Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Cost Of Comforting: Phenomenological Study On Burnout Among Marriage And Family Therapists In Community Settings, Steven Razo

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Burnout is best defined as a condition consisting of symptoms of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment (Maslach, 1982). It has been characterized as a process that develops through a variety of work and individual factors. Furthermore, it has been shown to impact one’s career, physical health, and mental well-being. Much of the literature on burnout has been studied on psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers, with a paucity of studies focused on marriage and family therapist (MFTs). The lack of burnout literature on MFTs is in spite of their employment in many diverse clinical settings. The purpose of this …

The Challenges And Outcomes Of Critical Diversity Scholarship, Inge Bleijenbergh, Lize A. E. Booysen, Albert J. Mills

Faculty Articles

No abstract provided.

Young Adults In Transition: Factors That Support And Hinder Growth And Change, Mona Treadway, Elizabeth Holloway

Student Articles, Chapters, Presentations, Learning Objects

A therapeutic model referred to as young adult transition programs has emerged to better address the unique developmental challenges found in this age group. This study examined 317 critical incidents that supported or hindered young adults in a therapeutic transition program. The research design used a combination of an instrumental case study and critical incident technique (CIT). Using interviews and the Outcome Questionnaire 45.2, the study explored in-depth the experiences of 17 young adults who were alumni of a young adult transition program. The objective was to better understand the transition experience from a participant perspective and, through the findings, …

High People-High Mission: The Power Of Caring Leadership As Experienced In The Air Force, Winfield F. Tufts

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

On the surface, caring and the military appear to be opposites. The stereotypical image of the military giving and obeying orders does not conjure up images of leaders caring for their subordinates. In reality, caring for subordinates and caring for the mission could help leaders form stronger relationships with subordinates, because subordinates may have confidence that their leaders will not recklessly send them into harm’s way. Subordinates may develop confidence in their leaders based on their leaders’ care during non-combat environments. Yet, empirical studies of caring in the military are sparse. This study investigates how Air Force retirees characterize “great …

Indicators Of Client Engagement In A University Psychotherapy Training Clinic, Katie L. Randall-Sungar

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

A retrospective research study evaluated archival data on client engagement from a program evaluation project implemented at the Psychological Services Center at Antioch University New England. Student researchers from the Center for Behavioral Health Innovation (formerly Center for Research of Psychological Practices) partnered with the Antioch University Psychological Services Center (PSC) to investigate the impact of client early engagement on drop-out rates and therapy outcomes of mental health clients. Potential participants were administered a brief questionnaire, prior to the first session via phone call, to assess their readiness, expectations of therapy, potential barriers to seeking treatment, and their initial impression …

Does Personality Moderate The Relationship Between Video Gaming And Quality Of Life?, Jean M. Devenny

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Video game research has expanded greatly in recent decades, fueled partly by concerns that video game content affects real-word behaviors and experiences. Despite the preponderance of research on the effects of video game content on various outcomes, there are still areas left to be explored. For example, while the American Psychological Association has concluded that violent video game content serves as a risk factor for real-life aggression, the association has also recommended the pursuit of additional research on alternative variables that may influence the relationship between video game content and outcomes (APA Task Force on Violent Media, 2015). The present …

Fostering Leadership In High School: Development And Validation Of Student Leadership Capacity Building Scales, Lindsay Beth Lyons

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This study developed a set of scales to measure building student leadership capacity in high schools. Student leadership is defined here as students working collaboratively to affect positive change in their educational environments with support from adults and mechanisms in the school. Fostering student leadership in schools has the potential to improve student development and academic achievement. The three scales are organized into three capacity building dimensions: personal, interpersonal, and organizational. Within each scale, items reflect leadership competencies of critical awareness, inclusivity, and positivity. Eight mechanisms identified from the student voice literature were also embedded in the items: radical collegiality, …

Knitting As An Adjunctive Treatment For Substance Use Disorder: A Mixed Methods Multiple Case Study, Aubriana M. Teeley

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Substance abuse disorder is a characterized by the presence of cognitive, behavioral, and physiological symptoms from substance use with continued use despite these consequences. It has serious individual and societal implications, such as negative health effects, overdose, poor work and school performance, negative impacts on relationships, and even death. Economic effects include more frequent use of emergency and hospital services as compared to peers without substance use disorder. A variety of treatments for substance use are available, including inpatient and outpatient programs accompanied by behavioral interventions, individual or group psychotherapy, or 12-step programs. However, there is no one treatment that …

"The Way To Become A Man": The Influence Of Commercial Sex On Male Psychosocial Development, Adrian Deluna Garcia

