Psychology Commons^™

Thwarted Interpersonal Needs, Depression, And Sleep Disturbances In Primary Care: Does Gratitude Help You Sleep?, Heather R. Altier

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sleep disturbances are prevalent in primary care patients and can be exacerbated by interpersonal dysfunction and depression. As well, thwarted interpersonal needs (TIN), including thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness, contribute to depression. However, the presence of gratitude, a cognitive-emotional protective factor, may improve symptoms. We longitudinally examined the mediating role of depressive symptoms on the relation between TIN and sleep disturbances, and the moderating role of gratitude on the TIN-sleep disturbances and depression-sleep disturbances linkages. Our primary care patient sample (N = 223) completed self-report surveys at baseline (T1) and at a one-year follow-up (T2; n = 97). Patients …

Examining The Warm Handoff In Rural Integrated Care, Jamie Tedder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An ever-growing body of evidence supports the efficacy of integrated care as a treatment approach; however, less is known about what specific components of integrated care are most effective. This is especially true of warm handoffs, which are an often discussed but understudied process in integrated care. A total of 246 patient charts were reviewed to determine if type of referral (warm handoff or traditional) increased the likelihood of follow-up with behavioral health services as well as factors that might impact this relationship. There were no significant differences between type of referral and likelihood of follow-up with behavioral health services. …

Mental Healthcare Providers' Personality And Its Relation To Preferences Of Client Personality, Taylor R. Rodriguez

Master's Theses

The incorporation of personality assessment and client treatment preferences in psychotherapy has implications for therapeutic processes and outcomes (e.g., treatment engagement, retention). While this research has largely focused on client characteristics and traits, mental healthcare providers seem to demonstrate differing perspectives of clients as a function of both their own and their clients’ personalities. However, no prior literature has considered providers’ pretreatment preferences of clients. The current study aimed to examine providers’ unique personality profiles and their associations with preferences for client personality characteristics utilizing a person-centered personality approach (i.e., latent profile analysis). Specifically, the study (1) examined providers’ personality …

Healthy Identity Development Among Black Same-Gender Loving Men: A Mixed Methods Approach, Byron D. Brooks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Black Same-Gender Loving Men (BSGLM) are a population at the juncture of multiple marginalized identities, which may make it difficult to successfully form their identity due to experienced racism and heterosexism from communities to which they belong. Current paradigms of racial/ethnic and sexual identity do not fully capture the complexities of identity development among BSGLM. Moreover, there is scant literature available detailing what the process of identity development looks like among this population and which factors influence identity development among BSGLM. As such, the current study used an exploratory sequential mixed methods design to first discover what healthy identity looks …

The Effectiveness Of A Mindfulness, Acceptance, Valued Action, And Flexible Coping Intervention For Race-Based Stress On Momentary Coping And Distress Symptoms, Jennifer Honculada Martinez

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Racism and racism-related stress has been shown to be associated with negative mental health outcomes among people of color (POC), such as increased depressive and anxious symptoms (e.g., Williams, Neighbors, & Jackson, 2003). Further, approximately up to 98% of all POC report experiencing a racist experience over the past year and in their lifetime, indicating that racism-related stress is a chronic experience. Most research on coping with racism has evaluated the cross-sectional impact of racism and mental health but has yet to identify which coping strategies may be most effective as buffers against the psychological impact of racism. Further, little …

Cross-Age Peer Mentoring: A Meta-Analysis, Samantha Burton

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Youth mentoring programs are a promising intervention for youth, particularly those who experience or are at risk for developing a range of psychological, social, behavioral, and contextual difficulties. Cross-age peer mentoring is a form of formal peer mentoring that matches an older youth mentor with a younger youth mentee to promote positive youth outcomes. The current study used meta-analysis to explore the overall effectiveness of cross-age peer mentoring programs, as well as to explore moderators of cross-age peer mentoring program effectiveness. A comprehensive search of the literature published prior to April 2019 was conducted to identify evaluations of cross-age peer …

Examination Of The Influence Of Consumer Preferences For Cognitive Behavioral Treatment Components And Consumer Effort During Treatment Sessions On Child Welfare Outcomes, Christopher Philip Plant

