Psychology Commons^™

Solitude, Silence, And The Training Of Psychotherapists: A Preliminary Study, Jeffrey B. Van Meter, Mark R. Mcminn, Leslie D. Bissell, Mahinder Kaur, Jana D. Pressley

Faculty Publications - Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program

The spiritual disciplines of silence and solitude have long been practiced within the contemplative Christian tradition as a means of character transformation and experiencing God. Do these disciplines affect the use of silence in psychotherapy for Christian clinicians in a graduate training program? Nineteen graduate students in clinical psychology were assigned to a wait-list control condition or a training program involving the disciplines of solitude and silence, and the groups were reversed after the ftrst cohort completed the spiritual disciplines training. One group, which was coincidentally comprised of more introverted individuals, demonstrated a striking increase in the number of silent …

Context-Dependent Memory Under Stressful Conditions: The Case Of Skydiving, Laura A. Thompson, Keith L. Williams, Paul R. L'Esperance, Jerffrey Cornelius

Faculty Publications - College of Nursing

Two experiments examined the effect of differing levels of emotional arousal on learning and memory for words in matching and mismatching contexts. In Experiment 1, experienced skydivers learned words either in the air or on the ground and recalled them in the same context or in the other context. Experiment 2 replicated the stimuli and design of the first experiment except that participants were shown a skydiving video in lieu of skydiving. Recall was poor in air-learning conditions with actual skydiving, but when lists were learned on land, recall was higher in the matching context than in the mismatching context. …

Spiritual Coping And Well-Functioning Among Psychologists, Paul W. Case, Mark R. Mcminn

Faculty Publications - Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program

The work of psychologists can be stressful and demanding, which calls for an understanding of how psychologists cope with the stress of their work and how they prevent distress by establishing habits of well-functioning. Previous studies on psychologists’ well-functioning and coping behaviors have not considered the role of spiritual practices in the life of the professional. 400 psychologists (69% response rate) returned questionnaires rating their levels of distress, coping behaviors, methods of well-functioning, and religious coping. No overall differences were observed in levels of distress between more religious and less religious psychologists. Spiritual practices, especially attending religious services and prayer/meditation, …

Opportunity Knocks Only Once? Challenging Common Beliefs About Adulthood, Marilyn Montgomery, Camille Debell, Patricia R. Mccarthy, Gerald Parr

Faculty Publications - Graduate School of Counseling

Growth-oriented groups for adults are designed to help individuals learn about themselves for the purpose of making constructive life changes. While the success of such groups always depends to some extent on individual characteristics (e.g., motivation, openness to experience), group success can also be affected by members' beliefs or stereotypes about appropriate age-related behaviour. In this article, proverbs such as Don't change horses mid-stream or Opportunity knocks only once are targeted for discussion by group participants as a means of identifying irrational beliefs, confronting stereotypes, promoting flexible thinking, and examining acceptable adult behaviour.

Stress, Coping, And Success Among Clinical Psychology Graduate Students, Nancy G. Nelson, Carol Dell'oliver, Chris Koch, Robert Buckler

Faculty Publications - Psychology Department

No abstract provided.

Stroop Interference And Working Memory - Reply To Stafford On Koch On Stroop-Differences, Chris Koch

Faculty Publications - Psychology Department

Koch et al. (1999) presented two studies in which cluster analysis was used to examine individual differences in Stroop processing. Stafford (2000) raised two questions concerning the methodology of Study I and the results from Study II. This reply addresses those issues. It is concluded that cluster analysis can be used examine individual differences but that multiple methods of cluster analysis may be appropriate when analyzing data. Further, the results from Study II are consistent with current research on working memory when comparing across participants. The results, however, do suggest that additional research is needed to determine the role of …

Mental Health Needs And Resources In Christian Communities Of South Korea, Lisa Graham Mcminn

Faculty Publications - Department of Sociology

In an effort to understand the mental health needs and resources of Korean Christians, we collected quantitative and qualitative data through surveys and interviews with Korean pastors and Christian educators. Several mental health concerns were identified: the high level of daily stress faced by many Koreans, marriage and family concerns, conflicts between Korean culture and the teachings of the church, and a tendency to keep emotional discomfort suppressed. Mental health resources include deep spiritual commitment to a life of prayer, high levels of commitment to family and community, cultural values of persistence and patience, and reliance on Christian communities for …

