Psychology Commons^™

Measuring Empathy, Feedback, Therapeutic Alliance, And Outcome With Sexual Offenders, Adam G. Fenske

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Research has found the therapeutic alliance to be the strongest predictor of successful outcomes from treatment (Orlinsky, Ronnestad, & Willutzki, 2003) . While many populations have been studied to determine successful outcomes through the strengthening of the therapeutic alliance, psychological literature lacks research targeting the specific group of sexual offenders. The present research addressed this gap in psychological literature. Research focused upon three treatment groups involving 19 sexual offenders. The study investigated four hypotheses: (a) symptoms will be reduced as a result of treatment, (b) helping alliance will improve over time in treatment, (c) the strength of the helping alliance …

Interpreter Competency Exam In Mental Health, Sergiy Barsukov

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

The issue of diversity has become one of the most salient among mental health professionals in the past few decades. As the American society becomes more and more diverse the need for professionals who can provide culturally competent services will continue to rise. One of the important aspects of culture is language. When serving clients who are monolingual it is not always possible to find a therapist who fluently speaks the client's language. Therefore, professionals often have to use interpreters in order to adequately serve their clients. Initial research on interpreter competence is concerning, with one study reporting an average …

Motivational Interviewing And Behavioral Compliance In Chronic Pain Patients: A Treatment Outcome Study, Jesse Frey

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Multimodal treatment of chronic pain is often met by patient resistance. Although patients seek a cure for pain, some patients are resistant to alternative therapies or nonpharmacological interventions that may help them to manage chronic pain. Motivational Interviewing is a therapeutic intervention that is known to work well with resistant behaviors often found in the addiction treatment setting. Until recently, few studies have examined the efficacy of a brief Motivational Interview within the chronic pain treatment setting. This study examined the effects of a single Motivational Interview on patient participation, prescription drug use, and responses on the Pain Stage of …

The Role Of Spirituality And The Impact On Social Responsibility, Jonothan Ridenour

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Community and social organizations play an important role in developing social responsibility. Religious groups comprise a considerable number of community and social organizations that attempt to foster pro-social behavior. While religion has been proposed to have both a negative and positive influence on social responsibility, spirituality has been largely overlooked. This study between spirituality and social responsibility explores the assumption of a positive correlation. Data were collected from undergraduate students (N = 136) at two Pacific Northwest Universities by a number of scales measuring social responsibility, religiosity, spirituality, and demographic information. The Social Responsibility Scale (Starrett, 1996) was administered and …

Using Selected Scales Of The Mmpi-A To Differentiate Adjudicated From Nonadjudicated Adolescent Females., Brandon M. Robbins

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Juvenile crime has become an increasingly notable problem in society. Historically, a large portion of research on juvenile offenders centers on the psychological diagnosis of conduct disorder. Juveniles diagnosed with Conduct Disorder often possess other high-risk factors that further complicate their problematic behaviors. For example, deviant peer groups reinforce such behaviors as do home environments where parents exhibit antisocial behaviors and substance abuse (Kronenberger & Meyer, 2001 ). Female offenders constitute a small but important part of the population of adolescents who become involved in the legal system, yet they have been the subject of minimal research. Although only 7-27% …

An Outcome Evaluation Of Marble Retreat's Brief, Intensive Psychotherapy Program, Scott G. Koeneman

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Marble Retreat is an interdenominational psychotherapy treatment facility dedicated to ·eating clergy in crisis. Its mission is to facilitate healing and restoration to those who are in ocational Christian ministry through a Christ-centered approach to brief, intensive sychotherapy. The doors of Marble Retreat have been open since 1974. Over the past 33 years, 1arble Retreat has worked with over 3000 clergy in crisis. Recently, Marble Retreat has hanged directorship for the first time in its operation. In 2003, the Board of Directors of Marble ~etreat officially appointed Steven Cappa, PsyD and his wife Patti Cappa, MS, LMFT, CAC II ) …

Fee Guilt: Examining Clinician Bias Against Pro Bono Patients, Darin L. Bergen

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Discussing pro bono therapy has not been a popular topic in psychology literature. What has been written from a theoretical perspective is generally opposed to the idea of free therapy. The few empirical studies regarding pro bono therapy suggest that the relationship between pro bono therapy and negative therapeutic outcome is not clear. In fact, it can be argued that the main negative dynamics in free therapy reside within the therapist, not the client. Thus, the purpose of this study was to understand the impact of a pro bono therapy request on therapists' diagnosis. Members of AP A Division 12 …

Empathy In Psychology Interns And Medical Residents: An Investigation Of The Cognitive And Emotional Components Of Empathy, Sarah Sherrard

