Psychology Commons^™

Young Adults In Transition: Factors That Support And Hinder Growth And Change, Mona Treadway

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Young adults between 18 and 24 years of age with mental illness are significantly less likely to receive mental health services than adults in older age groups.Nationally, higher rates of depression, substance abuse, and psychiatric issues are reported in this age group.A therapeutic model referred to as young adult transition programs has emerged to better address the unique developmental challenges found in this age group.This study examined 317 critical incidents that supported or hindered young adults in a therapeutic transition program.The research design used a combination of an instrumental case study and critical incident technique (CIT).Using interviews and the Outcome …

Parental Advocacy, Stress, And Efficacy: The Hidden Costs Of Diagnosing Learning Disabilities, Katherine A. Behar

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The allocation of educational resources has been a widely debated topic. While scholars and government officials have focused their attention on how resources are divided, significantly less attention has been paid to how parents are advocating for their children to obtain necessary resources themselves. Existing data agree that fighting for educational resources can cause stress to parents (Levine, 2006). This is especially true for parents of children with learning disabilities. These children often require more individualized academic and educational attention. Currently, little research exists which focuses on the relationship between parental stress and parental self efficacy (the belief that one …

Graduate Students And Geropsychology: Growing Need And Lacking Interest, Samantha Marie Hague

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

As the population of older adults continues to grow with time, the need for geropsychology clinicians also grows. Many barriers exist that contribute to why elderly individuals are not receiving adequate psychological treatment. This study explores why graduate psychology students are often disinterested in working with older adults and whether it is possible that student interest could increase with more geropsychology graduate coursework and practicum training opportunities. This study also explores the possible connection between quality of elderly relationships and interest in working with the elderly. The results of this study support that Clinical and Counseling Psychology graduate programs lack …

Correctional Mental Health Providers’ Experiences Of Forced Termination On The Working Alliance, Karin Gepp

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This is a study of the experiences of forced terminations in correctional facilities, particularly their impact on the working alliance between mental health service providers and incarcerated patients. The study includes an introduction to the research problem and its context, followed by a discussion of the literature on the working alliance in psychotherapy, conditions of forced terminations in the treatment of the incarcerated, the problem of forced termination and the working alliance in the correctional settings, and the study’s research methodology. The research methodology is qualitative and includes semi-structured interviews of providers in correctional settings and an analysis of these …

Exploring Acceptable Alternatives To Psychotherapy For Distressed Clients In Integrated Primary Care, Paul N. Leandri

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Integrated Primary Care (IPC) is an effective, cutting-edge modality to treating both physiological and psychological problems using a holistic approach within primary care. One of the primary challenges associated with IPC is figuring out the most cost-effective way of treating the largest possible number of patients with behavioral health-related conditions, within staffing constraints. This has led to a preference for time-limited psychological interventions that work well for common mild behavioral health conditions. These time-limited interventions, however, are often inadequate for patients struggling with moderate to severe psychological distress. As such, we need alternative treatment options for this population. Research has …

From Dawn To Dan: The Journey Of Karate Masters., Brandon W. Maynard

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The contributions martial arts training can make to mental health treatment have scarcely been explored by researchers in psychology. Practitioners of martial arts, such as karate, report that the training improves self-esteem, concentration, and emotional well-being. Several studies have provided empirical evidence in support of these anecdotal reports, but very few have utilized participants who have advanced training in martial arts to examine the emotional impact such training has across time. This study takes a phenomenological approach to studying the emotional effects training has had on master-level martial artists (fourth-degree black belt or higher) in the discipline of karate. Eight …

An Exploration Into The Lived Experience Of The Jazz Funeral, Caryn R. Whitacre

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This qualitative phenomenological study set out to explore and understand the subjective lived experience of the Jazz Funeral ritual of New Orleans, Louisiana. This dissertation was guided by two principal research questions: 1) What is the lived experience of participation in the Jazz Funeral ritual? and 2) What elements of the Jazz Funeral are beneficial to bereavement as reported by the subjects? Research data were collected and arranged through the utilization of phenomenological research protocol. By recognizing that people are the experts of their own lived experience and listening to participants describe their lived experiences of this ritual, this researcher …

The Patient-Physician Relationship From The Perspective Of Economically Disadvantaged Patients, Myah Caruso

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This qualitative study utilized interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) to explore the patient-physician relational experience from the perspective of patients of lower socioeconomic status (SES). Research shows that physicians engage in collaborative care less frequently with patients of lower SES than with their more advantaged counterparts and that lower SES patients participate less during office visits. Information on the patient-physician relational mechanisms that inhibit collaborative care from the perspective of low SES patients is a key gap in this literature. Five adult patients from the lower socioeconomic strata, who were established patients of a primary care physician were recruited from a …

