Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Relationship Of Developmental Stages In Adults In Psychotherapy To Different Types Of Mental Health Symptoms, Shannon E. Gasparro

Theses and Dissertations

In this study, we examine the pattern of mental health symptoms across adult development using data from a community-based clinic in Queens, NY. Age was represented by three qualitative stages, “early adulthood,” “middle adulthood,” and “late adulthood.” Early adulthood has been characterized as a period of heightened emotional instability, with less clear long-term commitments to romantic relationships, career paths, work, and living arrangements. Middle adulthood has been characterized as a more emotionally stable period in terms of relations with friends and family and social roles. Finally, late adults, although also viewed as more emotionally regulated, may again experience greater interpersonal …

The Effects Of Socioeconomic Status And Language Difference On Specific Cognitive Test Performance: A Comparative Study Of African American Children, Fernanda Carvalho

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has established a high correlation between socioeconomic status and race/ethnicity. Historically, indicators of SES are often patterned by race, with African American children generally being the highest percentage of children living in poverty. The implication of childhood SES to brain development lies in its evident relationship to cognitive ability as measured by cognitive assessments, particularly in the area of language. The present study investigated the influence of language on performance of African American children when compared to normative performance on the WISC-V, a common and widely used cognitive assessment tool. Test creators claim to have included SES as …

When Age Matters: Child Age As A Moderator Of Outcome In A Caregiver Prevention Program For Abuse And Bullying, Jenni R. Marques

Theses and Dissertations

Childhood physical abuse (CPA), childhood sexual abuse (CSA), and bullying continue to impact children across the United States at an alarming rate, with immense psychological, physiological, and social cost (Child Maltreatment, 2020; U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2017; Carr, Duff, & Craddock, 2018; Ferrara et al., 2019). While majority of prevention programs target elementary age children (6-10), there is some disagreement amongst researchers as to the appropriateness of introducing these programs to children of the pre-school age (3-5 years). Keeping Every Child Safe (Child Safe; Brown & Beekman, 2014) is an evidence-based primary prevention program for caregivers …

Associations Between Empathy-Related Processes And Prosocial Behaviors In Toddlerhood, Jordan Holmén

Theses and Dissertations

Different prosocial behaviors, such as sharing, helping, and comforting emerge during the second year of life. Empathy-related processes play a key role in the development of such early behaviors. Children can demonstrate empathy via personal distress or other-oriented empathy. Whereas personal distress is considered an aversive reaction, associated with emotion dysregulation and desire to reduce one own’s discomfort, other-oriented empathy involves a concern for others—a feeling that should motivate one to alleviate another person’s distress. There is a dearth of studies examining how these two theoretically distinct empathy-related processes relate to various prosocial behaviors in early development. Thus, in this …

The Effectiveness Of The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Module Of Interpersonal Effectiveness Compared To Traditional Assertiveness Training: A Randomized Control Trial., Daniella Difabio

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the efficacy of the Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) module of Interpersonal Effectiveness compared to Traditional Assertiveness Training. In recent years, DBT has become one of the most effective psychotherapeutic treatments for individuals with borderline personality disorder (Linehan et al., 1991). DBT has been determined to be effective across inpatient, outpatient, and school settings and across multiple populations (i.e., BPD, PTSD, eating disorders, etc.). Traditional Assertiveness Training has been forgotten despite some of its skills being similar or identical to DBT (Goldfried et al., 2017). In the past, Assertiveness training was found to be effective across various populations. …

Increasing Mental Health Treatment-Seeking In Emerging Adult College-Student Survivors Of Sexual Assault: A Randomized Controlled Trial Of An Online Intervention, Jessica Huntt

Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence of sexual violence, particularly in emerging adult women, is alarming (Sinozich & Langton, 2014; Smith et al., 2017), and rates of treatment seeking are low (e.g., Smith et al., 2010). Engagement strategies and motivational interviewing have garnered support in mitigating barriers to mental health treatment-seeking (e.g., Lerch et al., 2017). However, young college women often do not seek treatment for symptoms following sexual violence due to additional barriers such as shame and institutional betrayal (Holland, 2019; Logan et al, 2005). Lack of treatment can lead to long-term detriments (e.g., Halpern et al., 2018) and there is little research …