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Hegemonic masculinity and the negative consequences that it has on men and women continues to gain increasing attention in research and in popular culture. Particular attention is paid to the sexual violence that is perpetrated by men towards women, however, the research on men’s sexual development and its relationship to this sexual violence focuses largely on biological explanations. The feminist literature, however, on sexual violence offers a differing perspective, which includes the socialization processes that men undergo in their sexual development that lead them towards normalizing sexual violence. One of these processes is the existence and normalization of the commercial …

A Single-Subject Evaluation Of Facilitated Communication In The Completion Of School-Assigned Homework, Nancy A. Meissner

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Few projects have combined quantitative and qualitative approaches in the analysis of facilitated communication as did this study of a 17-year-old nonverbal autistic male responding to homework questions using facilitated communication. Findings were consistent with prior studies: Tim was minimally able to produce correct responses independent of facilitator influence under controlled conditions; whereas, at least some typed messages in the spontaneous narratives appear to be his authentic communications independent of facilitator control.

An overview of the history of facilitated communication, its related research, and the heated debates around its validity are presented. Disparate findings between controlled and non-controlled circumstances are …

Early Adversity And Executive Dysfunction In Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Jennifer Amato

PsyD Program in Clinical Psychology Doctoral Dissertations (New England)

This dissertation was designed to inform the existing literature gap regarding variability in Executive Dysfunction on neuropsychological assessment tasks in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The two primary objectives of the study included: (a) evaluation of the relationship between number of adverse childhood events (ACEs) and performance on neuropsychological tasks of executive functions (EF; as measured by neuropsychological test results on Color–Word Interference, Verbal Fluency, Trail Making Test, and Semantic Clustering) for children with ADHD; and (b) evaluation of the relationship between number of ACEs and behavioral impairment on parent ratings of EFs (as measured by the Inhibit, Task …

Back On The Block: Spousal Transitional Difficulties In Military Retirement, Rhianna Kelsey Flohr

PsyD Program in Clinical Psychology Doctoral Dissertations (New England)

Service members who serve active duty for 20 years qualify for military retirement with retired pay. This study examined whether sociodemographic and clinical factors are associated with higher levels of transitional difficulty in spouses of retired military service members following at least 20 years of active duty service. Veteran research has shown that a variety of sociodemographic and clinical factors influence the ease with which the service member transitions back into a civilian lifestyle. Factors contributing to greater transitional difficulties for veterans include: (a) experience of a traumatic event, (b) probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), (c) race and ethnicity, (d) …

Self-Care And Self-Compassion Of Disaster Responders: Predictors Of Resilience, Marie F. Macedonia

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Every year, natural and human-made disasters occur around the world bringing chaos and destruction to unsuspecting populations. Disaster responders, both trained professionals and volunteers, rally from around the world to provide care, help, and support to survivors of these catastrophes. Responders operate often in tragic circumstances and are exposed to various stressors. Despite a large body of literature on self-care and growing research on self-compassion and their respective effects on resilience (Friborg et al., 2006; Germer & Neff, 2013; Leary, Tate, Adams, Allen, & Hancock, 2007; Roysircar, 2008) there exists no measure that assesses first responders’ self-care, self-compassion, resilience, and …

School Stress In Young Children With Learning Disorders: Implications For Psychological Well-Being, Caitlin Herring

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Children with learning disorders (LDs) are a vulnerable population likely to encounter a myriad of challenges throughout their lives. Research, literature, and interventions focus overwhelmingly on addressing the academic ramifications of LDs while ignoring the psychological impact of school stress. Chronic stressors have far-reaching implications for behavior, emotional development, social skills, academic performance, and development of psychopathology. In this study, five children with LDs and five children without LDs were interviewed using the Pictorial Measure of School Stress and Wellbeing (PMSSW). Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to review the interview transcripts. Results suggested that young children with LDs are …

Open Innovation In Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises: Executive And Employee Perception Of Processes And Receptiveness, Bethany A. Davidson

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This study explored open innovation activities in small and medium-sized enterprises. Most open innovation research to date has focused on large organizations; however, how large organizations engage in open innovation is very different from that of small and medium-size enterprises. The embedded design, mixed methods study utilized a survey delivered to owners or other organizational executives and employees of small and medium-size enterprises to solicit information regarding whether small and medium-size enterprises are actively engaging in inbound open innovation activities, their motivation for engaging in open innovation, and the sources they are utilizing to obtain new ideas for products and …

