Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Influence Of A Multicultural Counseling And Psychology Course On Counseling Psychology And Counselor Education Master’S Students Color-Blind Ideologies And Ethnic Identity, Rebecca Tuinstra

Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to examine whether ethnic identity awareness mediates the relationship between completion of a Multicultural Counseling and Psychology Course and color-blind ideology endorsement. The participants included 93 master’s level counseling psychology and counselor education trainees attending a predominantly White university in the Midwest region of the United States. The study used a quantitative, pre- and post-test descriptive research design. Using mediation analysis, this study estimated the influence of completing a Multicultural Counseling and Psychology Course on awareness of ethnic identity and use of color-blind ideology while controlling for social desirability among master’s level counseling …

Measuring Multicultural Competence In Counseling, Martha Mae Golubski

Dissertations

Pedersen (1999) described multicultural counseling as the “fourth force” in psychology. The description is used to imply that multiculturalism is the next theory to understand human behavior, complementary to the other three forces: psychodynamic, behavioral, and humanistic explanations. Despite the attention being given to multiculturalism, professional organizations, training institutions, and service providers are still trying to understand what it means to have competency in multicultural counseling. Researchers have made decades of efforts to define and measure multicultural counseling competence; yet, there is still limited data about how multicultural training efforts influence these competencies and how counselor multicultural competency affects clients’ …

A Phenomenological Investigation Of The Meaning Making Experiences Of Christian Women Who Had An Abortion, Anne E. Stocker

Dissertations

Whether or not a woman should have an abortion is a hotly debated topic, and little information is known about how women make sense of their abortion experiences. Even less is known about how women make sense of abortion experiences in the context of their religious or spiritual belief system. This qualitative study explores the phenomenon of how women who have had an abortion make meaning of their abortion experience in the context of their Christian identity. This phenomenon was explored via research questions related to a woman’s experience of having both an abortion history and a Christian identity, how …

Analysis Of Trauma Screening As A Potential Predictor Of Congregate Care Placement As A Key Factor In Caseworker Decision Making, Amy Louise Perricone

Dissertations

The placement of foster care children into congregate care (CC) facilities has been debated regarding whether CC can provide safety and healing, or if it is harmful and retraumatizing to children. In recent years CC has come under scrutiny due to high per diem costs and increasing reports of abuse and even death of children. In response, the federal Families First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) was enacted in 2018 with a goal of reducing the number of children in CC. Since then, efforts have been implemented nationwide to achieve this goal. This study explored the value of statewide trauma screening …

The Effects Of Adolescent Trauma, Mental Health Treatment, And Demographic Variables On Educational Outcome, Christopher Postema

Dissertations

Poor educational performance in adolescence can occur due to trauma, substance use, or other stressors. This study used conflict theory as a foundation, suggesting differences in educational outcomes can be attributed to systems perpetuating the current power structures that cause inequality in academic opportunities and performance. Trauma in adolescence can have adverse effects on educational outcomes and emotional stability. Research suggests that mental health therapy as well as a reduction in trauma symptoms can improve educational outcomes. Race, gender, substance use, socioeconomic status, and employment are important variables that could influence educational outcomes. Interaction terms were found in the literature …

An Analogue Study Of Expected Working Alliance And Hope With Victims Of Military Sexual Trauma Among Civilian And Military-Oriented Therapists, Alishia D. Salyer

Dissertations

Victims of military sexual trauma (MST) face unique challenges as they pursue mental health treatment and supportive care. Understanding what factors impact potential treatment outcomes is critical in aiding in their recovery (Castro et al., 2015; Kroviak, 2020). Although a substantial amount of research has been conducted to evaluate prevalence and client factors associated with treating victims of MST (Teit et al., 2015; Turchik & Wilson, 2010), little is known about therapists’ factors including therapists’ expectations working with such clients. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between therapist type (military-affiliated versus civilian), therapist gender, client gender, …

Exploring The Dimensions Of Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Affirmative Clinical Supervision, Lindsey N. Dollar