When Do Therapist Characteristics Matter Or Do They?, Han Lim Kim

Theses and Dissertations

This research aims to establish that considerable differences exist between therapists on how much their clients improve in treatment and understand the factors that contribute to such variability. Therapists’ sex, personality, and similarity of their personality with their clients’ personality were examined as moderators of change in treatment outcome. Findings must be interpreted with caution due to limitations of the dataset which make therapists effects hard to separate from client effects. There is variation around the amount of change therapists produce in their clients; however, this variation is much smaller compared to the variance among clients. Female therapists consistently had …

The Role Of Child Maltreatment On Personality From Adolescence To Young Adulthood, Morgan T. Cohen

Theses and Dissertations

Historically, a defining feature of personality characteristics has been their stability and consistency across time. However, research over the past decade has established patterns of personality change across the lifespan, with the most mean-level trait change occurring between 20 to 40 years old (Roberts & Mroczek, 2009), making young adulthood a fruitful developmental period to study personality change. There are several factors that can influence personality trait change and some literature has suggested that major life events such as childhood adversity can impact the stability and change of personality traits across time. The present study uses two waves of data …

When Crying Turns To Hitting: Examining Maternal Responses To Negative Affect, Brooke Edelman

Theses and Dissertations

Most children exhibit some form of physical aggression in the first years of life, and physical aggression is particularly common in toddlerhood (Hay, 2005; Lorber et al., 2017; Lorber et al., 2019; Nærde et al., 2014; Tremblay & Nagin, 2005). Further, aggression is conceptualized as a byproduct of frustration and related negative affect (Berkowitz, 1989), and early physical aggression is empirically linked to anger (Lorber et al., 2015). The current study is part of a body of research examining early aggression and will explore the mechanisms by which children’s negative affect escalates to aggression in a brief conflict episode. Given …

Predictors And Mediators Of Eating Disorder Pathology In Individuals With Eating Disorders, Alexandra Allam

Theses and Dissertations

Over the past decade there has been accumulating evidence that attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and eating disorders frequently co-occur, but little is known about the possible mechanisms that might account for their co-occurrence. Likewise, relatively little research has examined the ways such comorbidities impact the maintenance of or recovery from eating disorder (ED) symptoms after treatment. In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 95 adult participants who had received an ED diagnosis and 24-hour treatment for an ED in the past 10 years, and obtained measures of ADHD symptoms and ED symptoms to explore their association and possible mediators thereof. In particular, …

Covid-19: Social Support Among The Bereaved, Fernande Nanda Mamane

Theses and Dissertations

Bereavement is a universal experience. Presently, there have been over 1,024,611 deaths in the United States alone related to the COVID-19 virus and this number is growing (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). With the significant rise in deaths, as well as subsequent societal health and safety measures due to the pandemic, social support for the bereaved is expected to be severely impacted. Limited access to social spheres, as well as adjustments to typical funeral practices, may impact the perception of support by those grieving. The purpose the study was to gain a better understanding of bereaved individual’s experiences …

Perceptions Of Florida Victim Advocates During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Katarina Renee Hamburg

Theses and Dissertations

In December of 2019, a new virus known as COVID-19 emerged out of Wuhan, China. COVID-19 is a respiratory virus which is highly contagious and, in some cases, lethal. By January 20th, 2020, the United States reported its first case of COVID-19. Between January and December of 2020 there were 18.7 million cases and 329,000 deaths in the United States alone. Globally, during that time frame, there were 79.8 million cases and 1.75 million deaths. Due to the highly contagious and dangerous nature of COVID-19, countries across the world have attempted to promote public health by enacting social distancing measures. …

Cultural Diversity In Education: Examining The Challenges And Issues Of Lgbtq Students Enrolled In A Tertiary Education Institution In The Bahamas, Terry Laverne Rolle