Client Weight As A Barrier To Non-Biased Clinical Judgment, Tricia Duncan Hassel, Carol J. Amici, Nancy S. Thurston, Richard L. Gorsuch

Faculty Publications - Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program

A sample of 95 Christian and 68 Non-Christian mental health professionals were given a picture of either an overweight or average-weight male or female client and a generic case vignette. Participants were asked to make clinical judgments of pathology and client attributions for the pictured client. Results indicated that mental health professionals ascribe more pathology and negative attributes to obese clients than to average-weight clients. In addition, Christian mental health professionals are just as likely as non-Christians to ascribe more negative attributes to obese clients. Ways to remove barriers to unbiased psychotherapy and deal with countertransference issues are discussed from …

Christian Spirituality: Introduction To Special Issue - Part 2, Mark R. Mcminn, Todd W. Hall

Faculty Publications - Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program

No abstract provided.

Review Of Miller's "Integrating Spirituality Into Treatment: Resources For Practitioners", Mark R. Mcminn

Faculty Publications - Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program

No abstract provided.

Psychology, Theology & Care For The Soul (The Introduction To Care For The Soul: Exploring The Intersection Of Psychology & Theology), Mark R. Mcminn

Faculty Publications - Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program

No abstract provided.

Effective Fathering And The Quantity And Quality Of Time Spent With Children, Joshua T. Payton Ma

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Research into fathers' parenting is relatively new. New measures have been developed to assess the style and effectiveness of fathering. Many questions remain about the salient elements of effective fathering. The present study was focused on the quantity and quality of time that fathers spend at home and in contact with their children. The primary research questions were (a) What is the relationship between the quantity of time spent with children and the quality of time spent with children? (b) What is the relationship between effective fathering attributes and the quantity of time spent with children? and(c)What is the relationship …

Fathering Appraisals As Predictors Of Children's Stability And Positive Faith Attitudes, Leslie Gambill Brost

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Twenty-eight children (15 male, 13 female, mean age 11.36) and their fathers (mean age 43.11), from various communities in the Western United States, participated as dyads. Fathers completed demographic questions, the Short Version Seven Secrets Survey for Fathers (Roid & Can.field, 1994), and selected questions from the New Personal Fathering Profile (Roid & Can.field, 1999). Children completed a revised Short Version Seven Secrets Survey for Fathers and the Francis Scale of Attitude Towards Christianity (Francis, 1989). Fathers and children completed a shortened version of Factor IV: Emotional Stability from the International Personality Item Pool (Goldberg, 1997). Children's fathering appraisals were …

A Comparison Of Adjudicated Spousal Abusers And Controls Using The Mjvl.Pl-2 And Mcml-Ul, Sandra L. Lundblad

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Approximately 21.000 women per week are assaulted by their domestic partners in the United States (Stamp & Sabourin, l 995). Beasley and Stoltenberg ( 1992) advised that "work with abusive men could benefit from careful attention to the role of anger and personality disorders in this population" (p.316). Research generally indicates that male spousal abusers have been characterized in various ways and nave been created with varying levels of success. In order to design effective prevention and treatment plans, it is important to comprehend the nature of spousal abuse, and what research has to say about intimate abusers and their …

The Role Of Shame In Adolescent Victim And Bully Behaviors: A Validation Study Of The Thurston-Cradock Test Of Shame, Kathy E. Meier

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

This study was designed to investigate the role of shame in adolescent victim and bully behaviors. Shame is an affective experience that involves viewing the self as inadequate, incompetent, worthless, or the like. Chronic shame leads to the belief that the self is flawed or damaged beyond repair. Individuals tend to respond to shame in three primary ways: deflation, inflation/contempt, and aggression. Shame affects people at every developmental stage, but adolescents are particularly prone to shame because they tend to believe others are perpetually evaluating them. This research study sought to investigate the differences in how adolescent ''victims" and "bullies" …

Shame In Adolescence: A Pilot-Study Utilizing The Thurston-Cradock Test, Renee K.P. Botero

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

This study was designed to contribute evidence for the validity of Thurston-Cradock Test (of Shame) and to contribute to the growing set of empirical studies relating to shame dynamics in adolescence. The Thurston-Cradock Test is a newly published projective instrument for assessing shame dynamics. Its use had previously been limited to adult populations. Subjects were research volunteers at adjudicated and a non-adjudicated private high schools ranging in age from 14-18 years. The adjudicated group included 31 subjects, 15 male and 16 female, while the private school group included 21 subjects, 11 male and 10 female. A comparison of means using …

A Therapeutic Model For Amazing Apostasy, Edwin R. Holmes

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Apostasy is the transition involving disengagement from previously held religious beliefs. Social-psychological investigators of the nature and causes of apostasy have identified varied causes for the transition including weak religious socialization (Hunsberger, 1980, p. 159), commitment to intellectualism (Caplovitz & Sherrow, 1977), aversion to the hypocrisy of others, acute trauma or loss, or discontentment with the promises of religion (Hunsberger, McKenzie, Pratt, & Prancer, 1993).

