Psychology Commons^™

Caregivers' Experience In Wraparound: A Qualitative Study, Mackenzie Soniak

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

A large number of youth in the United States suffer from a severe emotional disturbance (SED). Due to a number of factors (e.g., lack of access to services, siloed service providers), many of these children have unmet severe emotional and behavioral health needs. Wraparound has been identified as a care philosophy and intervention to meet the needs of these youth. Wraparound programs aim to provide individualized, comprehensive, community-based care for children and their families. Although this intervention is widely spread across the United States, research findings on the efficacy of the approach are mixed. Previous research aimed to identify and …

Aces Wild: Making Meaning Out Of Trauma Through Altruism Born Of Suffering, Jessica Gibson

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Childhood exposure to early adverse experiences is prevalent—affecting almost one-half of children from birth to 17 years old—and brings with it the potential for the long-lasting detrimental effects of traumatization. At the same time, a growing body of compelling evidence also suggests that many survivors of trauma exhibit more resilience and prosocial behaviors than individuals who have never experienced a traumatic event. This phenomenon has been coined altruism born of suffering (ABS); it is a relatively new concept in trauma research that seeks to better understand the possible positive outcomes of trauma. Building further beyond the concepts of resilience and …

Sexually Objectifying Microaggressions In Film: Using Entertainment For Clinical And Educational Purposes, Jackie M. Nelson

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Our culture is steadily becoming more aware, and less tolerant, of sexual harassment and misconduct. This is particularly evident in the wake of the viral Me Too movement beginning in 2017 which highlighted the breadth of personal experiences of sexual harassment on various social media platforms. Often the focus of these experiences is on overt sexual harassment and assault, but less attention is paid to the buildup that can lead to these terrible events. What is more, is that often these events are attributed to character flaws of the perpetrator without taking covert social norms into perspective. This dissertation takes …

The Rorschach’S (R-Pas) Capacity To Predict Quality Of The Working Alliance, Jordan G. Stewart

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The aim of this study was to explore the Rorschach’s ability to predict the working alliance by investigating associations between specific Rorschach Performance Assessment System (R-PAS) variables and the Goals, Tasks, and Bonds dimensions of the Working Alliance Inventory (WAI). Specific R-PAS variables were chosen based their theoretical relatedness to the three dimensions of the WAI. The linear multiple regression results trended toward significance within the Goals domain, with the Human Movement Proportion score (M/MC) significantly predicting individual’s initial WAI Goals scores, indicating that individuals who possibly have difficulty modulating their emotions and tend to be more reactive in their …

Striving For Credibility In The Face Of Ambiguity: A Grounded Theory Study Of Extreme Hardship Immigration Psychological Evaluations, Susan M. Burke

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Psychological evaluations are frequently used in extreme hardship immigration cases in the United States. These evaluations are complex; they are inherently ambiguous, and they require extensive training and specialized knowledge. General guidance for mental health professionals is available from professional organizations, the federal government, and articles in the legal and mental health literature. However, there is a lack of detailed guidance, best practices, training, and supervision so many evaluators learn on their own. Unfortunately, this has resulted in assessment processes and evaluation reports that vary widely in terms of professionalism and quality which negatively impacts the vulnerable families seeking these …

The Role Of Emotional Overcontrol In The Acceptance Of Counselor Training Feedback, R. Erin W. Berzins

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Feedback is an essential component of counselor training, making it crucial that students receive and utilize this information effectively. This research was conducted to address the problem of counseling students experiencing difficulty with accepting feedback during the training process. Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy and the concept of emotional overcontrol were used as a lens for exploring the possible correlation between measures of overcontrol and difficulty with accepting feedback within counselor training programs. This research contributed to the literature—much of which has focused on the behaviors of instructors and supervisors in the feedback process—by providing support for the perspective that …

Sexual Desire As Experienced By South Asian Women Living In British Columbia, Seema M. Buksh

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Cultural beliefs and values play a significant role in the conceptualization, expression, and experience of sexual desire and functioning. Previous studies have found higher mainstream acculturation was associated with higher sexual desire and arousal. Many of these studies have also linked the cultural effects on sexual functioning to culture-differences in sexual conservatism. Within South Asian culture there is a propensity towards sexual conservatism, especially in relation to female sexual desire, yet research with regards to sexual desire and South Asian women is absent from the literature. Given the dearth of research related to this topic, further research in this area …

Family Cohesion And Perceived Stress As Predictors Of Quality Of Life In Maternal Caregivers Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Emily Henry