Dissertations

Graduate programs have continued to improve over time regarding incorporating training on LGB issues into coursework and practicum experiences with less emphasis on supervision. Since supervision is a major training area where therapists learn about clients and themselves, it becomes an important area for also teaching supervisees how to work with minority populations. However, relatively absent from discussions of cultural influences in supervision is a focus on LGB concerns, and missing is the ‘how to’ within the supervisory relationship. This quantitative investigation sought to learn how clinical supervisors with knowledge of LGB issues and people implement LGB-affirmative supervision, and to …

You Don't Need Eyes To See: The Lived-Experience Of College Graduates Who Are Black Men, Born Into Poverty, And Living With A Visual Impairment, Ronald Dillard

Dissertations

The following study seeks to answer this research question: What is the lived experience of college graduates who are Black men, born into poverty, and living with a visual impairment? The researcher has used intersectionality as an aspect of Critical Race Theory (CRT) to conceptualize the research question and develop an interview protocol.

The researcher has conducted in-depth interviews for this qualitative inquiry, resulting in a narrative study. Purposeful sampling was implemented to identify three participants who fit the criteria of being a Black man, born into poverty, and living with a visual impairment. Data was reorganized to tell the …

Promoting Equal Interactions In Early Childhood Settings, Daphne Snyder

Dissertations

In the United States, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students are more likely to face disciplinary action (e.g., exclusion, suspension, and expulsion from the classroom) for engaging in the same challenging behaviors as their white peers (Badger et al., 2018; Little & Tolbert, 2018; Noguera, 2003). Due to the discrepancy in disciplinary practices, students are at risk of continued negative interactions with their teachers (Decker et al., 2007; Wymer et al., 2020). One way to improve teacher interactions toward BIPOC students is through equity-focused performance feedback regarding praise and reprimand rates (Knochel et al., 2022). The purpose of …

Risk And Resilience Factors For Black Individuals Who Face Racial Discrimination, Tabitha M. Mpamira

Dissertations

African Americans report extensive experiences of discrimination across a range of individual, institutional, cultural situations, and more than any other marginalized group (RWJF, 2017). The pervasiveness of discrimination keeps Black individuals at risk of severe physiological ills and heightened risk of psychopathology, including onset of depression and racial trauma symptoms (Williams & Mohammed, 2009). This study investigated risk and resilience factors for Black individuals who face racial discrimination in the United States of America by examining whether encounters of discrimination correlated with psychological distress (depression, anxiety) and racial trauma symptoms. Additionally, the study investigated factors (social support, psychological flexibility, and …

Evaluation Of A Brief Act Intervention For Reducing Depression And Anxiety Symptoms In Sexual And Gender Minority Adults, Allie Mann

Dissertations

Sexual and gender minority individuals (SGM) are at increased risk for psychological disorders compared to the general population. Despite this well-documented disparity in mental health outcomes, there is a stark lack of treatment studies examining SGM mental health. An accumulation of research has demonstrated that the source of this disparity is increased exposure of SGM individuals to stigma-related minority stress. It is necessary to examine psychological pathways that are impacted by stigma and the treatments that can reduce psychological distress in this population. Currently, we do not have the research evidence to answer the questions of if current evidence-based treatments …

Investigation Of The Philosophical Foundations And Use Of Culturally Responsive Evaluation, Ouen Hunter

Dissertations

This three-study dissertation investigated the various aspects of culturally responsive evaluation (CRE) from the perspectives of scholars and practitioners.

The first study investigated CRE scholars’ philosophical stance on CRE through one-on-one interviews. The 14 scholars shared how their lived experiences motivated them to write about CRE. They noted the flexibility of CRE as a complement to other evaluation approaches. The interviewees reported several essential qualities of CRE practitioners. This study highlights the scholars’ commitment to serving marginalized communities as their ontological superordinate theme.