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Introduction: The current study is a secondary analysis of one arm of a controlled trial evaluating the efficacy of FBT-CW for mothers identified for concurrent child neglect and substance abuse (see Donohue et al., 2014). FBT-CW is comprised of multiple cognitive behavioral intervention components targeting skill sets that are hypothesized to influence child neglect and/or substance abuse. The primary areas of focus for these interventions include: (a) management of antecedents to substance abuse and/or child neglect, (b) parenting skills training, (c) communication skills training, and (d) job getting and financial management skills. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to …

Menstrual Cycle Changes In Dysregulated Eating Symptoms, Kimberly S. Stevens

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Objective: Animal and human data indicate that fluctuations in ovarian hormones (e.g., estrogen and progesterone) across the estrus/menstrual cycle drive changes in eating behavior. Post-ovulatory phases (i.e., mid-luteal and pre-menstrual in women) correspond to distinct ovarian hormone profiles (i.e., low estradiol or high estradiol coupled with high progesterone) that are known to have stimulatory effects on eating behavior and have been associated with increased risk for emotional eating and binge eating. Nonetheless, other specific components of dysregulated eating (e.g., preoccupation with food, loss of control over eating) that are related to and/or prospectively predict the development of clinical binge eating …

An Exploration Of Social Networking Use And Mental Health In Transgender, Gender Non-Conforming, Gender Non-Binary, And Gender Fluid Persons, Jennifer Trimpey

Doctoral Dissertations

Social networking sites (SNS) allow for rapid information sharing in online spaces. Research in the general public suggests that extended SNS use corresponds with poor mental health outcomes such as depression and anxiety. Research regarding SNS use in LGBT populations seems to promote interpersonal connectedness. While such studies tend to include gender non-conforming persons (GNC), this group often represents a minimal proportion of participants. This study sought to explore SNS and mental health in persons identifying as GNC. A grounded theory approach was used to analyze the data to develop a substantive theory regarding SNS and mental health in this …

Examination Of Factors Reported By Athletes To Interfere With Their Lives Outside Of Sports, Jesse Scott

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The original Sport Interference Checklist (SIC) is a mental-health screening instrument designed to assess the extent to which mental health factors interfere with athletes’ performance during sport training or competition. In addition, the SIC appraises whether athletes are interested in pursuing psychological treatment for the aforementioned factors. Although validated, the SIC does not assess how the aforementioned factors affect athletes’ performance outside of sports. Doing so would permit professionals to examine the influence of these factors across sport training, sport competition, and life outside of sports.

The purpose of this study was to determine the psychometric properties and clinical utility …

Exploring The Relationship Between Mindfulness, Self-Compassion, And Empathy In Student Therapists, Nicole Montes

Dissertations

Literature suggests that the practice of mindfulness may foster self-compassion within the practitioner. Mindfulness is also associated with increased empathy towards others. The current study explored the relationship between a mindfulness intervention and student clinicians’ levels of self-compassion and empathy towards a mock “client.” Graduate student clinicians were randomly assigned to two groups: one that participated in a mindfulness exercise then viewed a mock client video, and another that did not participate in the mindfulness exercise and went directly to viewing the mock client video. Participants’ levels of empathy towards the client and self-compassion were measured. The results revealed no …

Implicit Bias And Voluntarily Childfree Adults, Virginia Elizabeth Powell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study aimed to determine if there is a negative bias towards voluntarily childfree adults or an association of negative views and attitudes with voluntarily childfree adults, controlling for other participant characteristics such as race, religion, or sexual orientation. At this stage in the research, voluntarily childfree adults are generally defined as legal adults who have the intention to remain childfree for the rest of their lives, due to reasons other than fertility issues. A negative view or bias is defined as any attitude which is not a desirable interpretation of behavior or lifestyle. A negative bias against voluntarily …

Psychopathy Assessment And Related Constructs: Differences And Distinctions For Primary And Secondary Psychopaths, Simon Saleem

