Counseling Commons^™

Slam Poetry: An Online Intervention For Treating Depression, Spencer J. Ruchti, Mercedes Becker, Cara Mckee, Austin Herron, Alex Swalling

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Given that depression is the “leading cause of disability worldwide,” and that less than 50% of people suffering from depression receive treatment, this study aims to provide support for a globally accessible depression treatment (WHO, 2012). The study conducted implemented an internet-based treatment for depression in which users were provided an opportunity to watch slam poetry videos related to mental health issues and write free responses regarding the content of the videos and their subjective experience of depression. Numerous studies provide support for the effectiveness of expressive writing, online mental health interventions, and slam poetry in particular for reducing symptoms …

Self-Compassion, Mindfulness And Wellbeing In Counselors-In-Training, Lea Fairbanks

All Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine if self-compassion and mindfulness predict wellbeing in counselors-in-training. The sample was made up of counselors-in-training from CACREP accredited programs in the WACES region of the United States (N=45). Data was collected from three scales including the Self-Compassion Scale, Five Facet Mindfulness Scale and the Psychological Wellbeing Scale. To analyze the data, a simultaneous regression was used to determine if self-compassion and mindfulness significantly predicted wellbeing in counselors-in-training. The results showed that self-compassion and mindfulness was positively correlated with wellbeing and significantly predicted 64.9% of the variance in wellbeing for counselors-in-training. The results …

Cognitive Complexity, Mindfulness, And Reflection In Mental Health Professionals, Dharshini Goonetilleke

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

In this cross sectional quantitative investigation, the relationships among mental health professionals' cognitive complexity, mindfulness, and reflection were explored. To determine if there was a correlation between mindfulness and cognitive complexity, a Pearson's correlation was conducted: There was a strong positive correlation between mindfulness and cognitive complexity. To determine whether observing and describing (two key variables of mindfulness) could predict counselor overall cognitive complexity, a simultaneous multiple regression was conducted. The observing subscale significantly predicted counselor cognitive complexity and the describing subscale did not significantly predict mindfulness. To determine if there is a correlation between mindfulness and reflection, a Pearson's …

Exploring Barriers To The Generalization Of Social Skills Interventions For Children Diagnosed With Asd: A Qualitative Analysis Of ‘Youth Engagement Through Intervention’, Zachary Shindorf

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Many children who are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have difficulty with social skills and maintaining friendships. In turn, many social skills interventions have been developed to aid in the treatment of children diagnosed with ASD. Children with ASD, however, have difficulty generalizing the skills learned in social skills interventions to more natural settings like the home and school. This study, therefore, explored the barriers to the generalization of a social skills intervention, Youth Engagement Through Intervention (YETI) for children with ASD. Barriers to the generalization of YETI were explored through the qualitative examination of parents’ acceptability of the …

Family Leadership Through Submission., Beverly J. Sedlacek, David Sedlacek

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Advocacy In Action: A Framework For Implementation Of The American Counselors Association Advocacy Competencies On A Local Level, Jeffrey M. Lown

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Despite calls from within the professional field and external forces, counselors have faced ongoing challenges in their efforts to be effective advocates for their clients and themselves. A review of the literature reveals that throughout the history of the profession, prominent figures have called on counselors to assume advocacy roles, and that some initiatives have been successful in fostering lasting change. However, as counselors and their clients’ needs continue to evolve, so too must strategies to address these needs be reevaluated and new initiatives put into place.

In this paper, I have outlined a committee structure and agenda that seeks …

Prescription For Critical Thinking: A Discussion Of Psychotropic Medication And Counseling, Barton W. Biggs

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

This paper examines questions about the safety and efficacy of psychotropic medication, and looks at how these questions should impact the field of counseling. The paper first looks at increasing rates of use of psychotropic medication, and establishes that nearly every clinical mental health counselor will work with clients who are taking or considering taking such medication. The paper next examines the scientific literature and establishes that there is a legitimate basis for questions to be raised about the safety and efficacy of these medications. The paper goes on to establish that there is a foundation in ethical codes and …

Addressing The Mental Health Needs Of Women In Rural Communities: A Women’S Wellness Group, Andriana Hench

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

This paper explores the mental health needs of women in rural communities. Based on Myers and Sweeny’s Wellness Model (2008), as well as other relevant research, I have developed a group curriculum as a unique intervention to reach this specific population. This paper provides an overview of relevant literature and includes both a handbook for group facilitators and a participant workbook that compliments the facilitator handbook. This group curriculum is suggested for Clinical Mental Health Counselors and other mental health professionals to promote wellness among rural women.