Developing A Resilience-Thinking Leadership Mindset Scale, Lloyd Duman

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this study was to develop a resilience-thinking leadership mindset construct and scale. Although literature exists on developing resilience and relational leadership theories, very little research and literature address a resilience-thinking mindset as a leadership strategy. This study represents an initial step in filling this gap. This research project was the initial phase toward the development of a resilience-thinking leadership mindset (RTLM) scale. I used a mixed-methods approach which was divided into three stages. Stage 1 involved the development of the scale items and assessment of both face and content validity to revise the original scale. Stage 2 …

Navigating Uncertainty In Automotive Technology Instruction: The Subjective Experiences Of Automotive Instructors During Laboratory Activities, John Martin Porter Ii

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Educational researchers have conducted very few studies on the subjective experiences of both trained and self-taught auto mechanics (Barber, 2003, 2004; Nelsen, 1997, 2010). Further, no present studies explore the subjective experience of the automotive instructor as he or she experiences uncertainty in the automotive lab. This study addresses a gap in the current literature on career/technical instructor development. For this study, data were gathered by video recording automotive laboratory activities at three Midwestern automotive programs. Interpersonal Process Recall (IPR) interviews were conducted with automotive instructors as they observed themselves navigating the lab environment. Data from the IPR interviews were …

Minority Stress, Same-Sex Couples, And Marriage Equality: A Qualitative Interview Study, Angela Lee-Attardo

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

In June 2015, the marriage equality movement in the United States succeeded at the federal level. This study documents individuals’ perceptions of how the fight for marriage equality affected their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors within their own marriages to same-sex spouses. I conducted interviews with eight married individuals (five men and three women) who were married prior to the Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide. Areas of inquiry included (a) motivation to get married, (b) factors affecting commitment, (c) willingness to utilize couple therapy, and (d) factors affecting thoughts about divorce. I hypothesized that, for some individuals or couples, …

Students' Perceived Value Of The Community College Experience: A Mixed Methods Study, Robin A. Duncan

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore students’ perceived value of their community college experience and its relationship to other factors often related to student persistence in college, namely satisfaction, academic quality, service quality, and engagement. The research was guided by three focused questions: How do students describe and define perceived value of community college; what components emerge from exploratory factor analysis of items designed to measure perceived value; and how, if at all, is a student’s perception of the value of a community college experience different from related measures such as satisfaction, engagement, or quality? Data were collected …

Monitoring Psychiatric Patients’ Preparedness For Hospital Discharge, Carrie Olsen Hennessy

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This mixed method study piloted a newly developed tool for monitoring preparedness among youth discharged from New Hampshire Hospital (NHH) and explored its influence on hospital discharge planning and follow-up care. This study spotlighted psychosocial variables in readmission risk for a psychiatric population and introduced a conceptualization of preparedness that included patient understanding of their discharge plan, as well as hope for change and supportive relationships. Quantitative methods were used to examine the relationship between aftercare and hospital readmission and further to explore the relationship between patient preparedness and readmission, as well as adverse events experienced post-discharge. Qualitative methods were …

Sibling Survivors Of Suicide: A Retrospective Exploration Of Familial Attachment During Bereavement, Mark Macor

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The following qualitative study retrospectively explored the adolescent experiences and reactions of adult survivors to their loss of a sibling to suicide. The study employed Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to inform subsequent interpretation of interview data collected from a sample of five adult sibling survivors of suicide. Criteria for an individual’s participation included being of at least 25 years old at the time of the interview and that they experienced the loss of a sibling to suicide while they themselves were between the ages of 12 and 21 years old. Participant responses to an attachment self-report measure—Attachment Style Questionnaire (Feeney, …

Can Podcast Listening Influence Attitudes About Mental Illness?: An Exploratory Study, Samuel B. Nathan

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Mental illness (MI) is a major problem in the United States, with significant economic, emotional, and physical impacts on individuals with MI, their loved ones, and their employers. Many of those who could benefit from treatment do not seek it out, despite the researched benefits of mental health care. The self-stigma (SS) associated with MI is a well-documented obstacle to help-seeking behavior. Mental health professionals have tried, with mixed results, to combat SS and encourage help-seeking. Individuals with MI have found and supported one another, forming a community and successfully advocating for reforms to the mental health system. Contemporary peer …

Nonmonogamous Clients’ Experiences Of Identity Disclosure In Therapy, Viktoriya Fuzaylova

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Presented is a qualitative phenomenological investigation of the experiences and perspectives of individuals who self-identify as consensually nonmonogamous regarding disclosure of that identity in psychotherapy. Members of this rarely-studied group (n=10) shared their accounts through an anonymous open-ended online questionnaire. Their prompted autobiographical accounts were analyzed for recurring themes and unique concepts which were drawn together into a model of disclosure of a nonmonogamous identity in a therapeutic setting. This model suggests that while nonmonogamous clients expect prejudice from their therapists, their desire for personal integrity and their culturally informed conviction that openness is necessary for best results, often leads …