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the assessment of psychopathy from the perspectives of two self-report scales that differ substantially their construction and conceptual approach to the fundamental clinical subtyping of psychopaths: primary versus secondary psychopathic presentations. The self-report scales used in this study were the Levenson Self-Report of Psychopathy Scale (LSRP; Levenson et al., 1995) and the Perkins’ Alienation Scale-Short Version (PAS; Perkins & Harper, 1998). It was hypothesized that the presence of psychopathy would demonstrate significant presence in the distribution of undergraduate students and additionally, that these measures would demonstrate construct validity and replicate previously established relationships between psychopathy measures and …

Effects Of Perceived Poverty And Chaotic Living Conditions On Externalizing Problems In At-Risk Adolescents, Margaret Bullerjahn

Master's Theses

Adolescent externalizing behaviors have consistently been related to both poverty and family dysfunction within the psychological literature; however, the distinction between the effects of objective poverty and perceived poverty on adolescent behavior is relatively new. The current study aimed at understanding the relationship between adolescents’ perceived poverty and their engagement in externalizing behaviors. The sample for this study is 194 at-risk youths in a military-style residential program. Participants completed a series of questionnaires addressing perceptions of their family’s financial status, family chaos, the number of daily routines practiced within their home, and history of externalizing behaviors. Additionally, information about participants’ …

Mindfulness And Technology: Evaluating An Online Mindfulness Intervention For Symptoms Related To Sexual Assault, Erica Catherine Johnson

Dissertations

Sexual assault has been found to increase the risk of distressing psychological symptoms including PTSD, depression, somatization, drug and substance use, lower quality of life and experiential avoidance. As such, interventions for reducing the distress and negative impacts of sexual assault are of importance. Mindfulness is of particular interest as it addresses one of the prominent factors known to maintain psychological distress after trauma, experiential avoidance (Polusny et al., 2004; Merwin et al., 2009). Furthermore, an online mindfulness-based intervention can increase the accessibility and reduce the barriers to treatment. A within subjects repeated measures open clinical trial design was used …

The 23: Racial And Other Demographic Differences In The Assignment Of Risk Factors For Individuals Found Not Guilty By Reason Of Insanity In Virginia, Dominique Raquel Blanchette

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (NGRI) acquittees uniquely walk the line of involvement in both the criminal justice and mental health systems, both of which have literature indicating the presence of underlying racial biases related to practices and outcomes. The current study examined 366 forensic charts from an inpatient psychiatric hospital in Virginia to examine potential differences in the number of risk factors assigned for NGRI acquittees based on a variety of demographic variables. Information about demographic characteristics, psychiatric history, and criminal history was recorded and analyzed. It was hypothesized that younger age, male gender, a psychotic diagnosis, violent …

A Multi-Dimensional Model Of Sexual Stigma And Relationship Satisfaction Among Female Same-Sex Couples: The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy Of Rejection Sensitivity, Alexander Thomas Shappie

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Sexual stigma is associated with impaired relationship functioning among sexual minority couples and is associated with a variety of negative outcomes that result in an inequitable burden for members of this population. While there is considerable evidence that sexual stigma and minority stress are related to individual health outcomes, less research has examined relationship health. The present study provides an important contribution to the literature because it was the first to offer a dyadic model that tested the relatedness between all three individual-level manifestations of sexual stigma (i.e., enacted, internalized, and perceived sexual stigma) and relationship satisfaction among same-sex couples. …

Mindfulness And Its Impact On Adaptive Coping And Psychological Well-Being: An Intervention For Undergraduate Students, Charles Bradley Freligh

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The concept of mindfulness has been shown to positively impact psychological well-being, and one application of mindfulness-based interventions has been the development and implementation of courses specifically for college students, a population that has been shown to be particularly vulnerable to the negative impacts of stress. While these interventions have displayed beneficial outcomes, the mechanisms of how mindfulness exerts its impact remain unclear. One potential mechanism of mindfulness’ enhancement of well-being may be through its cultivation of an adaptive coping style in which an individual becomes more likely to approach and investigate stressors rather than avoid them. In this study, …

Group Treatment Effectiveness For Substance Use Disorders: Abstinence Vs. Harm Reduction, Jill D. Parramore