Theses and Dissertations

This research study examined the challenges and issues faced by LGBTQ students attending a tertiary education institution in The Bahamas. Utilizing a phenomenological analytical process, seven individuals gave information regarding their lived experiences in a tertiary institution in The Bahamas. Data for this research study were collected through two 60-minute in-depth interview sessions. This qualitative study was guided by the theoretical frameworks of the planned approach to change and the theory of resilience, both of which were used to inform the elements of the research. Many research studies have been conducted in regard to the experiences faced by LGBTQ students …

“Trans Broken Arm Syndrome”: Examining Causal Antecedents Of Gender-Related Medical Misattribution And Invasive Questioning In An Analogous Healthcare Setting Through The Lens Of Person Perception, Catherine Wall

Theses and Dissertations

Transgender individuals face particular challenges when interacting with a cisgender focused medical system. Gender-related medical misattribution and invasive questioning (GRMMIQ), colloquially known by the tongue-in-cheek named “trans broken arm syndrome,” is a form of medical discrimination wherein a healthcare provider assumes that a transgender patient’s medical complaints, regardless of origin, result from their gender identity or medical transition. Previous research has suggested that this, and other forms of identity-related discrimination both in and outside of healthcare, might be understood either using a top-down approach focused on stereotypes founded in schema, or a bottom-up approach examining perceived typicality. One additional theory, …

Association Of Interpersonal Trauma And Polygenic Risk Scores With Depressive Symptoms In College Students, Rowan K. O'Hara

Theses and Dissertations

Major depression is considered a complex trait influenced by both polygenic risk factors and environmental exposures, such as childhood trauma. This study applied statistical genetic methods to calculate aggregate genetic risk for major depression to predict depressive symptoms scores in a college student sample. Data were from the Spit for Science (S4S) study in which college students from a large urban university self-reported interpersonal trauma (IPT) exposure prior to college and depressive symptoms from the past month (N = 7502; ancestry group: 20% African [AFR], 12% Admixed Americas [AMR], 10% East Asian [EAS], 49% European [EUR], 8% South Asian [SAS]). …

Exploring Polyamorous Relationship Experiences Of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, And Pansexual Individuals, Jiale Man

Theses and Dissertations

Polyamory is a type of relationship under the consensual non-monogamy relationship umbrella that assumes the possibility, validity, and worthwhileness of maintaining romantic, sexual, and intimate relationships with multiple people simultaneously. In Western society, the prevalence and domination of mononormativity have led to the marginalization of relationships alternative to monogamy (i.e., polyamory). As a result, individuals in polyamorous relationships continue to experience bias, stigma, and discrimination at varying levels. With a rise in public interest in CNM in the past two decades, scientists and researchers have slowly started to examine various topics related to CNM, including its prevalence, public attitudes toward …

Recovery Sleepers: A Pilot Study Of A Sleep Health Intervention For College Students In Recovery From Substance Use Disorder, Morgan P. Reid

Theses and Dissertations

There is an increasing number of students in recovery from substance use disorder (SUD) on college campuses, and collegiate recovery programs have been designed to support students’ recovery and global health needs. However, little research has focused on interventions that can promote health outcomes within this population. Chronic substance misuse can have lingering, negative effects on sleep even after sustained remission; thus, the present paper describes a pilot study of Recovery Sleepers, a sleep health promotion intervention rooted in self-determination theory for college students in recovery from SUD. Study aims were to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and fidelity of the …

The Effect Of Strain And Drug Combinations On Ketamine's Locomotor Activating Effects In Rats, Caroline K. Flagler

Theses and Dissertations

Rationale: Initially developed as an anesthetic, ketamine is now used to treat a variety of disorders, including treatment resistant depression (TRD). While ketamine appears to be a breakthrough therapy for TRD, it has many use-limiting side effects, including abuse liability, psychotomimetic effects, and sedation. Utilizing ketamine in combination with other medications, such as the monoaminergic antidepressant desipramine (DSP), opioid antagonist naltrexone (NTX), and the NMDA receptor partial agonist D-cycloserine (DCS) may reduce side-effects resulting from ketamine therapy.