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The present study investigated factors that predict maternal caregivers’ quality of life in 115 mothers (25 - 55 years old) who had a child aged 5 to 12 years old with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Caregivers’ perceived stress and family cohesion were assessed to determine each factor’s predictive ability in predicting four domains of quality of life: physical health, psychological health, relationships, and environment. Results indicate that perceived stress significantly predicted all four quality-of-life domains. When adding in family cohesion, modest increases in predictive strength were observed for two domains of caregiver quality of life (i.e., psychological health and relationships). …

A Review Of The Use Of Positive Reinforcement In Drug Courts, Katherine Bascom

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

There is a need to provide effective treatment for drug-abusing offenders, as evidenced by the explicitly supported relationship between drug use and crime (Anglin & Perrochet, 1998; Tonry & Wilson, 1990; McBride & McCoy, 1993). Drug policy in the United States has viewed drug abuse as a public safety concern or a public health concern (Marlowe, 2002). In 1989, the Miami Drug Court in Dade County, Florida developed a drug court system that is currently used nationwide. The model embodies a very strong behavioral orientation with clear expectations, as well as graduated sanctions and rewards for successive infractions and accomplishments. …

Assessing The Validity Of The Quotient Adhd System And Its Value In A Comprehensive Diagnostic Assessment Battery For Adult Adhd, Hillary Ammon Scharf

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the validity and reliability of the Quotient ADHD System (the Quotient) as a tool for the assessment of adult ADHD. At the time of this study, the Quotient was a widely accepted measure, yet there was a paucity of empirical evidence for its use with adults. This study reviewed the relationship between adult participants’ (N = 151) scores on two self-reported measures, the Barkley Deficits in Executive Functioning Scale (BDEFS) and the Barkley Adult ADHD Rating Scale – IV (BAARS-IV), and the Quotient at a university-based ADHD-specialty outpatient clinic in a large …

Questionnaire Design: How To Ask The Right Questions Of The Right People At The Right Time To Get The Information You Need, William F. Moroney, Joyce Anne Cameron

Books and Book Chapters by University of Dayton Faculty

This book explores how a well-designed questionnaire is customer-focused, simplifying the process for the respondent and thereby increasing both validity and response rates. It is recommended for use by psychologists, sociologists, political scientists, marketers, and other professionals.

Questionnaires, like any well-designed interface, should be intuitive. This manual provides a fool-proof approach to questionnaire design for practitioners, marketers, and researchers with little or no formal training. It provides practical instruction regarding what to do and how to do it and supports these instructions with real-world examples and findings from scientific studies. An augmenting website contains additional guidance, examples, a case study, …

Jurors' Perceptions Of Preschoolers And Younger School Aged Children's Memory Errors, Emily Margaret Deming

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to examine jurors’ perceptions of different types of memory errors in the context of a child recalling information about alleged maltreatment. Additionally, this study assessed whether developmental differences in memory errors affect jurors’ perceptions of the child, the external influences that may be affecting the child, and the defendant. Participants (N=372) were randomly assigned to one of eight vignettes that contained three different memory errors (major reconstructive memory error, minor reconstructive memory error, source monitoring error) or a control condition (no memory error), as well as two age groups (4-year-old child and …

Adolescent Residential Mobility: Behavioral Outcomes And The Moderating Role Of The Mother-Adolescent Relationship, Sloane B. Glover

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Prior research has noted unfavorable associations between residential mobility (RM) and youth outcomes. However, little work has considered the mother-adolescent relationship as a moderator of the suggested associations. The purpose of the current study was to examine the internalizing, externalizing, and delinquent behaviors of adolescents (M_age=15.6, SD=0.77) following a move in comparison to adolescents who did not move. Frequency of moves was considered and adolescents were identified as either stable (0 moves), low mobility (1-2 moves), or high mobility (>2 moves) within a 6 year period. Mother-adolescent closeness and parental monitoring were examined as potential …

Predictors Of Territorial Work Behavior: An Investigation Of Individual Differences In Personality Using The Hexaco Model, Andrew White

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To date, little research has examined the relationship between territorial work behavior and individual differences in personality. Using hierarchical multiple regression, dimension-level and facet-level personality traits of the HEXACO model of personality were examined to determine whether personality traits predict territorial work behaviors. Based on a sample of 160 workers from Amazon's Mechanical Turk, it was observed that the dimensions of Honesty-Humility, Emotionality, Openness to Experience, and Altruism predicted territorial work behaviors. In addition, facet-level traits from these dimensions, in addition to facets from the Extraversion and Agreeableness dimension, explained variance in each of the territorial behaviors. Furthermore, quantile regression …

Conceptualizing The Role Of Severity In Counterproductive Work Behavior: Predicting Employee Engagement In Minor And Severe Cwbs, Katherine Ciarlante