Physical Aggression, Compromised Social Support, And 10-Year Marital Outcomes: Testing A Relational Spillover Model, Kieran T. Sullivan, Lauri A. Pasch, Erika E. Lawrence, Thomas N. Bradbury

Psychology

The purpose of the present study was to test a relational spillover model of physical aggression whereby physical aggression affects marital outcomes due to its effects on how spouses ask for and provide support to one another. Newlywed couples (n = 172) reported levels of physical aggression over the past year and engaged in interactions designed to elicit social support; marital adjustment, and stability were assessed periodically over the first 10 years of marriage. Multilevel modeling revealed that negative support behavior mediated the relationship between physical aggression and 10-year marital adjustment levels whereas positive support behavior mediated the relationship between …

Latina/O First Generation College Students And College Adjustment: An Examination Of Family Support Processes, Patricia R. Cerda-Lizarraga

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

First generation Latina/o college students are at a higher risk for not completing their college degrees when compared to other ethnic minorities due to added barriers and challenges of being the first to go to college. Researchers reported that poor college adjustment is one of the factors contributing to the lack of college completion among Latina/o college students. A few studies exist on the role that family support has on the college adjustment of Latina/o students and these yielded mixed findings. The central role of the family among Latina/o students and their support during the college adjustment period merits attention. …

Suicide Prevention Strategies In Tennessee Community Colleges: A Case Study, Sandra Perley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for college students; annually approximately 1,100 students in institutions of higher education die by suicide. However, most research related to college student suicide was conducted using the sample of 4-year institutions. Community colleges have seldom been included in the sample of suicide research studies. This qualitative case study research explored the student suicide prevention strategies in the 13 community colleges in the Tennessee Board of Regents higher education system. Data were collected from surveys, institutional web sites, and interviews with institutional personnel.

Approximately half of the institutions offer suicide prevention information to …

A How-To Guide To Single-Parent Ministry: An Inside Look To The Single Parent World In The Christian Community, John E. Walker Ii

Senior Honors Theses

The status of the family dynamic in the church has changed significantly, but the cultural understanding of ministers regarding the dynamic has changed little to none. As a result, the church’s ministry has become ineffective to the single-parent community because of ignorance. The goal of this thesis is to help educate Christian ministers and lay staff on the single-parent family condition and ministry opportunities to serve this demographic. This proposition includes information gained from interviews of single-parents, and ministers with experience regarding single-parents by someone with a single-parent upbringing. Overall, the single-parents interviewed stated that the Christian church is missing …

Attachment And Pornography Use: The Influence Of Romantic Attachment Styles, Intimacy, And Pornography Use On Marital Satisfaction, Saudia Twine

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The current study sought to answer the following research questions: First, what is the relationship between attachment, intimacy, pornography use, and marital satisfaction? Second, in what ways does intimacy influence marital satisfaction among pornography users with insecure attachment? Finally, is pornography used to regulate attachment emotions among pornography users with insecure attachment? The study revealed that Pornography Use caused an interaction in the relationship between Intimacy and Marital Satisfaction for those higher in Attachment Avoidance. Pornography Use accounted for 3% unique variance on Marital Satisfaction after controlling for Intimacy and Attachment Avoidance. Results also revealed Intimacy had a direct effect …

Relationship Education And Marital Satisfaction In Newlywed Couples: A Propensity Score Analysis., Rebecca J. Cobb, Kieran T. Sullivan

Psychology

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether premarital relationship education and characteristics of relationship education in a community sample of newlywed couples predicted marital trajectories over 27 months. Newlywed couples (N = 191) completed measures of marital satisfaction 9 times over 27 months, and prior to marriage they provided information about relationship education and demographic, personal, and relationship risk factors for marital distress. Propensity scores (i.e., the probability of receiving relationship education) were estimated using the marital distress risk factors, and used to derive a matched sample of 72 couples who participated in relationship education and 86 couples …

Spiritual Direction & Soul Care: Embracing God’S Presence In Your Practice (Aacc World Conference 2015), John C. Thomas

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Bullying And Victimization Among Children Raised By Grandparents, Oliver W. Edwards

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

Increasing numbers of school-age children are being raised by their grandparents. Yet, a dearth of research investigates the children in these families. The few studies suggest the children experience higher levels of academic, behavioral, and emotional difficulties than their peers. These behaviors are often associated with involvement in bullying, but no empirical research investigates bullying among children raised by their grandparents. This current study helps to fill the noted lack of research in this area and the gap in the literature by investigating the intersection of these two important phenomena – bullying and children raised by their grandparents. This study …

