were interested in looking at how emotion regulation was influenced as well as what factors a participant's age, gender, ethnicity, education level, relationship type, relationship orientation, frequency in nature, nature setting, and formal diagnosis of ADHD, played into this. Upon completing a questionnaire, participants (N = 101) were asked to complete 120 min a week of a nature activity for 4 weeks. At the end of the experiment, participants completed the same questionnaire to …

Vicarious Trauma And Doctoral Graduate Trainees: The Physiological Impact Of High-Acuity Patient Care, Alicia M. Mann

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

There is comprehensive literature regarding vicarious traumatization in mental health providers. Previous research identifies underlying mental health conditions and limited clinical exposure as increased risk factors for vicarious traumatization. Graduate student mental health has recently been described as a significant public health problem. Although some research exists on the impact of high-acuity clinical work on psychology graduate students, there has been limited attention on the physical impact of vicarious traumatization. The current study assessed the relationship between graduate trainees’ subjective anxiety levels and heart rate variability in response to high-acuity client work. Results indicated that doctoral trainees with high levels …

Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy For The Houseless Population, Michelle Franke

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) is currently a practical, empirically based treatment used by researchers and clinicians to treat a variety of mental health concerns. However, its ability to meet the needs of financially vulnerable and underserved populations, such as the houseless community, is still unknown. This study addresses the knowledge and treatment gap by offering VRET to the houseless adult population in the Pacific Northwest area, hypothesizing that exposure to VRET would decrease participant symptomology while increasing overall well-being and affinity for the method. Furthermore, it is hypothesized that attrition rates will be the same or lower while retention …

Characteristics Of Sex Trafficking Survivors Success In An Aftercare Program, Taylor Mcmillen

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

In recent years, there has been greater awareness of the impact of human sex trafficking within the United States. Dozens of initiatives and programs have formed to combat the trafficking pandemic, leading to new understandings of the complexity involved with fighting against sex trafficking and the care involved with rehabilitating and empowering survivors of this injustice. Several studies have focused specifically on which pieces of aftercare tend to support greater healing in survivors over time. This care incorporates multiple discipline areas, including mental health, life skills, and healthcare services. Even so, there is a gap in literature highlighting connections between …

An Exploration Of The Experience Of Bipoc Students In Predominantly White Institutions, Lisanda Mojica

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

This dissertation explores the experiences of BIPOC students studying at predominantly White institutions (PWIs). Through in-depth interviews with a diverse group of participants, the study identifies seven categories that encompass the students' experiences: perception of the school, chosen community and friendships, academics and scholarships, exclusion and difference, relationships with professors, tokenization, and mental health. The findings suggest that BIPOC students at PWIs face numerous challenges, including feelings of isolation and exclusion, and being tokenized. Additionally, the study identifies protective factors such as professors. The study highlights the importance of creating inclusive and supportive environments for BIPOC students in higher education. …

Potential Effects Of Political Polarization On Relational Variables In Mental Health Outcomes, Benjamin Hanks

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Objectives: Growing political polarization and instability in the United States has increasingly influenced reactions to important topics such as health disparities and class inequality. Political biases and divisions influence the health and wellbeing of individuals and institutions. This study was designed to examine the effects of political bias in the social sciences on mental health treatment seeking and outcomes. The experimental design observed potential differences in therapeutic relationship/alliance and treatment seeking based on the perception of political bias in a therapy context. Methods: Four groups of participants were formed based on self-identified political ideology and were asked to read a …

Evaluating Professional Clinical Competency Development In Doctor Of Psychology Students Using Multiple Methods Of Evaluation: Peer, Supervisor, And Self-Assessment, Jodi Lynn Brents

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

The United States is currently facing a shortage of mental-health providers that affects 160 million Americans. The need to empower the health system with appropriately knowledgeable, skilled, and diversely aware people mental-health practitioners is a critical necessity for current and future healthcare needs. This study aims to validate the importance of multiple methods of evaluation (self, peer, supervisor) in competency-based training of clinical psychologists. Multiple methods of evaluation offer unique contributions to competency-based education, including providing a scaffolding for building confidence and progressive alignment of evaluation of self with supervisor evaluation. Over time, students were able to better align with …