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs) have been identified as pervasive employee behaviors with the potential to cause significant harm in the workplace (e.g., Sackett & DeVore, 2001). Because of the considerable threat CWBs pose to organizational and employee well-being, a literature has emerged to better understand the structure of these behaviors and identify the factors and conditions that effect employee engagement in counterproductive acts. While past research has distinguished between types of CWBs, i.e., theft, sabotage, withdrawal, less attention has been paid to the specific forms these behaviors take. For example, being two hours late to work is more serious and …

The Creation And Validation Of A Compromising Scale For Nurses, Matthew Ng

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For reasons such as job context and different interactions, compromising as performed by nurses is likely fundamentally different than compromising performed by other occupations. The following study proposes the creation and validation of a compromising scale for nurses. The first study aims to create the compromising scale for nurses through contemporary methods then test the reliability as well as the factor structure using an exploratory factor analysis on currently employed nurses recruited through a Qualtrics panel study. The second study then takes the final compromising scale for nurses and conducts a confirmatory factor analysis among a sample of employed nurses …

What Makes You Happy? Predicting Wellbeing In Nicaraguan Adolescents And Young Adults, Daniel A. Rodriguez

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

The present study sought to identify significant predictors of wellbeing within a sample of 2,764 high school and university students in Nicaragua, a country where significant stressful events and suicide are common. Ages ranged from 11-22 years (M = 16.63, SD = 2.85), and 60.3% identified as female. Measures used include the Personal Wellbeing Index, the Child and Youth Resilience Measure, the Patient Health Questionnaire-4, and demographic questions. Parent occupations were coded using the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO-08). A multiple regression was conducted to identify five core variables that combined to predict approximately 30% of the variance of …

The Relationship Of Spirituality, Religiosity And Attitudes Toward Lesbians And Gay Men Among Students At A Faith-Based Institution, Megan C. Cormier Castaneda

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Research indicates heterosexual students at faith-based universities often hold negative attitudes toward gay men and lesbian women. The factors that can influence these attitudes are complex. This study examines the relationship between attitudes toward gay men and lesbian women, religiosity and spirituality in students who are enrolled in a faith-based institution. A correlation was run to examine the relationship between these variables along with further statistical analyses to gather more information. There is a small positive relationship between higher levels of spirituality and positive attitudes toward gay men and lesbians. There is a medium positive relationship between high levels of …

Cyberbullying Prevention And Intervention: Perspectives Of School Psychologists And School Counselors, Rachel E. Burlet

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Recent studies have found that increasing numbers of students are experiencing cyberbullying during middle and high school. The current study examined how school psychologists and school counselors are involved in the prevention and intervention of cyberbullying as well as what practices their schools are implementing to address this issue. Results found that school counselors were more involved than school psychologists with cyberbullying prevention and intervention efforts. However, 50% of school psychologists felt that their skills were being underutilized and 59% expressed a desire to be more involved in cyberbullying prevention and intervention efforts. Receiving training on cyberbullying was found to …

Evaluation Of A Cognitive Training Program And Its Effects On Healthy Older Adults, Nathan Jensen

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

As one ages, some degree of cognitive decline is expected. Despite this, declines in cognitive abilities and the possibility of dementia is a common concern among older adults. In response to these concerns, a variety of cognitive training programs have been developed that aim to improve or maintain cognitive functioning. Prior literature has shown mixed or limited findings on cognitive changes after implementation of cognitive training. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a cognitive training program designed for older adults with no to minimal cognitive decline. The current study included 18 participants who engaged in two one-hour cognitive training sessions …

The Effects And Experiences Of Stigma In The Minneapolis Strip Club Industry, Machensey Shelgren

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Utilizing participatory action research with dancers in the Minneapolis strip club industry, the present study examined current dancers’ experiences with stigma, its effects on their quality of life, and stigma management techniques. The present multi-methods study involved an initial survey and follow-up interviews with approximately 60 current dancers within Minneapolis strip clubs. Participants reported experiencing stigma in personal relationships and in the workplace, discrimination by landlords and future employers. Through thematic analysis, seven key themes were identified: dancer identity, assumptions made, loss of social support, profession weaponized against them, housing discrimination, lack of employment mobility, and identity concealment as stigma …

An Exploration Of Deaf Education Through The Experiences Of Culturally Deaf Adults, Stephanie Beatty

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Deaf students have unique linguistic and cultural needs that are cultivated in social settings; however, these needs have received minimal consideration from school administrators and policy makers when designing and implementing educational programs. Inquiry regarding how Deaf people learn in social situations and whether these processes are present in formal educational settings is necessary to understand how to better serve this population in school. Observations were used to provide insight on how deaf people teach and learn from one another in social/informal settings. Individual interviews with 11 Deaf people ages 18 to 40 provided insight regarding personal experiences in formal …