Most experiences of apostasy follow the pattern that socialization theory predicts, that highly religiously socialized individuals adhere to their beliefs and minimally socialized individuals are more likely to discard their beliefs (Hunsberger, 1980, p. 158). …

Effects Of Short-Term Service Ministry Trips On The Development Of Social Responsibility In College Students, Sarah Mott Hopkins

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

This study investigated the impact of service ministry trips on the development of social responsibility in college students at a small Quaker liberal arts university in the Pacific Northwest. Students (50 female, 14 male) who participated on 5 different short-term service ministry trips served as the service ministry group, while students (23 females, 13 males) in a general psychology class served as the control group. Over three administrations of the Global Social Responsibility Inventory, (Starrett 1996) students provided responses that offered support for service ministry trips as a method of increasing a sense of social responsibility in college students. Analysis …

The Effects Of Attachment Disruptions On Cognitive Ability And Academic Success In Adolescents, Lianne C. Lennert

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

This study was designed to explore the relationships between emotionally significant experiences and cognitive functioning. An extensive body of literature already exists linking attachment style to emotional, behavioral, and psychological functioning throughout the life span. There are theoretical as well as empirical reasons to believe that attachment may affect cognitive functioning as well as psychological functioning. Security of attachment affects modulation of arousal and attention, impacts quality of environmental exploration, and may be an essential stimulus for development of certain brain regions. This study adds to this more recent area of exploration of the effects of early attachment experiences, in …

Modern Parents And Postmodern Adolescents Conflicts And Solutions: A Theoretical Model, Benjamin R. Dobbeck

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

The past 30 years has witnessed a dramatic shift in worldview from [he modern m the postmodern. This can be seen everyday in an, architecture, teaching, music- virtually any expressive medium and recent philosophy. The underpinnings for the postmodern shift in culture revolve around 1.hc Lack of absolutes, non-representative language, a new tolerance and diversity for different ideas and beliefs, and a belief that individuals create their own reality in the social context of community. The family is not immune to these culture shifts and is reflecting them in many ways. Parents of the modem era, the era defined by …

Parental Death And The Impact On Grieving Children: A Comparison Of Homicide Or Suicide And Natural Or Accidental Deaths, Brandy Liebscher

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

This study examined the impact of parental death by homicide or suicide on child survivors. Two groups representing grieving children who experienced a parental death by homicide or suicide (N = 19) and children who experienced a natural or accidental parental death (N = 19) were compared. Children in the two groups were matched for age and gender. Scores from a screening instrument, developed by William Worden (1996) to identify grieving children at risk for emotional and behavioral difficulties, were used to compare these groups. No significant differences were found between the two groups for the total screener score and …

A Brief Intervention For Promoting Health And Wellness: A Holistic (Multidimensional) Approach Based Upon Principles Of Individual Systems Theory, Wayne Chappelle

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

This study examined the effects of a 12-week holistic (mult1dimensional) group intervention for promoting health and wellness. A total of 42 young adults (21 males and 21 females) with an average of 18.63 (ill= 1.03) years of age participated in the study. Participants were from a private university in the Pacific Northwest and randomly assigned to: a health-wellness group, a self-help group, and a no-treatment control group. Participants in the self-help group were encouraged to monitor and improve their health in various life dimensions on their own, utilize existing health care resources if necessary, and to report to the researcher …

Hardiness & Spiritual Well-Being As Moderators Of Burnout In Professional Nurses, Kathleen Marie Eichner Sims

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of hardiness and spiritual well-being as moderators of burnout in a random sample of professional nurses in Oregon. The first hypothesis stated that higher levels of hardiness and spiritual well-being would be related to lower levels of burnout. A second hypothesis stated that existential well-being would be positively correlated with hardiness. The third hypothesis stated that age, years of experience, spiritual well-being and hardiness would be related to lower burnout. Hardiness and its components of commitment, challenge and control were measured by the Personal Views Survey II. Spiritual well-being, existential …