The second study investigated how practitioners applied the CRE lens in their practice. This study confirmed the …

The Impact Of Gendered Racial And Bisexual Microaggressions On The Access To Decent Work For Black Bisexual Women: An Examination Of The Moderation And Mediation Effects Of Work Volition And Proactive Personality, Angela Chloe Lewis

Dissertations

This purpose of this research was to examine the impact on gendered racial microaggressions and bisexual microaggressions on the ability to access decent work for Black bisexual women. The mediation effect of proactive personality on the relationship between gendered racial microaggressions and bisexual microaggressions with decent work was explored in this study. The moderation effect of proactive personality on the relationship between gendered racial microaggressions and bisexual microaggressions with decent work was explored in this study as well. Gendered racial microaggressions was measured using the Gendered Racial Microaggression Scale (GRMS; Lewis & Neville, 2015). Bisexual microaggressions was measured by the …

Effects Of A Self-Forgiveness Intervention On Recovery From Substance Use Disorders, Michael Saltzman

Dissertations

Previous research has highlighted the relationship between shame, guilt, and problematic substance use (Gueta, 2013; Luoma et al., 2019; McGaffin et al., 2013; Rahim & Patton, 2015). Self-forgiveness has been associated with positive outcomes for individuals in recovery with substance use disorders (SUDs), though only one prior study has explored the effects of a selfforgiveness intervention for individuals in treatment (Scherer et al., 2011). This study examines the effects of a self-forgiveness intervention on state shame and guilt, state self-forgiveness, and drug avoidance self-efficacy, and it is the first intervention study to focus on self-forgiveness for individuals with SUDs receiving …

Moral Discourses Of Atheist Organizations: Moral Contrasts, Symbolic Boundaries, And Collective Identities, Alexander Fether

Dissertations

This dissertation examines the ways atheist organizations construct morality and valorize atheist identities. Focusing on a discursive resources approach, wherein “atheist” is a social category whose meaning is contested, this analysis examines how representations of “atheists” are sedimented by the ways individuals and organizations communicate about atheism, religion, morality, secularism, and other relevant concepts which constitute this identity.

Examining the websites of two prominent atheist organization, Qualitative Content Analysis is used to identify the strategies used to legitimate atheist identities, discredit religion, and construct a coherent atheist morality. I describe the way atheist organizations engage in boundary work to challenge …

Telehealth Functional Behavior Assessment In Practice: A Demonstration Of The Clinical Utility Of Dynamic Probability Analyses And Estimates Of Contingency Strength, Lilith Michaele Reuter-Yuill

Dissertations

The spread of SARS-CoV-2 and acceleration of coronavirus disease cases resulted in a global pandemic and presented unique and unprecedented humanitarian issues. Behavior analysts trained in the area of functional behavior assessment offer important services that may assist families to address behavioral challenges that they face during this difficult time. Despite the growing body of evidence of telehealth functional behavior assessments, practitioners still face several unknowns. In Experiment I, a telehealth functional behavior assessment was conducted with three children with autism spectrum disorder. Assessment methods represented a continuum of experimental control from unstructured conditions (no experimental control), structured descriptive assessment …

Evaluation Of A Classroom Management Video Training Package, Avner Fraidlin

Dissertations

To address the concerning implications of inadequate teacher preparation and training in using classroom management, the literature highlights several steps training programs can take. Namely, this includes supplementing training curricula with dedicated courses on evidence-based classroom management practices and providing teachers with performance feedback following guided practice opportunities (Stevenson et al.,2020). Videos which have been used as an instructional tool in teacher education for several decades (Ciani et al., 2021; van Es & Sherin, 2006), have been incorporated as a component in classroom management teacher trainings with positive outcomes (Wilkinson et al., 2020), and feedback has been established as an …

A Narrative Inquiry Study Of Adult Female Survivors Of Childhood Sexual Abuse And Their Journey Into Individual Counseling, Alex Houseknecht

Dissertations

The purpose of the narrative inquiry is to investigate the journey of adult female survivors of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) in seeking out and obtaining individual counseling. The goal is to understand why survivors seek individual counseling and how the process of obtaining and utilizing counseling unfolds over time.