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Empathy has been recognized by both the mental health and medical fields as a central component of relationships between patients and treatment providers. Empathy of care providers has important implications for treatment outcomes of both medical and psychological conditions. Since it is becoming more common for mental health issues to be addressed primarily by primary care physicians, it is important to consider how physicians and psychologists compare on levels of empathy. The present study was an investigation of how medical residents and psychology interns compare on both cognitive and affective components of empathy. The Interpersonal Reactivity Index, designed to measure …

Outcome And Process Measure Feedback As They Effect Therapy Outcomes, Brett T. Copeland

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

In the study of treatment outcomes, a subset of effectiveness research, the client-focused approach is ideal, as it examines individual responses to therapy over time. The Life Status Questionnaire (LSQ) is designed to track therapy outcomes over time. Despite the emphasis on client outcomes, the process between a therapist and client may have the greatest impact on therapy outcomes and should be an inherent part of a client-focused approach. This study investigated the effects of simultaneous use of an outcome (LSQ) and two Empathy Scale-Revised process subscales, Positive (ES-P) and Negative (ES-N), to determine how these separately and collectively affect …

Validity Of The Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System In Pediatric Populations, Christopher J. Fisher

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

The Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) (Delis, Kaplan, & Kramer, 2001) is a battery of tests purported to measure those higher-level abilities generally termed "executive functions." While the D-KEFS possesses generally credible psychometric properties, the absence of adequately demonstrated "ecological validity" has been identified as a weakness of the D-KEFS. The purpose of this study was to attempt to assess the ecological validity of the D-KEFS using a sample of child chess players.

All 18 of the D-KEFS tests appropriate for children were administered in this study. For comparison purposes, several other measures were also administered: the Wisconsin Card Sorting …

Analysis Of Different Types Of Attentional Interference Compared To Working Memory, Joel A. Gregor

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Previous studies have shown a relationship between working memory (WM) and the Color-Word Stroop Task (CWS). Newer Stroop-like tasks such as the Color-Block Stroop-like Task (CBS) have been shown to cause interference but the nature of the interference is unclear. This study attempted to compare CWS and CBS to tests of working memory, specifically the Digits Span Backward task (DB) and an Operation Span (OSPAN) task. The first experiment involved no auditory stimuli. No significant correlation was found between WM and CWS. This led to a second experiment with the digit span administered auditorily. Again, no significant correlation between CWS …

Childhood Developmental Trends In Executive Function As Measured By The Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System: An Exploration Of Gender Differences., Lane Karen Dewan

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

The purpose of this study is to examine the development of Executive Function (EF). Specifically, this study investigates whether there are consistent increases in EF performance on the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) from the age of 8 years to 15 years. Gender differences in the development of EF are also examined. To this end, the standardization data for eight of the D-KEFS tests were analyzed, comparing performance across age groups (8- year-olds, 9-year-olds, etc.) and gender groups. Significant age effects were found for all tests overall. However, significant change between consecutive age groups was found only for some age …

Utilizing The Brief Symptom Inventory As A Prediction Tool For Treatment Response In Patients With Serious Mental Illness, Ryan Curtis Dix

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Current data suggest that the cost of caring for people with serious mental illness in the United States was 2.64 billion dollars in the years between 1997 and 2004. The proper utilization of these funds is an important consideration if we are to successfully address the needs of this population. To maximize the use of mental health funds, the provider must quickly identify effective and efficient treatments. Assessment can facilitate the screening process and subsequent treatment decisions. For that reason, my research question addresses the issue of effective screening measures notably the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) in predicting movement through …

Differential Item Functioning In Asian-Americans On The Stanford-Binet Standardization Fifth Edition Verbal Subtests, Sheri L. Cardoza

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

This research examined the Standardization Edition of the Stanford-Binet, Fifth Edition (SB5), in order to assess the cultural validity of items using an index of differential item functioning (DIF) among Asian American and White/Caucasian American children. Archival data, obtained from the SB5 publisher, was used to determine DIF of items for the 101 Asian American and 200 White/Caucasian American children, ages 4-18. Potential bias was determined through the use of partial correlation. A significant correlation between item and an ethnicity code (with overall ability partialed out) indicated that, in general, one group performed better on a particular item than the …

Exploring The Impact Of Rural And Urban Settings On Therapist Self-Disclosure, Katie Pierson Fruhauff

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

There has been a significant amount of research that addresses the topic of therapist self-disclosure. Issues such as what to disclose, when to disclose, the ethics of therapist disclosure, and the benefits and harm of therapist self-disclosure have been debated over the years. How self-disclosure varies among therapists has also been a focus of research. Unlike the area of self-disclosure, research on rural practice is a new and expanding field of research and there is great need for more research in this area. The hypothesis of this study proposes that therapist self-disclosure varies by setting; that rural therapists are more …