Childrearing Challenges In Parental Adhd: A Pilot Study And Proposed Research Design, David Porrino

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

An emerging body of research on the functional impairments of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in adults notes that parents with ADHD are likely to experience challenges in several facets of childrearing (e.g., Chronis-Tuscano et al., 2008a; Murray & Johnston, 2006). Despite empirical evidence suggesting parents with ADHD have particular kinds of struggles, research evaluating the effects of adult ADHD treatment on parenting challenges is quite scarce. By contrast, a breadth of research indicates that adult ADHD interventions, particularly pharmacotherapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), are effective in ameliorating ADHD symptoms. Further, CBT has shown to be an efficacious adjunctive treatment for ADHD …

Iraqi Refugees And Cultural Humility: A Mental Health Professional Training Program, Megan Brunmier Marsh

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This paper describes the development of a thorough nine-hour professional training program targeting the cultural humility of mental health clinicians who are treating new Iraqi refugee communities. I used the 15-step evidence-based Comprehensive Program Development Model created by Calley (2009) for the design of the structure, curriculum, and materials for this proposed program (Calley, 2011). The training program is informed by conceptual frameworks of cultural competence and humility, ecological systems theory, and social justice with goals of (a) exploring clinicians’ cultural attitudes in order to improve self-awareness at multiple levels (e.g., physiological, psychological, interpersonal), (b) increasing clinicians’ knowledge about Iraqi …

First Mothers/Birth Mothers: Social Support And Long-Term Psychological Stress And Growth, Megan L. Lyons

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Adoption has become a growing area of research. While much of the existing research focuses on the adoptees and their adoptive parents, this study aimed to focus on the first mothers/birth mothers and their life experiences related to placing an infant, or infants, for adoption. The aim of this study was to determine areas for future clinical focus and support program development throughout the adoption process. The study worked toward this goal by considering the availability and impact of perceptions of social support on the psychological stress and growth of first mothers/birth mothers post-adoption and sought to: (a) determine the …

Disclosure Of Gender And Sexual Minority Identities In Military Cultures Post-Dadt, Katherine E. Evarts

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT) banned legally-supported discrimination against United States (US) military personnel who identify with sexual minority identities, but has the repeal also had an impact on gender and sexual minority veteran and military personnel comfort with disclosing such identities to Veterans Affairs (VA) mental health providers? The current research illuminates veteran and military personnel perspectives about this possible shift in VA mental health care culture, as well as about ways that such disclosure could be further facilitated in order to improve the care provided. US veterans who identify with sexual minority identities have multiple, …

The Experience Of Qigong Among Women Cancer Survivors, Jennifer Sveund

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Research has shown that qigong can be beneficial for a variety of health related conditions; However, evidence suggests that in the United States, a lack of well designed clinical trials limits the efficacy of qigong in the context of cancer treatment. Research has indicated that careful consideration should be given to the design of randomized control trials using qigong due to the conflicting philosophical methodologies. In the United States, qigong has been under investigated, particularly lacking are qualitative inquiries into qigong use and cancer survivorship. This study is an interpretative phenomenological inquiry that sought to understand women’s experience of qigong …

"You're Doing Fine, Right?": Adolescent Siblings Of Substance Abusers, Cynthia E. Clarfield

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

There has been a rising interest in addiction medicine and addiction treatment in both the medical and behavioral health science fields. Research suggests having a family member with a substance abuse problem has negative impacts on both physical and mental health (Orford, Copello, Velleman, & Templeton, 2010a). Despite advances toward understanding the experiences of family members affected by a loved one's addiction, the siblings of substance abusers have been largely excluded from scientific research and literature. As a result, little is known about how siblings experience the impacts of a brother or sister's addiction; even less is known about the …

The Effects Of Session And Outcome Rating Scales Used In A Wraparound Setting, Alexandra Giatrelis

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study investigated the usefulness of session and outcome rating scales within a wraparound program in New England. The extensive needs of youth with serious emotional disturbance (SED) categorizations and their families require highly coordinated systems of care that not only deliver adequate services, but contend with the momentum of often contentious and unsuccessful relationships these families have typically experienced with social service systems. Outcome and session rating scales, along with measures of fidelity, hold the potential to provide rapid feedback on both outcome (outside of sessions) and working alliance (within sessions), as well as the consumers’ perspective on the …

Behavioral Interventions That Treat Aggression: Employees Implementation Experiences Within Adult Psychiatric Settings, Alyse Catherine Donovan