This qualitative study is conducted with convenience and criterion sampling selection. The participants used for the study are two adults who identify as female, aged 18 or older, who are survivors of more than one incident of CSA and are current clients of therapists in the investigator’s existing professional network. Additionally, …

The Skin I’M In: A Critical Content Analysis Of Picture Books Written By Black Authors, Angela Latrece Justice

Dissertations

This study seeks to explore the experiences of Black male protagonists in picture books. The following question guided this study: How do Black authors demonstrate a commitment to social justice? The theoretical framework that guides this study is Critical Race Theory (CRT), which aids in understanding how Black authors use experiential knowledge to represent experiences that challenge dominant ideologies about Black males. The sample consists of 20 pictures books all written by Black authors and published within the United States from 2018 to 2021. The deductive and inductive approaches to critical content analysis is used as it is effective for …

Use Of Reddit For Social Science Research: A Review Of Current Use, Exploration Of Potential Sampling Error, And Practical Demonstration Using Reddit To Study Post-Pandemic Teacher Resignation, Caryn Davidson

Dissertations

This dissertation is comprised of three separate studies related to using the social media platform Reddit for social science research. The first paper provides an overview of current social science research that uses Reddit. The second paper explores the impact of sampling choices and potential sources of error when selecting Reddit data to study. The third paper maps the topics of a sample of posts tagged with the #Resignation flair in the r/Teachers subreddit from three months across school year 2021-2022 including reasons why teachers are leaving the post-pandemic classroom.

The practice of using Reddit for social science research is …

Felicidad Aplataná: How Dominican Migrants Living In The Nordic Countries Make Sense Of Their Happiness, Ivanna Lajara

Dissertations

As globalization evolves and the number of migrants and cross-cultural interactions among world citizens increases, understanding various aspects of immigrants’ experiences, including their happiness and subjective well-being will become fundamental to organizations, governments, and societies. However, there are substantial cross-cultural differences in how people understand their happiness, make sense of experiences that influence happiness, and how large-scale social trends, such as globalization, relate to the individual migration perspectives (Uchida and Ogihara, 2012). Research affirms culture as a key factor influencing happiness (Ye et al., 2015) and living in a foreign country may not only impact one’s perspective on life, but …

Exploring The Use Of Cultural Values In The Evaluation Of Programs With Native American Tribes, Karen Lynn Alexander

Dissertations

This dissertation is a qualitative study that explores the importance of including cultural values in evaluation and whether this would lead to an increase in utilization of evaluation results. It was first wondered whether Native American values are included when evaluations are completed for Indigenous Tribes. A review of evaluations revealed that evaluations in the published literature are including general Native American values, although a document review alone was found to be insufficient as a method to capture the nuances related to value expression. It is suggested that more research is needed in the area of metaevaluation to include culturally …

Teaching And Assessing Cornhole As A Leisure Activity For Young Adults With Developmental Disabilities, Katarina Rotta

Dissertations

Leisure has long been identified as a crucial component of a healthy lifestyle. One population that displays extremely low levels of leisure activity is people with developmental disabilities, which is concerning because previous research has identified a positive correlation between leisure activity and quality of life among such individuals. The purpose of the present project was to teach and assess cornhole as a leisure activity for seven young adults with developmental disabilities. Study 1 assessed points scored with four versions of cornhole and preference for those versions. Study 2 evaluated a procedure intended to teach participants to keep score. A …

Three Essays On Financial Economics, Megersa Daksa

Dissertations

This study presents three essays on financial economics. In the first essay, we examine how monetary policy shocks affect risk aversion and uncertainty, as well as how risk aversion and uncertainty spread across financial markets. Although a recent study shows that monetary policy influences risk aversion and uncertainty in global stock markets, there are no studies on risk aversion and uncertainty spillover across stock, currency, and commodity markets. Following the method of Bekaert et al. (2013), we decompose the implied volatility indexes (VIX's) for the SP500, U.S. exchange rate, gold and crude oil into risk aversion and uncertainty. The decomposition …

Remote Sensing Application For Landslide Detection: Monitoring Along Eastern Lake Michigan (Miami Park, Mi), Guzalay Sataer

