Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Critical Race Theory : A Lens For Viewing Racism In American Education Policy And School Funding, Susan A. Klupchak

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This thesis discusses Critical Race Theory (CRT) as a foundation to understand race and racism in the U.S. and provides a brief introduction to how components of CRT can be used as a conceptual framework to understand how educational inequity undergirds the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and Race To The Top (RTTT) policies. This thesis also provides a comprehensive review of CRT and uses CRT as a method of analysis to fully understand how race and racism are applied in NCLB policy. CRT is used as a method of analysis to show that race and racism are embedded in …

Exploring The Impacts Of Disclosure For The Transgender And Gender Non-Conforming Therapists, Samuel B. Lurie

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) people face numerous challenges and disparities as members of a marginalized and stigmatized group (Grant, et al., 2011). With the increased visibility of the transgender and gender non-conforming community, there are also more TGNC people becoming professionally trained therapists, and there is a lack of guidance on navigating this particular experience. Four focus groups were conducted in the northeastern part of the United States with 19 total participants who are all Master's level or above mental health clinicians who identify as TGNC. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory study was to examine the experiences of …

A Study Of Object Use : Adults, Special Objects, And Contemporary American Culture, Emily K. Walsh

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This thesis is an inquiry into the meaning and functions that special objects hold for American adults. After interviewing 29 adults—10 who identify as male and 19 who identify as female—about their special objects, I found that these objects are felt to have profound meaning and important functions for adults. Objects are found special for possessing superlative physical characteristics—visual, auditory, olfactory, tactile, energetic, or due to their size, weight, or sturdiness. And they are found special for their functions: as signifiers of affiliation or membership in a group; as things that assert and reify personal identity; as things that connect …

From Sadomasochism To Bdsm : Rethinking Object Relations Theorizing Through Queer Theory And Sex-Positive Feminism, Simon Z. Weismantel

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This theoretical thesis explores the phenomenon of BDSM. BDSM is a type of consensual erotic experience that covers a wide range of interactions between or among people. Referencing the compound acronym BDSM, these interactions encompass: bondage and discipline; dominance and submission; and sadism and masochism. This project investigates psychoanalytic conceptualizations of BDSM, often called sadomasochism in analytic literature. In particular, object relations theory conceptualizations of BDSM are explored. Object relations theorists have tended to identify sadomasochism as pathology. This thesis explores and uses queer theory and sex-positive feminism to analyze two important object relations authors' writings on sadomasochism (i.e., Otto …

Negotiating Our Membership : Factors Leading Latina Lesbians To Develop A Political Collective Identity, Susana Rodriguez

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study explores the factors that lead Latina lesbians to develop a politicized collective identity. Simon and Klandermans (2001) define a politicized collective identity as an intentional group membership where members are mindful and conscious of the power difference that exists between in-group members, out-group members and the larger society, as well as engage in social and political power struggles to achieve justice and equality for their group. Additionally, the study aimed to explore the differences between a social identity and a politicized collective identity and the factors influencing the evolution from the former into the latter. Finally, the …

Voices Of Experience : The Mental Health Consumer And Psychiatric Survivor Movements And Their Implications For Ethical Clinical Practice, Sophia L. Zucker

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This theoretical thesis explores the origins of the modern concept of "mental illness" and traces the development of the mental health consumer and psychiatric survivor movements, modern social justice movements that work to change and/or dismantle the system of oppression that has long denied those labeled mentally ill the right to make basic decisions about their own lives. Working from a critical theoretical frame influenced by historical discourse analysis and post-structuralist theory, the thesis first examines the multiple constructions of madness and mental distress in the Western world since the Middle Ages, suggesting that the current biomedical model of mental …

It's Common (But We Don't Talk About It) : How Straight Male Use Of Gay Male Porn Influences Acts, Identities, And Desire, Solomon Z. Traurig

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This exploratory study was conducted to determine what potential pornography might hold as a productive space for exploring desire and identity, in addition to influencing sexual behaviors or preferences outside of pornography use. Specifically, this research set out to understand how and why individuals may watch pornography that represents identities or acts that are not considered to be in alignment with their stated or felt sexual orientation. In-person semistructured interviews were conducted in the San Francisco Bay Area, with 11 straight- or formerly straight-identified men. From there, interview data was organized and coded with thematic analysis. Although the findings were …

The Use Of Photography As A Clinical Tool In Social Work : A Theoretical Exploration Using Winnicottian And Jungian Lenses, André N. Zandoná