Childhood Sexual Abuse And Substance Abuse In Female Inmates, Phyllis M. Martin

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

This study examined the relationship of childhood sexual abuse and substance abuse in female jail inmates residing in a Multnomah County Correctional facility. Consistent with prior research, this population was found lo be emotionally, mentally and socioeconomically disadvantaged. Specifically, the results of this study are compatible with previous studies which show the effects of childhood sexual abuse to involve a higher rate of substance use and other antisocial behaviors including promiscuity and prostitution. One-hundred and six (53.2%) respondents reported a history of childhood sexual abuse. This finding is higher than recent National Justice Bureau of Statistics surveys which found that …

Posttraumatic Stress In Light Rail Operators, Nancy L. Garrison

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of light rail operators who report rail-related traumatic events which result in fear, helplessness or horror. Completed surveys were returned by 69 (64%) of 112 eligible operators. Seventy-four percent of the surveys were returned by men while 23% were returned by women. Thirty-two ( 46%) operators reported having experienced an actual traumatic event while 12 (17%) indicated having experienced a threatened traumatic event. The most frequently occurring and stressful events reported by light rail operators included: hitting and killing, hitting, or nearly hitting pedestrians and vehicles while operating the train. …

The Factor Structure Of Tests Of Attention, Memory, And General Intellectual Function In Mild-To-Moderate Brain-Injured Patients, William D. Ruwe

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Mild-to-moderate brain-injured patients often report a variety of persisting neurocognitive deficits, including both verbal and visual/visuospatial memory dysfunction. To enhance the theoretical understanding of cognitive/intellectual and memory functions and appropriately apply such knowledge clinically, it is important to elucidate more fully the nature of these deficits. Historically, investigations of the construct validity of intellectual and memory tests have been characterized by inconsistency and controversy. Previous factor-analytic studies, especially those in which the subtests of the Wechsler Memory Scales have been evaluated, have provided discrepant results with regard to the identification of the critical factors underlying various neurocognitivc abilities. Such analyses …

Christian Spirituality In A Postmodern Era, Mark R. Mcminn, Todd W. Hall

Faculty Publications - Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program

No abstract provided.

Psychology And The Church: An Exemplar Of Psychologist-Clergy Collaboration, Kathryn M. Benes, Joseph M. Welsh, Mark R. Mcminn, Amy W. Dominguez, Daniel C. Aikins

Faculty Publications - Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program

Despite the increasing attention being given to clergy-psychologist collaboration, many psychologists may wonder what clergy-psychologist collaboration looks like in actual practice. The authors describe an example of clergy-psychologist collaboration involving a careful needs-assessment phase followed by the development of a wide spectrum of preventive, consultative, and direct services. Current challenges include funding, establishment of trust, and the integration of psychology and spirituality. Implications for professional psychologists are discussed.

Prevalence Of Mentoring On Clinical Versus Experimental Doctoral Programs: Survey Findings, Implications, And Recommendations, W Brad Johnson, Christopher Koch, Gregory O. Fallow, Jennifer M. Huwe

Faculty Publications - Psychology Department

Previous research suggests that mentorships are quite important in the development of junior professionals in a range of fields, including psychology. Yet some evidence suggests that clinical doctoral students may be less frequently mentored by graduate faculty than other psychology doctoral students. Results of a survey of clinical and experimental psychology doctorates who earned the degree in four distinct time frames from 1945 to the present indicated that clinical PhDs (53%) were indeed less likely than experimental PhDs (69%) to be mentored. Potential explanations for this discrepancy include the nature of clinical training, diffusion in clinical training, and the advent …

Perception Of Parental Acceptance-Rejection And Satisfaction With Life In Women With Binge Eating Disorder, Nina L. Dominy, W. Brad Johnson, Chris Koch

Faculty Publications - Psychology Department

The authors contribute to the validating literature for binge eating disorder (BED) by examining perceptions of parents and satisfaction with life among obese women with and without BED. Participants were female patients, recruited through a private medical clinic, who were assigned to groups on the basis of body mass index (BMI) and scores on the Questionnaire on Eating and Weight Patterns (QEWP; R. L. Spitzer et al., 1992). Groups consisted of (a) obese women with BED (n = 32). (b) obese women who had no eating disorders (n = 51). and (c) nonobese women with no eating disorders (n = …