Dissertations

I assessed the nature and spatial and temporal patterns of deformation over the Miami Park bluffs on the eastern margin of Lake Michigan and investigated the factors controlling its observed deformation. Our approach involved the following steps: (1) extracting bluff deformation rates (velocities along the line of sight of the satellite) using a stack of Sentinel-1A radar imagery in ascending acquisition geometry acquired between 2017 and 2021 and applying the Intermittent Small Baseline Subset (ISBAS) InSAR time series analysis method; (2) generating high-resolution (5 cm) elevation models and orthophotos from temporal unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) surveys acquired in 2017, 2019, …

An Exploration Of Stressors And Perceptions Of Wellness Among Christian Church Ministry Wives, Laura Ann Kellicut

Dissertations

Ministerial families are in the unique situation of a two-person career, where although the husband is the only one employed by the church, the wife is also expected to perform church specific demands and responsibilities (Frame & Shehan, 1994; Lifeway, 2017). Unique variables and factors of stress among ministry wives have been identified along with how their role affects certain domains of life (Douglas, 1961; Frame & Shehan, 1994; Lee, 2007; Zoba, 1997; Luedtke & Sneed, 2018). Lifeway Research (2017) found that 78% of ministers' spouses experienced some level of burnout with 22% at the highest levels. In the literature, …

Intersectional Identities Of Race And Religion Of African American Muslims And Their Attitudes Toward Seeking Mental Health Services, Cheruba A. Dhanaraj

Dissertations

African American Muslims have overlapping and interconnected identities of race and religion that can be conceptualized by the intersectionality framework to understand the complexities of barriers they face when seeking mental health services. African American Muslims have a higher risk of mental health issues due to systemic racism, racial discrimination, racial trauma, and Islamophobic discrimination. Yet, there is a lack of scholarly research or studies that focus explicitly on African American Muslims' specific mental health needs, barriers, and attitudes related to seeking mental health treatment.

This study sought to fill the gap in knowledge about attitudes toward seeking mental health …

The Acculturation Process Of International Students In Cacrep Counseling Programs: A Grounded Theory Approach, Hanny Wuysang

Dissertations

International students bring diverse, multicultural perspectives to the U.S. postsecondary education system through their participation in higher education. However, in their adjustment to U.S. higher education, international students in counseling programs face barriers and challenges such as language differences, lack of support, microaggressions and discrimination, culture shock, and different perspectives on mental health treatment as compared to their home cultures. These factors can interfere with their daily personal and academic lives, yet there is often minimal support from their academic programs and host institutions. The growing number of international students in counseling programs increases the importance of understanding their acculturation …

A Brief Acceptance And Commitment Therapy Protocol For Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms: A Randomized Controlled Trial For Inpatient Detoxification Patients, Taylor R. Weststrate

Dissertations

Alcohol detoxification inevitability involves physical and emotional discomfort. Common withdrawal symptoms include experiences of nausea, muscle pain, stomach and headaches, shakiness, restlessness, anxiety, and agitation. Rarer, but more severe, withdrawal symptoms can include hallucinations, seizures, and delirium tremens. Pharmacologic treatment of withdrawal symptoms is the primary, and often only, approach to intervention. The current study examined the incremental efficacy of adding a psychotherapeutic program based in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for individuals struggling with withdrawal during alcohol detoxification in a residential rehabilitation center. This study compared the standard of care, medication management, which was treatment as usual (TAU) at …

Attachment And Older Adults In Psychotherapy: A Latent Profile Analysis Of Psychological Distress Across Treatment, Brian Michael Stran

Dissertations

Older adults have been largely underrepresented within the psychotherapy literature. Given the unique social and emotional changes associated with older age (Carstensen et al., 1999) and the perceived gap in training that trainees report in working with older adults (Woodhead et al., 2015), there is a pressing need for research that can aid mental health practitioners in the conceptualization, treatment planning, and treatment of their older adult clients.

In the first part of this manuscript, an integrated theoretical model, consisting of socioemotional selectivity theory (SEST; Carstensen et al., 1999) and attachment theory (Bowlby 1969), was developed to provide psychotherapists with …