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

In this theoretical study, the photographic process was examined as having the potential to be used as a psychodynamic clinical tool in social work. Psychodynamic theoretical concepts by Carl Jung and Donald W. Winnicott were examined as guiding principles that will allow clinicians to understand how photography can be useful as a means to understand one's internal experience as well as external relationship with the world. This body of work presented current and potential uses of the camera as an instrument in interpreting the world according to one's subjectivity. In addition to theoretical examination, this research study also presented real …

Therapists' Experiences Treating Clients With Dissociative Identity Disorder, Alexandra E. Paull

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The purpose of this exploratory study was to collect qualitative data to examine what social workers describe as their experience working with clients who fit the diagnosis of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). This study interviewed twelve licensed therapists through in person, phone, and skype interviews. These interviews explored the experience of their clinical work and its impact on them personally. Seven major themes were identified from coding the narrative data: the challenges and rewards of treatment, characteristics of the population, characteristics of the clinicians, treatment structure, what treating their first client with this disorder was like, misconceptions, and places current …

The Call For Help : A Theoretical Study On The Changes That Occur Between A School Social Worker And His Or Her Child Client After Reportinng To Child Protective Services On Suspected Abuse And Neglect, Aramie Brooks-Salzman

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This theoretical study explores a unique conceptualization of the relationship between a school social worker and his or her relationship with the child client and the child's family after a Child Protective Service report was made. In this paper I will explore the concepts of John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth when discussing attachment theory and W.R.D. Fairbairn when discussing object relations theory. Through the lens of these two theories I will critique and improve upon the child welfare and school constructs in how families are dealt with during the process of working with Child Protective Services (CPS). Attachment and object …

Clinical Perspectives On Etiology, Assessment, Formulation And Treatment Of Imaginary Companions In Adolescents With Attachment Trauma, Kathryn M. Collins

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This theoretical study explored the phenomenon of imaginary companions as they present within the lives of adolescents with histories of attachment trauma. The phenomenon and is origins were explored through a review of developmental, psychoanalytic and trauma research. Theoretical perspectives of narrative therapy and Winnicottian object relations were then introduced as lenses through which to conceptualize assessment and formulation of the phenomenon, with careful consideration paid to the social context within which the phenomenon emerges. These theoretical perspectives were then applied to a discussion of assessment, formulation and treatment within a specific case example, written by Proskauer, Barsh and Johnson …

Spirituality, Community And Action : An Exploration Of Catholic Sisters In Social Work, Melissa L. Eells

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study explored how Catholic sisters who practice social work understand their experiences in both religious life and the field of social work. Sisters have made significant contributions to professional social services for centuries and have done so out of deep spiritual commitments; yet, modern sisters' experiences have not been examined by researchers as a source of knowledge about how spiritual belief and social work practice intersect and impact both individual growth and institutional action. A total of 12 Catholic sisters who had worked in social work settings across the U.S. participated in semi-structured interviews for this study about …

Maybe We Really Are What We Eat : Implications Of Nutrition And Mental Illness Research For Clinical Practice, Leslie H. Rosenberg

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

In light of our nation's growing obesity epidemic, this paper will explore the growing body of research indicating clear links between nutrition and mental health, and the implications for clinicians treating mental illness in chronically ill clients who are overweight or obese. I will analyze the intersection between nutrition and mental illness according to the concepts of motivational interviewing (MI) and Irwin Yalom's group therapy theory in order to inform social work practice with these adults. Medical professionals who tend to shoulder the responsibility of addressing diet concerns in mentally ill patients rarely have adequate time nor training to fully …

Identity And Cultural Competency : Critical Race And Postmodern Perspective, Nathan N. Orians

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This theoretical thesis explores how racism is unavoidable in social work because of the weight of systemic influences. It looks at how the use of cultural competency could be unethical, by using both critical race and postmodern theory. The use of critical race theory in thinking about cultural competency seems to allow for a passive acceptance of a system which has continued to be un-critical of its racist origins and assumptions. Furthermore the enacting of cultural competency through a postmodern view could at times be considered a micro aggression and as such unethical. This paper hopes that by acknowledging that …

A Critique Of The Concept "Consciousness" In Psychodynamic Theory : Implications For Understanding Repression, Inna Goldberg

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This project critiques the way that the concept "consciousness" has traditionally been, and continues to be, understood in psychodynamic theories. Focusing on the phenomenon of repression, it shows that a different way of conceptualizing consciousness can help shed light on the confusing matter of the relationship between insight and improvement of symptoms in therapy. Many practitioners have shifted toward relational approaches in recent times, in part due to realizations about the limited roles of insight in generating change. The project makes the case that contributions of relational theory can be expanded and maximized if the model of consciousness assumed therein …