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

When adults hospitalized within inpatient psychiatric settings engage in aggressive behavior, it can have detrimental psychological and physical effects on not only other patients, but on hospital employees. Several adult psychiatric inpatient facilities have successfully reduced rates of patient aggression through the implementation of behavioral interventions. While there is much research on factors that lead to successful implementation of evidence based interventions, the literature had not yet explored the subjective experience of employees who are asked to implement behavioral plans in adult psychiatric settings. This study utilized Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis to gain an understanding of employees’ perceptions of barriers and …

Service Members’ Perspectives On Treatment: Bridging The Military-Civilian Divide, Kevin R. O'Leary

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The difficulties some service members have reintegrating into and reconnecting with civilian society are well established across the literature. Despite the veteran’s voices describing these struggles to connect with civilians and the current zeitgeist in psychotherapy on the therapeutic relationship and multicultural competence, little attention has been given to the implications of the civilian military divide in therapy. This study used a mixed method approach to conduct an exploratory study of 70 service members’ perceptions of working with a civilian and active duty or veteran therapist and what factors contribute to therapeutic alliance. Of interest are service members’ beliefs about …

Psychologists' Hope For Recovery At First Diagnosis Schizophrenia: A Training Model, Marissa Sicley-Rogers

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Recovery from schizophrenia is a widely disputed topic among mental health professionals. In spite of scholarly research supporting improved prognosis in schizophrenia, some mental health professionals maintain the belief that recovery from schizophrenia is impossible. A constructionist paradigm frames an understanding of recovery, and describes how different recovery models of schizophrenia may be integrated. From a qualitative approach, this study explores diagnosed individuals’ personal accounts of recovery from schizophrenia. Narrative research provides a framework for analyzing first person, written accounts of recovery from schizophrenia from a criterion-based sample of 18 participants. The results of the study provide insight into dynamic …

An Investigation Of In-Session Client Change Language And Stage Of Change, Reyna Patricia Puentes

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In the practice of Motivational Interviewing, recognizing language is important for understanding where a persona stands in terms of readiness to change when considering a behavior change, such as risky alcohol use. Few studies have examined relationships between language expressed in a BMI and survey measures of stage of readiness to change. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the types of client language in a single BMI session and associations with stage of change among a sample of emergency room/trauma department patients screened for positive BAC and/or risky alcohol use (n = 196). Using structural equation modeling, …

The Effectiveness Of Low Intensity Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Li-Cbt) On Reducing Symptoms Of Depression In Arab Clients, Safa Ali Bait Jameel

Theses

This study examines whether an awareness of LI-CBT skills would result into the reduction of symptoms of depression in Arab clients. The study exclusively applies two techniques, behavioral activation (BA) and cognitive restructuring (CR), to clients of varying levels of depression residing in the United Arab Emirates. Utilizing a pre-test-post-test design, 50 participants (25treatment and 25control) were included in the analyses of the study and level of depression was measured using the PHQ-9. Results indicate that 76 percent of participants in the treatment group showed improvement in their level of depression, when compared to 30.4 percent of participants in the …

Experiences Of Trust In Longer-Lasting Formal Youth Mentoring Relationships, Michelle Levine

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this longitudinal qualitative study was to investigate youth experiences of trust and mentor experiences supporting youth trust in longer-term formal youth mentoring relationships. Trust was defined as youth relying on and confiding in their mentors based on experiences of mentor reliability, honesty, and emotional sensitivity and protection from emotional harm. Thematic analysis was conducted on interview data from a longitudinal dataset, involving analysis of narratives from interviews (n=147) with youth, mentors, and parents for mentoring matches that lasted at least two years. Overall, participants in this study identified multiple ways trust was experienced by youth and supported …

Does Use Of Neutralization Techniques Predict Delinquency And Substance Use Outcomes?, Erin C. Siebert

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

This study was part of a larger research intervention that uses motivational interviewing (MI) as part of an in-school substance abuse intervention in local high schools in the greater Seattle area. Our aim was to test hypothesized relationships between marijuana use, other delinquent behavior, and neutralization techniques used by participants and determine their impact on the effectiveness of an MI-based intervention. Hypotheses were that neutralization technique use would decrease the effectiveness of an MI intervention due to the conflicting cognitive processes of justification and developing discrepancy. Of the 84 participants that completed Intake assessments, 60% were male and identified as …

Primer On Perspectives And Practices Of Trauma, Trevor P. Haase

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

A large majority of the general population has endured at least one traumatic event in their lifetime and many will seek counseling services to process and resolve the impact from the traumatic experience. Counselors and mental health providers will likely encounter trauma survivors in a high frequency in the majority of therapeutic settings. Practicum and internship level counselors are often not prepared for navigating the complexities that arise working with trauma survivors. This paper outlines the various perspectives and practices of the works of Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, Narrative Therapy, and Trauma Focused-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. These orientations were designed …

Intolerance Of Uncertainty, Worry, And Problem-Solving: Implications For Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Melissa Patrick