Objectives: The goal of this project was to study ketamine’s adverse effects using locomotor activation in an open field as a behavioral correlate …

Evaluating The Influence Of Concurrently Available Non-Drug Reinforcers On Drug Reinforcement Using Sophisticated Preclinical Models Of Substance Use Disorder, Madison M. Marcus

Theses and Dissertations

The maladaptive allocation of behavior towards cocaine and away from other concurrently available non-drug reinforcers (e.g., family, health, work, etc.) is a key characteristic of cocaine use disorder (CUD) that is embedded into multiple diagnostic criteria for CUD. Accordingly, basic research conducted in a drug-vs-food “choice” context has improved our fundamental knowledge of the behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms of drug reinforcement. However, to date, these preclinical studies have only been conducted with food as the alternative reinforcer. The extent to which other non-drug reinforcers compete with cocaine-taking behavior is unknown. The studies in this dissertation establish two sophisticated discrete-trial cocaine-vs-alternative …

Nannies And Public Space: Reproductive Labor In Richmond, Va, Hannah D. Woehrle

Theses and Dissertations

In the realm of urban planning, the gendered and spatial dynamics of childcare as a field of labor have been historically overlooked. This thesis addresses this gap by examining the geographies shaped by nannies in Richmond, VA, and their implications for urban planning in the context of the evolving neoliberal "new" economy. Existing research focuses on the geographies of children and burgeoning sectors of gig work in the neoliberal city. This study positions itself at the intersection of these areas, focusing on nannies as long standing gig workers within the childcare network, uniquely positioned to be affected by economic transitions. …

Laying Out A Space: Spectral Geographies, Fictions Of The Soul, Erin D. Yerby

Theses and Dissertations

Laying out a Space: Spectral Geographies, Fictions of the Soul, arises out of my artistic practice, and thoughts behind my current project and MFA exhibition, Spectral Geographies.

Linking the problem of the world ‘out there’ or external space, to inner experience through painting as both medium and practice, my work expresses what I call inner geographies, spaces where intimate immensities, folding inside and outside, find expression. I think of my paintings as beginning with this gesture of laying out a between-space where the intimacies of waking dreams and visions are opened by, and grow into, actual places, …

Examining The Home Interventionist Model Of Care In Pediatric Asthma, Katherine D. Lohr

Theses and Dissertations

Pediatric asthma disproportionately affects children living in urban areas and within families reporting an income below the poverty threshold. Home interventionist models of care, utilizing interventionists from the communities they serve, have been found to improve pediatric asthma symptoms and reduce Medicaid costs. Home interventionists, such as community health workers (CHWs) and Healthy Homes assessors (HHAs), focus on connecting care among schools, providers, and homes, and empowering families in accessing resources to overcome barriers to care. However, research is just beginning to understand how home interventionists create positive change among families within low-income, urban communities. This dissertation study used a …

The Cultural Diplomacy Of U.S. Peace Corps: Understanding The Role Of Peace Corps Volunteers As Strategic Geopolitical Assets, Corey B. Miles

Theses and Dissertations

Beginning in the Summer of 1961, the United States government has deployed volunteer humanitarians around the world to serve the mission of U.S. Peace Corps and has since contributed to communities in 143 partner countries while enjoying widespread popularity. Its mission of promoting world peace and friendship is pursued through three operational goals: technical training, cultural exportation, and cultural importation. Since 2016, with the election of U.S. President Donald Trump, and continuing through the Covid-19 pandemic, which produced the first global service interruption in agency history, the value of the Peace Corps service model has been fundamentally challenged. As a …

Work Life Balance: Organizational Leadership And Best Practices To Overcome Burnout For Female Realtors, Carmen Sarkis

Theses and Dissertations

Women Realtors in residential real estate have a difficult time avoiding burnout and are commonly ineffective in achieving work life balance (WLB). This qualitative, phenomenological research study focused on understanding the issues of WLB and burnout which female Realtors faced, and best strategies in overcoming these issues. There were four main research questions and a total of 12 interview questions which were used as a method to collect data for research purposes. Fifteen participants who met the criteria of inclusion as discussed in Chapter 3 participated in this study, and were located using LinkedIn, and the National Association of Realtors. …