Exploring Ways White Children Are Taught About Race And Racism, Angela M. Clark

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

In this theoretical study, I will explore ways White children are taught about race and racism, and ways this subject can be explored with White youth in therapeutic contexts. In the United States, racism continues to have a significant negative impact on the material and psychological experiences of people of color, limiting life chances while it is largely ignored by White individuals and White-dominated institutions. One factor that serves to maintain the existence and influence of racist systems is White people's ignorance of the degree to which racism is present in our institutions, dominant discourse and ideology, and in ourselves. …

Theorizing Anxiety : Psychodynamic Exploration Beyond The Medical Model, Daniel E. Weinbaum

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This theoretical study explores the phenomenon of anxiety and how it has been understood, articulated and treated over time in psychoanalysis. Formulations of anxiety in classical theory, object relations, attachment, interpersonal, relational and trauma theory will be explored, offering a counterpoint to the current medical model in which anxiety is primarily understood as a symptom to be eradicated through medication and "evidence based" treatments. The study argues that anxiety only exists within a relational and systemic context, and that reducing anxiety to a set of discrete disorders requiring prescriptive treatment protocols often overlooks the complexity of individual experience and need …

Exploring The Relationship Between Maternal Childhood Maltreatment History, Parent-Child Relations And Child Emotion Regulation, Chelsie D. Sampayan

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Child maltreatment is an issue that has serious psychological and behavioral consequences in children now and in the future. This exploratory study used the developmental psychopathology framework to examine the relationships between maternal childhood maltreatment, parent-child relations, and child emotion regulation. I performed a secondary data analysis on 228 preschool-aged children (118 boys and 110 girls) and their biological mothers. Data was originally collected as part of a longitudinal study called the Child Regulation and Representation Project (CHiRRP). Mothers responded to a semi-structured interview, which was then coded for severity ratings of childhood physical abuse (CPA) and childhood sexual abuse …

Supporting Resilience In Chldren And Youth Impacted By Complex Trauma, Rachel E. Stoddard

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Exposure to repeated traumatic events, including abuse, neglect, and domestic and community violence is often referred to as complex trauma. This research was conducted to better understand the developmental impact of complex trauma on children and adolescents, and to consider what treatment approach might best serve this population. The author first examined the impact of repeated victimization on child neurobiological development, with particular attention to the areas of attachment, affect regulation, behavioral control, cognition, and self-esteem. Complex trauma treatments that are more individually focused and grounded in cognitive-behavioral theory were then compared to those that are more systems-focused and stem …

Social And Academic Experiences Of Aagbm Who Graduate From Hbcus, Isaiah L. Jones

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study explores the social and academic experiences of African American gay and bisexual men (AAGBM) who graduated from historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) from 2008 – 2013; and strives to answer the question: What are the social and academic experience(s) of AAGBM who attended HBCUs? The study's specific aims were to describe: (1) How AAGBM describe their social and academic experiences, positively or negatively, on an HBCU campus; and (2) How HBCUs can help facilitate satisfying social and academic experiences for its AAGBM. These aims were addressed by asking seven open-ended questions to ten (10) AAGBM who …

For The Love Of Them : A Theoretical Study Of The Collective In The United States Military Through Freudian And Fornarian Theory, Sophia E. Slote

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This theoretical study examined the experience of the collective in the United States Military through a psychoanalytic psychosocial developmental framework, while drawing upon case material from War, Sebastian Junger's (2010) documentation of a U.S. platoon stationed in the Korangal Valley of Afghanistan. Freudian group theory was used to examine the strengthbased perspective of libidinal bonds developed in the military collective. Fornarian theory, rooted in the early Object-Relations school, was presented to critically examine the regressive qualities of collectivization in the military, characterized by the paranoid-schizoid position. This examination explored the potential impact of the collective experience on the individual service …

Exploring Mental Dungeons And Slaying Psychic Dragons : An Exploratory Study, Michael S. Sargent

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study examined the experiences of participants with table-top roleplaying and with the gaming community. Specifically this study asked: In what ways do fantasy play and participation in the role-playing community benefit participants? This study aimed to address the lack of social work literature regarding the emotional and social benefits that roleplaying games provide consumers. Data were collected from interviews with six individuals who regularly engage in tabletop role-playing games. The study asked open ended questions regarding participants' experiences with the role-playing community, thematic and emotional content experienced within the fantasy setting, and benefits participants felt they'd gained from …