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

This study was conducted to examine the correlations between Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), worry, intolerance of uncertainty (IU), and problem-solving. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire for DSM-IV (GADQ-IV), the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ), the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS), and the Problem-Solving Inventory (PSI) were used to assess the relationship between GAD, worry, IU, and problem-solving. While the GADQ-IV, PSWQ, and the IUS assessed generalized anxiety, worry, and intolerance of uncertainty as single constructs, the PSI assessed problem-solving in terms of problem-solving confidence, approach avoidance style, and personal control. Data of 86 students in general psychology classes at Pittsburg …

Stigmatizing Attitudes Towards Men And Women Combat Veterans With Combat Related Ptsd, Heather L. Caldwell

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Veterans with PTSD experience stigma and discrimination. The extent to which women combat veterans with PTSD may experience stigma and discrimination has yet to be investigated. This is critical given the increasing number of women veterans exposed to combat and combat trauma. Level of familiarity may affect stigmatizing beliefs. Gender may also affect stigmatizing beliefs. To assess this, 126 undergraduate students (men, n = 69) were randomly assigned to view videos of a man or woman veteran describing combat experience and their PTSD symptoms. Participants completed questionnaires assessing PTSD symptoms, level of familiarity with veterans, and stigmatizing attitudes toward the …

Eating Disorders: Anorexia And Bulimia As Developmental Crises, Ashley M. Barnett

The Kabod

Eating disorders are classified as developmental crises and typically develop during the adolescent years when youths face the identity versus role confusion psychosocial stage of development. Individuals struggling with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa share characteristics similar to those found in a drug addiction. Social comparison theory may be used to explain the way individuals look to culture and media to examine whether their body images are acceptable. This body image comparison may result in an eating disorder, as can an environment where family dynamics are dysfunctional and therefore cannot cultivate healthy life stage development. Both anorexia nervosa and bulimia …

Defining Dimensions In Schizotypy: Factor Structure Replication And External Validation Of The Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire, Brief Revised Updated (Spq-Bru)., Elaina Montague

Department of Psychology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Background: Schizotypy is a construct that captures quantitative dimensions of the psychosis continuum from clinical to non-clinical expressions. The purpose of this study was to determine the factor structure and criterion validity of a newly revised self-report measure, the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire–Brief Revised Updated (SPQ-BRU; Davidson, Hoffman, & Spaulding, 2016) for predicting later cognitive-perceptual experiences in college undergraduates.

Method: The data analytic sample was comprised of 2,474 undergraduate students (female = 71.9%) attending a university in the Midwest. First, we aimed to identify a model of best fit by comparing latent measurement models of schizotypy using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). …

Dancing Through The Pain: Dance As A Psychotherapeutic Outlet, Courtney Douglas

Honors Projects

Dance has become a popular sport and hobby in more recent years. Many schools now provide options for dance classes, and universities have created degrees in dance. Dance may provide a therapeutic factor as well. This study aimed to identify the age at which participants began to dance as an outlet for positive or negative emotions. This study also examined whether being a life-long dancer, as compared to someone who has recently started dancing, has effects on the general well-being and depression levels of the dancer. Results show that the average age participants found dance as a useful outlet for …

Evaluation Of A Group-Based Resilience Intervention For Typhoon Haiyan Survivors, Ma. Regina Hechanova, Pia Anna P. Ramos, Lynn Waelde

Psychology Department Faculty Publications

This study evaluated the impact of Katatagan, a culturally adapted, group-based, and mindfulness-informed resilience intervention developed for disaster survivors in the Philippines. The intervention aimed to teach six adaptive coping skills: harnessing strengths, managing physical reactions, managing thoughts and emotions, seeking solutions and support, identifying positive activities, and planning for the future. Pre- and post-intervention assessments were conducted with 163 Typhoon Haiyan survivors. Six-month follow-up assessments were obtained for 37 participants. Pre- and post-results showed improvements in participants’ self-efficacy on all six coping skills. The 6-month follow-up revealed significant improvements in four of the six coping skills. Focus group discussions …

Doctrinal Dialogues: Factors Influencing Client Willingness To Discuss Religious Beliefs, Katherine A. Judd

Dissertations

Religious beliefs are an important part of daily life for many individuals; however, these beliefs are often not discussed in therapy settings. As a result, clients and clinicians may encounter barriers to treatment and be unable to harness potentially beneficial aspects of the religious belief system. The current study investigated factors influencing client willingness to discuss religious beliefs with a therapist, with the factors of interest being perceived clinician cultural humility (PCH), religious outlier status (ROS), and religious commitment (RC). Participants in the current study (N = 535) completed measures assessing RC and ROS and viewed a five-minute clip depicting …