Predictors Of Placement Satisfaction For Foster Youth, Shereen Mcfarlane

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Youth in the foster care system are often removed from their biological families because of challenges to their safety and wellbeing and are often at risk for further placement disruption and poor socio-emotional development. Placement stability is a crucial component to establishing permanency and placement satisfaction might be a contributing factor. This study uses an ecological framework to explore the impact of the foster youth’s ecosystem, such as the foster child, foster parent, child welfare worker, and the placement environment on placement satisfaction. This quantitative study uses secondary data to determine the predictability of these factors on placement satisfaction of …

Comparing Outcomes From An Online Substance Abuse Treatment Program And Residential Treatment Programs For Consumers Who Are Deaf: A Pilot Study, Josphine Wilson Ph.D., Deb Guthmann Ed.D., Jared Embree, Susan Fraker

JADARA

Numerous barriers exist when attempting to provide culturally appropriate substance use disorder (SUD) treatment to persons who are Deaf, including a lack of accessible community-based treatment providers. To address these barriers, the Deaf Off Drugs and Alcohol (DODA) Program has provided culturally and linguistically appropriate cessation and recovery support services via a telemedicine program to Deaf individuals who are clinically diagnosed with a SUD. This study was conducted to assess whether an online SUD treatment program, such as DODA, is an effective way to serve the Deaf population, which is underserved due to communication and other cultural barriers. DODA’s effectiveness …

The Shared Experiences Of Counselors Who Practice In Natural Environments, Bonnie King

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to gain a deep understanding of the shared experiences of therapists who provide counseling in non-traditional, natural environment settings. Eight participants shared their experiences about counseling in nature. The primary research question for this study was: What are the shared experiences of counselors who provide nature-based counseling? A review of the literature of nature-based counseling provided benefits to spending time in nature, descriptions of various types of nature-based counseling, and ethical and legal issues that affect nature-based counselors.

Semi-structured interviews comprised of open-ended questions were used to collect data by phone and …

Predictors Of Binge Eating In College Women, Emily E. Prather

Dissertations

Binge eating has received increased attention in the psychological literature, as the health consequences are becoming increasingly well known. The prevalence of subclinical binge eating (i.e., binge eating that is not associated with a diagnosable eating disorder) is elevated among college women, some of whom will go on to develop more serious problems. Thus, improved understanding of subclinical binge eating in this population can help to inform prevention and intervention strategies.

In a sample of 472 college women this study evaluated the relationships among four theoretically relevant factors hypothesized to predict binge eating: trait anger, anger suppression, impulsivity, and emotion …

Do Stress Levels Differ Between First Semester Nursing Student Early In The Semester Vs. The End Of The Semester?, Alissy Heisey

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study intends to determine how stress levels change over time in nursing students in the Baccalaureate program at East Tennessee State University. The instrument utilized for this survey was the Perceived Stress Scale by Mind Garden, Inc. This survey was passed at the beginning of the semester and at the end of the semester. There was no-significant difference found between the two time spots, leading us to conclude that the level of stress perceived by nursing students is a steady factor during their school semester.

Basic Counseling Techniques Training: The Differential Effects Of Two Models On Skill Development And Fully Functioning, Christopher Loyd Carver

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of two models of basic counseling skill training on the development of fully functioning, and the frequency of basic skill utilization as assessed at the end of the course. Two groups of students were taught using the Carkhuff Human Resource Development model (1971) and Egan’s Skilled Helper model (2002). They were then given the Strathclyde inventory to assess fully functioning early and at the end of the semester, and skill frequency count was conducted on all participants. Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon tests were conducted to determine difference between groups in both measures. Additionally, …

A Comparison And Exploration Of Arkansas Professional School Counselor Activities Across Poverty, Angela Mccoy Harless

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study is an exploration of the actual and preferred practices of Arkansas K-12 school counselors in low, mid, and high-poverty schools using the School Counselor Activity Rating Scale (Scarborough, 2005), follow-up questionnaires, and interviews. The qualitative component of this study brings to light the contextual factors that prevent school counselors from providing direct and indirect services to students outlined in the ASCA National Model. This research study examines the hidden dynamics of the counselor/principal relationship and how this relationship has a pivotal role in the realization of a fully comprehensive developmental school counseling program. This study contributes to the …