Examining Transformational Leadership Self-Perceptions Of Current Chief Executive Officers Within Executive Peer Advisory Groups, Israel Passwater

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study examined the leadership perceptions of current chief executive officers from executive peer groups. The goal of this examination was to investigate to what extent these leaders view their behaviors as being transformational. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) 5X was used as the research instrument. The results indicate significant relationships between the 5 I’s of transformational leadership and the demographic questions in several key areas. Conclusions and recommendations for further research are provided based on the results of this study.

Effective Approaches To Establishing And Maintaining A Strong Therapeutic Alliance With Men: A Qualitative Systematic Review, Ferdinand Aliga

Theses and Dissertations

Consequences of mental health issues in men that are left untreated can affect a man’s partner, friends, family, and co-workers. While much research has described the efficacy of psychotherapy with this population, adult male clients may be hesitant to even start treatment. This is due to several reasons including stigma, toxic masculinity, and accessibility. To combat this, the American Psychological Association published Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Boys and Men in 2018. Research from 2005--the year the guidelines were conceived--to 2021 suggests that three therapeutic approaches are among the most effective in establishing or maintaining a therapeutic alliance. The approaches …

A Systematic Review Of Canine Assisted Psychotherapy For Youth At Risk Or With Mental Health Disorders, Hedieh Hakakian

Theses and Dissertations

Mental health disorders among youth are often underrepresented in research, resulting in a delay and under-treatment of their needs (Catania et al., 2011). While their needs are frequently under-treated, research suggests that youth often experience mental health problems that subsequently lead to difficulties in adulthood (Carballo et al., 2011) necessitating a need to identify efficacious treatments to these problems. This systematic review used a mixed-methods design to analyze current literature on the use of Canine-Assisted Psychotherapy (CAP) with youth ages 0-20. The aims of the study were to (a) understand the impact of CAP on mental health (i.e., clinical diagnosis …

The Relationship Between Competency Development And Intent To Stay At The Middle Management Level, Miriam Hawk Chambers

Theses and Dissertations

Millions of individuals within Corporate America work in roles designated within the middle management category (Zippia, 2023). The complexity of this type of role is that these individuals are tasked with carrying and implementing change, expected to fluidly switch between high and low power styles depending on who they are engaging with, and are often stuck between stakeholders with conflicting expectations (Anicich & Hirsh, 2017a). Because of the financial, cultural, and productivity costs of losing middle managers, it is important to better understand what, if any, relationship competency development has in increasing intent to stay amongst middle managers.

Findings of …

A Global Perspective On Mindfulness-Based Interventions In Schools, Rebecca H. Laff

Theses and Dissertations

The practice of mindfulness, which originated in ancient Buddhist philosophy, has gained popularity in secular society through the work of Western researcher Jon Kabat-Zinn. Kabat-Zinn's focus on using mindfulness to help chronically ill patients cope with stress soon expanded into non-clinical areas, including education. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) adapted from Kabat-Zinn’s work, have been utilized in schools since 2005, but there has been a lack of systematic research on the effectiveness of MBIs in classroom settings globally. To address this gap, this critical interpretive synthesis (CIS) study conducted a comprehensive literature review of quantitative and qualitative studies from around the world …

Psychological Safety Within An Agricultural Hand Labor Harvest Crew And Its Relationship To Productivity, Thomas Draper

Theses and Dissertations

Does psychological safety exist in Hispanic agricultural hand labor harvest crews? The purpose of the study was to ascertain the existence of the four stages of psychological safety in three agricultural hand labor harvest crews in California and to determine if those crews exhibiting the highest mean of psychological safety are the most productive in terms of pounds per person per hour packed. A protocol consisting of 17 statements was verbally administered in Spanish to the participating crews harvesting the same crop and working for the same Farm Labor Contractor. Analysis utilizing a 5-point Likert scale determined which crew exhibited …