Phd And Psyd Graduates: More Alike Than Different, Elizabeth N. Wood

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

This study seeks to measure the attitudes and contributions of professional psychologists who have earned a PsyD degree. Initially developed as a degree to emphasize training in clinical practice over academia or research, the Doctor of Psychology degree follows the "Vail Model," also known as the "practitioner-scholar model." A random sample of practicing clinical psychologists was surveyed to determine if practicing c linical psychologists with a PsyD versus a PhD degree differ in attitude regarding serving diverse populations, public advocacy, and scholarship, and whether these attitudes are confirmed in practice. A questionnaire with practice-based questions was administered to 600 licensed …

Shame In Body Image In Children's Literature, Joy Mauldin

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Even though children's books have been around for centuries, no research has addressed shame dynamics in children's literature. Psychologists can play an important role in the illumination of shaming content in literature, which will shape a child's perception of the world around her. In this qualitative study, five volunteers, non- psychologist adults ranging in ages 26-58 years, discovered that shame exists in children's books. The volunteers noted that shame can be both explicit and implicit in fashion. This study informs us that when given an understanding of shame, a non- psychologist layperson can identify shaming content in children's literature. This …

Cultural Differences In Body Image Shame Between Mainland American And Indigenous Hawaiian Children, Joshua James Boyd

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

The present study investigated the level of body image shame in Mainland United States 4th and 5th grade children to indigenous Hawaiian 4th and 5th grade children using two cards (1 and 6) from the Thurston-Cradock Test of Shame. The hypotheses of this study were:

I. The mainland sample would score higher on overall shame than the Hawaiian sample.

2. The Hawaiian sample responses would reflect a neutral and/or effective resolution of shame and body image in their stories, whereas the mainland sample would present stories demonstrating higher shame themes with less effective resolution.

3. Hawaiian males/females would have lower …

Supportive And Challenging Social Factors In A Decision To Be Sexually Abstinent, Evan Alvord

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Several studies have examined the intrinsic factors, including fear of pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases, which motivate adolescents to choose sexual abstinence. Currently, little research has been dedicated solely to the extrinsic/social factors, which may also be influential in the decision to abstain from pre-marital sex. Four social factors were presumed to be especially influential, supporting a decision to be sexually abstinent and four social factors were presumed to be significant, challenging the choice to adopt a sexually-abstinent-untilmarriage life style. The proposed supportive social factors include: (a) Parental influence, (b) Peer influence, ( c) Religious affiliation/membership, ( d) Personal relationship …

Singles Need Not Apply: Evangelical Church Responses Reveal Longer Response Latencies To Requests Of Single Adults, Michael Harmon

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

For single Christians over the age of twenty-five, finding support and acceptance within the church can be a very high hurdle to cross. While the church as a whole promotes itself as a place of acceptance, it is rare to find a church with activities focused toward single persons older than college age. Attempts by single persons to become involved in different facets of discipleship, service, and ministry are not always well received. In a preliminary uncontrolled study the results suggested that the church may have a bias against single adults. The present study considers whether the church operates with …

Item Analysis Of The Interpreter Competency Exam- Mental Health (Ice-Mh), Melinda Pearson

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Interpreter services are becoming increasingly prevalent in mental health settings. The competence of mental health interpreters can be assessed using a new tool, the Interpreter Competency Exam- Mental Health (ICE-MH). Unfortunately, the current form of the ICE-MH is long. This study used archival data from the ICE-MH to assess (a) the ability of the items to discriminate the examinees' level of knowledge in mental health areas, (b) the difficulty of each item, measured by percentage of correct answers, (c) the internal consistency of each part of the test to verify the uniformity of the subtest constructs being measured, and (d) …

Entertainment Psychology: Bypassing Treatment Resistance In Emotionally Disturbed Adolescent Males, Ryan Coon

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Emotionally-disturbed adolescent males, particularly those diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Conduct Disorder, are notoriously resistant to traditional forms of psychotherapy. Simultaneously, adolescent males are the target market for entertainment companies that produce products via multiple entertainment venues (e.g., comic books, card games, and video games). This dissertation is the first step in synthesizing psychotherapy with entertainment venues in order to bypass treatment resistance in emotionally-disturbed adolescent males. The entertainment venue of focus for this dissertation is a comic book series. The goal of the comic books is to entertain while promoting therapeutic healing. The therapeutic value entails having multiple …

Does Shame Have A Critical Period? Examining Shame Dynamics In British Adolescents, Michael J. O'Friel