Transgenerational Transmission And The Relationship Between Parents With Symptoms Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder And Their Children With Symptoms Of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Donald Dean Campany

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined parental symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and its effects on children referred for treatment with symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Data was collected from children who had been diagnosed ADHD. This research attempted to determine whether negative family functioning can be predicted between caregivers with symptoms of PTSD and their children with symptoms of ADHD, and whether PTSD caregiver’s behavior is an indication of ADHD like symptoms in their children. Results revealed that there was a not a significant difference in behavior of children with symptoms of ADHD when compared to parents with symptoms …

Psychological And Social Variables Impacting Young Adults Caring For Severely Mentally Ill Mothers, Courtney Gale Deloney

Dissertations

This dissertation study examined the psychological and social functioning of young adults who care for their severely mentally ill mothers; in doing so this study examined the independent variables coping style, perceived stress, quality of life, and resilience. The dependent variables considered were race, socioeconomic status, support group participation, and living in the same household as one’s mother. Young adulthood was examined as a distinct period of human development. The policy of deinstitutionalization led many families to become caregivers for their severely mentally ill relatives. While some knowledge on this exists, little is known about the experiences of young adult …

The Unspoken Truth: A Practical Guide For Pastors, Helping Abusers Break The Cycle Of Sexual Abuse, Teresa Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

For years, men, women and children have suffered silently as a result of sexual abuse. The abuser suffers and the cycle continues. Destroying the silence of sexual abuse is the beginning of breaking the cycle. Research has shown that the abuse goes far beyond the actual act and causes physical, emotional, and psychological damage. This project will investigate and encourage open discussion, address the abuse, and give valuable insight to the causes and consequences of sexual abuse. This project will offer prescriptive and preventative measures to all parties involved, in an effort to heal and stop sexual abuse. Through research …

The Relationship Of Prayer And Forgiveness To God Attachment, Romantic Attachment, And Relationship Satisfaction In Christian Married Adults: A Mediation Study, Joshua Michael Myers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Research demonstrates that one's attachment to God accounts for unique variance in Relationship Satisfaction after accounting for the effects of Romantic Attachment. To date, only one study has sought to find a similar finding within a predominately married population. However, no study has attempted to partially explain this effect. This study seeks to answer the following research question: does Prayer and Forgiveness partially mediate the relationship between God Attachment and Relationship Satisfaction in a married population? It is hypothesized that Prayer and Forgiveness will partially mediate the relationship between God Attachment and Relationship Satisfaction in a married population. The study …

An Analysis Of The Impact Of Emotional Literacy Instruction On At-Risk Students, Shannon H. Garcia

Dissertations

This study examined the impact of social-emotional literacy instruction for at-risk adolescents ages 13 to 18 at the high school level. Of particular interest is the impact of social-emotional literacy instruction on at-risk youth Grades 9-12 in secondary high schools’ 8-week-long social-emotional literacy class through Project AWARE, particularly in the areas of suspension, expulsion, attendance, connectivity, attitude toward school, resiliency, and relational aggression rates; the data were analyzed using archival data and teacher interview. Project AWARE, the social-emotional literacy intervention examined in this study, educates and provides mentorship for at-risk students, while also providing a group educational component on relationships …

How Are Therapeutic Professionals Interpreting Ethics In Practice With Migrant Clients?, Madeline A. Brenner

Art Therapy Counseling Final Research Projects

The research study aimed to understand the praxis of mental health professionals working with immigrant and refugee populations in relation to ethical guidelines and agency protocols. Through practice-led inquiry, seven mental health professionals were interviewed from differing therapeutic backgrounds and orientations; including Marriage and Family Therapy, Clinical Social Work, Counseling, and Art Therapy. The researcher sought to identify how theory of therapeutic professionals differ, where professionals are engaging in culturally competent practice and what impact this has on the therapeutic relationship. Participants identified the key components of a positive therapeutic relationship include trust, cultural competency, approach, presence, as well as …

Digital Natives: The Nature Of Technology On College Student Mental Health, Nicole Crump

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Anxiety and depression are consistent issues experienced amongst college student populations in the United States (American College Health Association, 2013). However, there is limited research on what contributes to the cause of increased student reports of anxiety and depression. While there are many contributing factors to a student’s experience of anxiety and depression, little to no research has looked at the effect of social media and nature on college student anxiety and depression. The researcher has provided a literature review on the benefits and barriers of nature and technology use on college student’s health. The researcher conducted a multivariate correlational …