The Lived Experiences Of Emotionally Forgiving Abusive Parents, Chelsea Bryant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The subject of forgiveness has been heavily explored during the past few decades; however, limited research has been conducted on the phenomenology of emotional forgiveness, the internal process of replacing negative feelings with positive feelings. This study explored the emotional forgiveness experiences of 7 adult men who were previous victims of abuse by their parents. Using Moustakas's phenomenological research approach, the participants were interviewed about their experiences of emotional forgiving their abusive parents. The recall, empathize, altruism, commitment, and holding on, REACH forgiveness model and family systems theory were the conceptual frameworks to explore the central research question, which addressed …

Training Program Effectiveness In Building Workforce Agility And Resilience, Olya Taran

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Decades of qualitative case studies suggest that organizations must be able to deal with change effectively to compete and survive. Many researchers have linked higher workforce levels of agility and resilience to organizations' abilities to deal with change more successfully; however, there is a scarcity of empirical research addressing the efficacy of agility and resilience development in the workplace. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively examine the development of workforce resilience and agility, as measured by FIT for Change assessment. The theory of planned behavior was the study's theoretical framework, theorizing that changing attitudes and beliefs about change …

African American Women's Perceptions Of Self-Value In The Transition To Natural Hair, Tekeilla Darden

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Scholars have reported on the upsurge of African American women wearing their kinky, or natural, hair and the issues surrounding their choices. The wearing of natural African American hair has not been fully accepted in mainstream society. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how African American women understand self-value in the process of wearing their natural hair. The ethnic and racial identity model, critical race theory, and the strong Black woman collection were the conceptual frameworks used to connect identity, race and racism, and a collective vulnerability to the African American woman's hair journey. The study included …

Stigma, Help-Seeking Behaviors, And Use Of Services Among College Students With Self-Reported Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Angelina Marie Feagin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

People experiencing mental health illnesses such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who do not receive mental health treatment services (MHTS) are at a higher risk of committing crimes. The research problem of this study was to fill the gap in the literature concerning gender, sex at birth, and gender identity differences as predictors of attitudes toward perceived stigma in help-seeking behavior (HSB) and use of MHTS. The sample size included 5,000 participants in the de-identified secondary data set of students from 26 universities and colleges across the United States. The Healthy Minds Study collected these data in 2016-2017 using the …

Military Wife Participation In The Family Readiness Group During The Deployment Cycle, Donetta Doris Quinones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A comparative review of statistical summary results of the Survey of Army Families demonstrated that there is a gap in the research on the emotional experiences of civilian military wives who do not participate in the Family Readiness Group (FRG). The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to supplement the limited amount of scholarly research on the emotional experiences of civilian military wives and their lack of participation in the FRG during the deployment cycle. The theoretical framework of this study explored the military family syndrome through application of the double ABCX model in examining this phenomenon. The foundational …

Person Factors Affecting Student Persistence In College Reading And Writing Remediation, Loretta J. Morris Barr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The United States has the highest college attrition rate among industrialized nations. Community college students face a much higher risk, particularly those who lack requisite reading/writing skills. Using the theory of planned behavior and self-determination theory, this study explored the relationship between persistence in college for students in traditional or corequisite remediation. Person factors under study were frustration discomfort, academic motivation, and self-reported symptoms of adult attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). After 7 semesters, 72 adult student volunteers from the 2 remediation programs were recruited from 2 community colleges. They completed an online survey, which included a demographics questionnaire, the Frustration …

Examining Fear Of Recurrence In Cancer Survivors, Christina L. Dixon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Improvements in the medical field have given many cancer patients and survivors better odds of long-term survival. As more patients become survivors, the demand for psychological treatment becomes greater. The most prevalent concern of survivors is getting help with a psychosocial condition known as fear of recurrence (FOR). Prior to this study, few researchers had explored how having a more aggressive cancer influences the development of FOR. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine whether cancer stage and type (a measurement of severity) are predictive of FOR development in the high-risk cancer groups lung and bronchus and female …

Strategies For Increasing Self-Efficacy In Long-Term Welfare Recipients, Crystal Mcclure

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With the imposition of lifetime limitations on an individual's ability to receive cash assistance, there is a group of long-term Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients that have approached the lifetime limitation without becoming gainfully employed. Many long term TANF recipients report low levels of self-efficacy which inhibits their ability to successfully transition off welfare and into the workforce. However, most welfare-to-work programs do not address the emotional or psychological well-being of their clients, instead they focus on job placement and job readiness skills. The purpose of this sequential–exploratory mixed methods study is to identify the primary barriers to …