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Research into the makeup and consequences of shame has burgeoned over the last thirty years as different studies have highlighted the destructive and maladaptive behaviors that can result from an individual's exposure to multiple shaming experiences. Limited research has focused on how culture filters the experience and effects of shame. Cross-cultural research is the 'zeitgeist' in the field of shame, propelling forward the need to gain greater awareness as to the prevalence and impact of shame across cultures. A sample of25 British children aged 9-10 and 25 British children aged 14-15 were asked to respond to a projective test of …

A Correlational Study Of Anxiety Level, Spiritual Practices, And Spiritual Well-Being, Darren N. Janzen

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Research has indicated that anxiety is the most prevalent of all psychological disorders, affecting up to 30 million people in the United States at some point during their lives (Lepine, 2002). It has also been determined that anxiety may be a fairly stable trait that people experience. Some people are more likely to experiencing anxiety than others, and for those who are more likely it is also more difficult to stop having anxiety. Predictors of anxiety have been identified and include such items as: low self-esteem, ineffective social support, high education, low religiosity (Hovey & Magana, 2002), low vocational satisfaction …

The Social Competence Of Homeschooled And Conventionally-Schooled Adolescents: A Preliminary Investigation, Denise Lopez Haugen

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Homeschooling is a controversial educational option that has grown dramatically during the past two decades. Socialization concerns contribute strongly to this controversy. Research in this area is sparse, but it indicates that homeschooled students do well academically and socially. Many homeschooling studies suffer, however, from serious methodological issues. This investigation sought to discover whether differences in social competence existed between sample populations of homeschooled and conventionally-schooled students; research in the arena of competence and resilience served to guide the methodology. Where differences were found, specifics were elucidated and factors contributing to these differences were isolated.

Forty-seven homeschooling and conventionally-schooling families …

Shame And Negative Body Image In Adolescent Females, Erin K. Anderson-Fortier

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Current research in the fields of shame, body image, and adolescent female weight has had little convergence until recently. Biological changes that occur during adolescence, particularly weight gain for females, may result in feelings of shame. Shame is an involuntary reaction to the belief that the self is inherently flawed. Body image begins to form in early childhood, and "is a multidimensional construct that refers to subjective perceptual and altitudinal experiences about one's body, particularly one's physical appearance" (Cash, Melnyk, & Hrabosky, 2004, p.305). Body image may be negatively impacted when the adolescent female's belief that her actual body is …

Resilience And Emotional Depletion As Predictors Of Dyadic Satisfaction Of Psychologists In Pennsylvania, Kevin R. Ganey

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Although psychologists have been practicing for nearly one hundred years, relatively little research has been conducted on the impact of the profession upon the psychologist's personal life. Historically, most studies have attempted to determine whether the practice of psychology leads to burnout or impairment rather than what helps a psychologist to function well. A growing body of research on self-care places an emphasis on the personhood of the clinician and his or her ability to function well in practice and personal life (Alterman, 1998). The purpose of this study is to add to the growing body of literature that addresses …

The Relationship Between Creativity And Psychiatric Vulnerability: A Meta-Analysis Of Empirical Studies, Charity Benham

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

The belief that creativity and madness are interrelated has endured across the centuries. Artists, poets, and philosophers have been perceived as special individuals blessed or cursed with "divine madness" beginning in the days of Socrates. Many of the great minds of classical western civilization have believed that artists are qualitatively different than average people (Becker, 2001). Psychology and psychiatry have addressed the creativity/madness question utilizing a wide variety of approaches. There are numerous review articles, psychobiographical works, empirical studies, and theoretical papers which attempt to determine the nature of creativity and how it relates to psychiatric functioning.

This study utilized …

Efficacy Of Nild Educational Therapy, Stephanie M. White

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

National Institute for Learning Disabilities (NILD) Educational Therapy™ (NILD therapy) was developed in the 1960s and was first used in private schools in 1973. Since then, the use of NILD therapy has spread to more than 900 programs both in the U.S. and abroad. Despite the widespread use of NILD therapy, little research has been done to support the program. The seven studies investigating NILD therapy, all unpublished, have been lacking in empirical rigor and are subject to charges of potential bias because all were conducted by researchers with connections with NILD. The current study was designed to investigate the …

A Study Of Shame In Anorexia Nervosa, Jessica L. Conwell

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is an eating disorder that has been documented as far back as 1689 and is now recognized as the mental health issue with the highest mortality rate. Many research projects have attempted to pinpoint the emotional factors that drive this disorder. Shame is an emotion that has just begun to be recognized for its impact on psychopathology. Intuitively, it seems reasonable to suggest that shame could play an important role in AN, a disorder that is commonly associated with emotional shutdown and restriction. Currently, there is no research that addresses the potential impact of shame on the …