A Study Of Self-Efficacy In A Group Of Hmong Refugees, Mai M. Yang

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Social cognitive theorist Albert Bandura defined resilience as the ability to organize thoughts and actions to manage prospective and unknown situations. He called it the theory of perceived self-efficacy (Bandura, 2010). The tool used to measure this construct is called the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), which assesses a broad stable sense of an individual's personal competence to efficiently deal with a variety of stressful situations. Previous research suggested that due to its positive association with mental health and well being, the GSES and theory of self-efficacy are worthy of further examination in refugees (Sulaiman-Hill and Thompson, 2011). This study examines …

Exploring The Experience Of Victim-Offender Mediation Through Winnicottian Object Relations Theory And Self Psychology, Anneke D. Ransijn

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

In light of the growing practice of victim offender mediation practice in the United States, this paper explores the experience of the victim throughout the process using the application of D.W. Winnicott's theory of object relations and Heinz Kohut's theory of Self Psychology. I will use these psychodynamic theories to provide an in-depth analysis of the victim's experience of victimization and the process of victim offender mediation, including the internal and external worlds of the victim, her needs, and the roles of those involved in the process. This study will highlight the effective interventions that may facilitate a more positive …

What Does The 'Q' Stand For Anyway? : Queerness And Agency Competence, Eleanor C. Taylor

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This exploratory study’s purpose was to explore queer identity in mental health practice through the question, "Does queerness emerge as a distinct cultural category through the language of conversation, clinical practice, and administrative policy in mental health agencies that serve queer people, and in what practices is this reflected?” This project was undertaken in order to begin to fill gaps in existing cultural competence literature, particularly regarding queer identity.

This project entailed semi-structured interviews with ten participants, who worked in direct service at mental health agencies that serve LGBTQIA+ populations. This study examines the meanings and effects of queerness in …

Application Of Somatic Interventions In Clinical Practice, Rebecca L. Rothberg

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study examined the extent to which and the ways in which somatic interventions are integrated into clinical mental health practice, and the thoughts, feelings and beliefs behind clinicians' decisions to integrate the body into mental health treatment. The study included twelve clinicians prepared at the master's level or higher who self-identified as having utilized at least one somatic intervention in thirty days prior to screening. Participants engaged in a 45-60 minute qualitative, semi-structured interview designed to elicit a greater understanding of how individuals conceptualize their use of the body in treatment based on their individual theoretical orientation, what somatic …

The Impact Of Texting On Committed Romantic Relationships, Danielle M. Maurer

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The availability and affordability of mobile phones has increased dramatically in the last decade and continues to increase. Short-message service (texting), a popular feature of the mobile phone, has become a widely accepted phenomenon in today's society, and is beginning to dominate the landscape of interpersonal communication, used as a primary medium in romantic and sexual correspondence. There is minimal academic research focusing on the effects of texting on communication and social behavior within romantic relationships; research is lacking with regard to how mobile phone communication changes throughout the romantic relationships. The current study explores how texting practices are related …

Feminist Identification In Heterosexual Encounters : Exploring The Relationship Betweeen Women's Personal Values And Their Experiences Of Verbal Sexual Coercion, Shawna M. Hershberger

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Verbal Sexual Coercion by men is a common experience for young women that can lead to both physical and psychological harm (Byers and Glenn, 2012; Faulkner, Kolts and Hicks, 2008; Katz and Myhr, 2008). Clinicians who treat these young women may benefit from a deeper understanding of the role that personal values and beliefs about gender plays in the experiences of this common type of sexual coercion. The present study surveyed n=217 women between the ages of 21 to 30 about their gender role ideology, feminist identification and experiences of verbal sexual coercion to determine if there is a relationship …

The Application Of Yoga As A Biopsychosocial-Spiritual Approach To Social Work, Karen L. Tsai

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

There is growing evidence emerging from the biomedical, behavioral science, and mental health literature suggesting that yoga may be an effective treatment for a wide range of mental health symptoms. Curiously, there has been very little social work literature published about yoga's therapeutic potential. As one of the most popular complementary and alternative approaches to health in the United States, yoga is not to be overlooked as a potential social work methodology to reach diverse populations and improve or complement mental health treatment rates and outcomes. Yoga's multifaceted ability to affect well-being makes it an important therapeutic approach to mental …

Before And After : An Exploratory Study Of The Positive And Negative Effects Of Significant Weight Loss, Jo Ann Valle

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This mixed-methods exploratory study was undertaken to better understand both the positive and negative ways in which significant weight loss is experienced by people who have intentionally undertaken the process of weight loss. Ninety-two people completed an online survey which contained both quantitative and qualitative items. Four in-depth phone interviews were conducted with respondents who completed the online survey and contacted the researcher to offer further commentary. Survey respondents noted the amount of weight they had lost, the methods used and their reasons for deciding to lose weight. Other quantitative questions asked respondents to identify how dissatisfied with their bodies …