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to compare group treatment effectiveness for substance use disorders within the U.S. across treatment philosophies as it relates to the primary research question, Is there a significant difference of group treatment effectiveness between Abstinence and Harm Reduction treatment philosophies? It was hypothesized that group treatment will remain an effective intervention to treat substance use disorders between treatment philosophies and that no significant differences exist between-group comparisons. The aim of this study is to provide evidence of treatment effectiveness that will ultimately improve treatment outcomes for substance use disorders, provide guidance for …

Coping Self-Efficacy As A Potential Moderator Of The Relationship Between Sexual Orientation And Negative Mental Health Outcomes, James M. Macchia

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Sexual minority individuals (i.e., those who identify as a sexual orientation other than heterosexual) have consistently been linked to an increased risk of negative mental health outcomes. The process of coping can impact the content and severity of said outcomes, and one’s ability to cope is often predicted by the concept known as coping self-efficacy (i.e., one’s belief in his or her ability to cope). This study aimed to assess the effects of sexual orientation, coping self-efficacy, and their interactions on mental health by looking at different aspects of coping self-efficacy as potential moderating variables. Self-perceptions of coping skills were …

Alcohol Use And Drinking-Related Eating Restriction Behaviors Among College Students, Peter Preonas

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The combination of eating restrictions and alcohol use is a prevalent problem on college campuses. Some students engage in eating restrictions prior to drinking to limit their overall caloric intake or to enhance intoxication effects. To date, limited research suggests that drinking-related eating restriction behaviors are associated with additional and unique health risks relative to high-risk drinking or eating restrictions alone. As such, additional research examining this unique, risky set of behaviors is warranted. Consequently, the present study aimed to address gaps in the literature by further examining the risks associated with drinking-related eating restrictions and testing trait factors related …

Symptom Presentation Of Sexually Abused Youth: Associations With Abuse Attributions, Brittany Biles

Department of Psychology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Child sexual abuse (CSA) outcomes are heterogeneous. Some victims display a combination of externalizing behaviors (e.g., aggression) and internalizing symptoms (e.g., depression), while others present with minimal symptoms (Domhardt, Munzer, Fegert, & Goldbeck, 2015). Among the factors that have been explored as relating to CSA outcomes are child characteristics (e.g., age; Dube et al., 2005), abuse-specific variables (e.g., abuse severity; Stroebel et al., 2012), and family variables (e.g., familial social support; Ryan, Kilmer, Cause, Watanabe, & Hoyt, 2000). Although much of the literature supports these factors as contributing to outcomes following CSA, conclusions have been inconsistent. Research has begun to …

Feasibility And Validity Of Asking Patients To Define Individual Levels Of Meaningful Change On Patient-Reported Outcomes, Salene M.W. Jones, Yuxian Du, Ari Bell-Brown, Kaylin Bolt, Joseph M. Unger

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Purpose: Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are frequently used in clinical care to monitor treatment response. However, most guidelines on PRO use treat all patients the same. This study tested the feasibility and validity of a method for determining individually meaningful change in PRO measures.

Methods: Participants (n = 398) completed 12 pain and distress questions to define individually meaningful change. This mixed-methods study used both quantitative and qualitative analyses, including descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, and content analysis.

Results: Two-thirds (67%) of the sample reported at least one medical condition, including depression and back pain. Most participants (70%–90%) were able to answer …

Creatively Exploring Self: Applying Organic Inquiry, A Transpersonal And Intuitive Methodology, Larisa J. Bardsley Phd

The Qualitative Report

This article explores the merit of using Organic Inquiry, a qualitative research approach that is most effectively applied to areas of psychological and spiritual growth. Organic Inquiry is a research approach where the psyche of the researcher becomes the instrument of the research, working in partnership with the experiences of participants and guided by liminal and spiritual influences. Organic Inquiry is presented as a unique methodology that can incorporate other non-traditional research methods, including intuitive, autoethnographic and creative techniques. The validity and application of Organic Inquiry, as well as its strengths and limitations are discussed in the light of the …