Developing A Resilient Network Ambidexterity Scale, Edgar Perez

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this study was to develop a resilient network ambidexterity scale. While numerous research efforts have considered the dimensions of social capital, resilience, and adaptive capacity to evaluate organizations and communities, few have explored social network indicators within organizations that can be used to mobilize ambidextrous strategies during times of disruption. The emphasis here was to understand the tendencies and behaviors that networks possess to sustain or achieve success along the parallel strategies of optimization and exploration. This study progressed in three specific phases toward filling this void in organizational development literature, using a mixed-methods approach. Phase 1 …

Smallholder Farmers, Environmental Change And Adaptation In A Human-Dominated Landscape In The Northern Highlands Of Rwanda, Apollinaire William

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Climate change and crop intensification are key challenges to the livelihoods and wellbeing of the majority of rural smallholder farmers in developing countries, particularly in human-dominated, climate-sensitive landscapes such as the northern highlands of Rwanda where issues of fluvial floods, soil erosion pose serious threats to the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. In this mixed methods study conducted between August and December 2015, I explored smallholder farmers’ perceptions by examining what barriers might hinder the process of agroforestry adoption by smallholder farmers, what socio-economic and physical factors and attitudes influence crop choices, motivations for smallholder farmers’ willingness to plant trees within …

Case Study Of The Four-Year Neuropsychological Changes In An Elderly Male With Possible Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, Sarah M. Shreeve

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Research demonstrates that the brain's response to Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is variable with age and the effects of TBI on the elderly are a critical and global public health concern, from both a medical and a neuropsychological perspective. Currently, there is scant research on the effects of TBI, including Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), on the elderly. Specifically, there is a paucity of literature regarding longitudinal neuropsychological changes in elderly post- TBI individuals. This dissertation will present a Single Case Research Design (SCRD) analysis of an elderly individual with possible Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy and the associated neuropsychological changes over 49-months. …

Children Of The U.S. Military And Identity: A Narrative Inquiry Into The "Brat" Experience, Edward C. Queair

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This study is a narrative exploration of the experiences of individuals who grew up within a globally mobile community, under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Defense. It seeks to surface, through their stories, any benefits of childhood that may have contributed meaningfully to their lives. Affectionately known as Brats (a group to which I proudly self-identify), we are the children of those who serve or are serving in the Armed Forces. Unfortunately, Brats are apt to be viewed from a position of sympathy; often identified by any number of negative characteristics presumed to result from their distinct childhoods. …

Return To Play Decision Making With Concussed Athletes: Sports Medicine Practitioners’ Responses, Courtney N. Condiracci

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Sports-related concussions continue to be a serious health concern as the prevalence and incidence of concussion continue to increase annually (Center for Disease Control [CDC], 2016). Decisions regarding return to play (RTP) following concussion represent one of the biggest challenges for sports medicine professionals. The literature recommends implementing an individualized, collaborative, multi-dimensional approach to increase accuracy when assessing concussion recovery and making RTP decisions (McCrory et al., 2013). The current study examined the self-reported practices of sports medicine professionals surrounding RTP decisions. The study utilized an author-developed questionnaire, Sports Medicine Practice Questionnaire (SMPQ), administered as an online survey to assess …

Addressing Mental Health Stigma In Korean Americans: Culturally Adapted Anti-Stigma Psychoeducation, Alice Lim

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Stigma is a major barrier to mental health service utilization and treatment adherence. Effective anti-stigma interventions have been identified using predominantly Caucasian research subjects. Participation in research studies by other racial and ethnic groups has been limited. This pilot study examined the external reliability of Wood and Wahl’s (2006) study, which examined the effectiveness of an anti-stigma program, In Our Own Voice (IOOV), by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) among predominantly Caucasian undergraduate students. An older Korean ESOL group in a Korean community center in New York City (N = 20) served as the participants in this study …

Feelings Of Enlightenment: A Hermeneutic Interpretation Of Latent Enlightenment Assumptions In Greenberg's Emotion-Focused Therapy, Alex A. Gomez

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this dissertation is to explore how a mainstream theory of psychological practice might inadvertently conceal and ignore contemporary values and ideologies and their pathological consequences. Through a hermeneutic approach, I interpreted Leslie Greenberg’s Emotion-focused therapy: Coaching clients to work through their feelings (2^nd ed), a popular and widely used theory in psychotherapy. As a practitioner with humanistic foundations, this was also an opportunity for the author to understand his own unexamined values as a therapist. Specific EFT constructs and concepts that reflected Enlightenment assumptions and values were examined. EFT was situated within Enlightenment philosophy, particularly …