Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Relationship Between Attachment, Couple Conflict, And Recovery From Conflict, Nathan C. Taylor

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Advances in technology have opened the door for increased understanding to the physiological changes that influence and are influenced by conflict. The objective of this research was to use these advances in technology to better understand the relationship between attachment and physiological reactivity during conflict, as well as during recovery from couple conflict. Skin conductance equipment was used to measure 10 couples (n = 20) physiological arousal while discussing an area of conflict, and during a recovery section which included a relationship distraction task and discussion. Five multiple regressions were used to analyze physiological reactivity during and after conflict …

The 2007-2009 Recession, Employment, And Housing-Related Financial Stressors, And Marital Outcomes, Robert C. Stewart

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The primary objective of this research study was to examine employment and housing problems (stemming from the 2007-2009 Recession) and to see if there was a correlation between those problems and marital satisfaction and/or the perceived likelihood of future separation or divorce. A second purpose for this study was to see if feelings of financial stress (economic pressure) were mainly responsible for the projected drops in marital satisfaction or increases with divorce proneness. A final purpose for this study was to understand how other factors might additionally influence the relationships between recession-related employment problems and housing problems and the marital …

Expressive Writing And Marital Satisfaction: A Writing Sample Analysis, Rachel B. Williams

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The mode of expression used by individuals, in written or spoken word, offers insight into one’s cognitive and emotional processes. Over the past 25 years expressive writing has become an interest to researchers, therapists, and the public. Writing provides a symbolic way of expressing thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Analytical programs provide a way to study the structure and content of written communication. There is little research that includes marital relationships and expressive writing and no known research that includes marital relationships and writing analyses. In relationships, meanings are created to help make sense of situations and interactions. Symbols also include …

Kigali Charity School Analyzed Through An Implementation Science Framework, Alexander T. Fronk

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Implementation science is a relatively new field focused on ensuring that programs are planned well and then delivered as planned. This thesis describes the implementation process for a nursery-level charity school in Kigali, Rwanda, focusing on the facilitators and difficulties encountered in establishing this school.

The research process consisted of interviewing 13 individuals that are a part of the school in question. The researcher transcribed the interviews using an implementation science framework and found trends in their statements that shed light on the establishment of the school. With the help of three coders, the researcher assessed their comments for evidence …

Doctoral Dissertation Research In Marriage And Family Therapy (Mft): A Content Analysis, Clinton L. Broadbent

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Over the past 60 years, the field of marriage and family therapy (MFT) has experienced tremendous growth due largely to many charismatic pioneers in the field. These pioneers performed various research studies but lacked a focus on quality empirical research. Over the past 20 years, many MFT researchers have started to perform these studies, which in turn, have pointed the field in a positive direction in terms of research excellence. Doctoral dissertations offer unique and valuable insights into the current state of research as a field as well as give us a better idea of how we are doing at …

The Process Of Couples' Experiences In A Brief Intervention, D. Jim Mock

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Many couples struggle with their relationship, but resist seeking professional assistance due to concerns about time commitment, financial expense, and/or fear of stigma associated with treatment. To address these concerns the relationship checkup has been developed. Though there has been limited research of this format, there is still much to be explored. This study presents the findings from semi-structured interviews of ten couples who participated in a form of this intervention and their corresponding clinicians. Each interview was analyzed for commonalities among the responses and distilled into two sets of themes: the couples' and the clinicians'. Themes for the couples …