Examining Patterns Of Executive Functioning Across Dimensions Of Psychopathology, Scott Roye

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Executive functioning is a multifaceted collection of higher-order cognitive processes used to perform goal-oriented tasks. Although this construct is heavily researched, a major issue regarding the current literature stems from the influence of task impurity, which interferes with how executive functioning performance is interpreted. Additionally, while executive functioning has been previously explored in clinical populations, less work has evaluated this topic measuring dimensional psychopathology. The present study sought to examine the role of executive functioning, as it relates to dimensional psychopathology. Data was analyzed from a total of 731 individuals between the age of 18-59 years who took part in …

Posttraumatic Growth In The Context Of Grief: Testing The Mindfulness-To-Meaning Theory, Honey Williams

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

The current study utilized a cross-sectional survey design to examine the role of mindfulness and meaning-making in the development of posttraumatic growth following the death of a loved one. Participants were 232 adults (77.2% female, 85% Caucasian), ages 18 to 67 years old (M = 35.7, SD = 12.5) who had experienced the death of a loved one in the last 10 years. Preliminary analysis indicated significant positive bivariate correlations between mindfulness and meaning making (r = .39 ) and mindfulness and posttraumatic growth (r = .20 ), as well significant negative bivariate correlations between mindfulness and …

Factor Predicting Maternal Posttraumatic Stress Symptom Trajectories Following A Natural Disaster: Coping, Social Support, And Family Functioning, Jennifer Clare Piscitello

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Natural disasters are sudden, large-scale events that are associated with significant mental health consequences. Although, most individuals demonstrate resilience, a significant subset of the population develops significant long-term distress (La Greca et al. 2013; Lai, et al., 2015; Lowe & Rhodes 2013; Self-Brown et al., 2014). Moreover, results from emerging longitudinal research suggests that symptom patterns are heterogenous. For example, some individuals recover over time or demonstrate a delayed onset. The most commonly studied post-disaster reaction in adults is posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms. However, the extant literature examining elevated PTS symptoms and related risk factors in disaster research has relied …

No Perfect Syllabus For Distance Learning: Dbt Skills For Deciding How To Teach Throughout Uncertainty, Lynne-Marie Shea

Pedagogy and the Human Sciences

The COVID-19 Pandemic presents a unique set of challenges as we work to continue teaching and learning in the midst of a shared crisis. The processes of sharing and acquiring knowledge that define pedagogical practice, though, is so much more than the sum of the “whats” and “hows” of teaching practice. As we consider how best to remain rooted to pedagogy within the confines created by the Corona Virus, the fusion of present-focused awareness and dialectical theory that is central to Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) provides a framework through which to respond to uncontrollable circumstances with both acceptance and change. …

Exclusionary Beliefs, Multicultural Ideology, Empathy, And Perceived Threat: A Comprehensive Model Of Anti-Immigrant Prejudice, Reigna El-Yashruti

Dissertations

Despite the increased movement of people across national borders, anti-immigrant sentiment continues to pose challenges to immigrant mental health and disrupt intergroup relations. In the USA, where over 14% of the population is comprised of foreign-born individuals, immigrants continue to face prejudice from both the public and political administration. Intergroup Threat Theory (ITT) explains this prejudice as stemming from the perception that the out-group poses a threat to the cultural purity, economic stability, or physical safety of the in-group. Traits that promote group exclusion, such as perceived group superiority (i.e. Right-Wing Authoritarianism; RWA, Social Dominance Orientation; SDO, cultural dominance; CD) …

The Lived Experiences Of Low-Income Mothers Raising Children With Autism, Renee L. Sullivan Ph.D., Leann Stadtlander Ph.D.

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Previous studies indicated that parents raising children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) experience higher rates of stress; however, no qualitative studies have addressed low-income parents’ lived experiences of raising children with ASD. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand the challenges that low-income parents of children with ASD face daily within the framework of family systems theory. Interview questions were used to focus on the impact of income and the core symptoms of ASD (social deficits, communication deficits, and repetitive behaviors) on marital and interpersonal relationships. Although the study was open to both mothers and fathers, only …