Psychology Commons^™

An Expressive Arts Therapy Literature Review: Spiritual Experiences And Dsm-5 Assessment In Bipoc Communities, Amanda Paige Rodriguez

Expressive Therapies Theses

Spiritual and non-ordinary experiences such as clear-hearing, visions, and spiritual perception are frequently interpreted within Western mental health systems through diagnostic frameworks rooted in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). For Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC), these interpretations may overlook cultural, spiritual, and ancestral contexts in which such experiences hold meaning rather than indicate pathology. This literature review examines how DSM-5 frameworks conceptualize spiritual experiences in BIPOC communities and explores assessment practices that may reduce the risk of misdiagnosis.

A literature review methodology was employed, drawing on sixteen peer-reviewed articles representing qualitative, quantitative, and …

Social Support And Weight Management Behaviors Lived Experiences Of Overweight Native Hawaiian Women, Satu Gruenstein

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Hawaiian Islands have an alarming concentration of obesity and related chronic health issues and many Native Hawaiian women do not have access to culturally sensitive weight loss information. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to increase understanding of the lived experiences of middle-aged Native Hawaiian women, relating to weight loss, weight management, and the impact of social support and cultural factors on those experiences. The conceptual framework for the study included the models of social support and social networks. A phenomenological research design and purposeful sampling were used to conduct semistructured interviews with eight middle-aged Native Hawaiian women, …

An Exploration Of Romantic Self-Sabotage And Related Constructs, Jada Bowers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Two studies examined the associations between relationship self-sabotage (RSS) and dyadic perfectionism, as well as the impact of a relationship threat manipulation on RSS. We also assessed whether dyadic perfectionism moderates the association between experimental condition and RSS. We recruited undergraduate student participants who answered self-report questionnaires about dyadic perfectionism, self-esteem, and RSS in Study 1. Other-oriented dyadic perfectionism was significantly positively correlated with the RSS subscales in both studies. Participants in Study 2 were randomly placed in one of two groups. One group underwent a threat manipulation; the other group did not. We expected that experimental participants would have …

Think Small, Act Big: How Action Identification Shapes Responses To Scientific Messages, Laura Gust

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Effective scientific communication is critical in today’s media environment, dominated by misinformation, sensational headlines, and targeted advertisements. Research shows that simply presenting scientific information is not enough to change opinions or reduce misinformation; instead, messages must be tailored to specific audiences. This is especially important for climate change, where people often hold resistant attitudes and are overwhelmed by information. However, no studies have applied Action Identification Theory to changing opinions or the intention–behavior gap in climate change. The current study examines how alignment or misalignment of message type and enduring personal agency affects participants’ climate-friendly beliefs and behaviors. Some support …

Sense Of Agency And Control, Self-Esteem, And Psychological Distress Among Undergraduate Students In The U.S. And China, Wenqi Zhang, Peiyi Wang, Chuansheng Chen, Yufei Li, Baojuan Ye, Jianmin Shao

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

Beliefs about oneself are closely related to one’s psychological distress, yet little is known about how different dimensions of self-perception interact to predict psychological distress and how these relationships vary across cultural contexts. This study examined cultural differences in the sense of agency and control, their associations with psychological distress, and the protective role of self-esteem among undergraduate students. The sample included 501 U.S. students and 336 Chinese students. Results revealed systematic cultural differences in agency and control: U.S. students reported higher levels of sense of positive agency and personal mastery, but lower levels of sense of negative agency and …

How Positive Psychology Coaching May Influence Authentic Leadership Development, Amy Lynn Weilbacher

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although organizations often articulate values driven missions, failure by leaders to consistently embody these values in practice can erode credibility and effectiveness. Organizational leaders need to understand the role of positive psychology coaching in authentic leadership development because mission credibility depends on the leaders’ enacted values. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore how positive psychology coaching may influence authentic leadership development. This study was guided by a conceptual framework integrating positive psychology and authentic leadership. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 11 U.S.-based organizational leaders who participated in positive psychology coaching. Six key themes emerged …

The Item Response Warehouse: What It Is, How To Use It, And Targets For Potential Improvements, Savira D. Nadela, Hansol Lee, Nishka Jain, Ayaan Gupta, Xingyi Zhang, Benjamin W. Domingue

Chinese/English Journal of Educational Measurement and Evaluation | 教育测量与评估双语期刊

The Item Response Warehouse (IRW) is a repository of harmonized item response datasets designed to support secondary analysis and methodological research in psychological and educational measurement. This paper serves as a practical guide for researchers interested in using the IRW. We describe the structure of IRW datasets and the quantitative and qualitative metadata available for dataset selection, and we demonstrate how researchers can navigate the IRW website to explore and compare available tables. We further show how the IRW R and Python packages can be used to filter datasets programmatically, download response-level data, and generate standardized citations for reproducible research …

Rest For The Weary Soul: A Mixed Methods Psychospiritual Exploration Of Faith As A Path To Mental Health Recovery Among Students, Fremativo A. Vergara, Melvin G. Barete, Evan P. Taja-On

Journal of Catholic Education

Many individuals turn to faith for strength, guidance, and resilience, particularly at times of emotional hardship. As concerns continue to grow about mental health, particularly that of students, exploring how faith influences coping mechanisms and recovery offers valuable insights into alternative approaches to emotional wellbeing. The study found that students exhibit high levels of resilience and spiritual intelligence, suggesting that faith-based beliefs are crucial in students’ ability to cope with adversity. A strong positive correlation between resilience and spiritual intelligence indicates that students who integrate faith into their lives are more likely to develop the psychological strength needed to navigate …

Silent Struggles: A Qualitative Study On Mental Health Stigma And Help- Seeking Among African Individuals In The U.S, Ololade Ekwere

Dissertations

Approximately one-third of African Americans and Caribbean Blacks who require mental health services seek and utilize them (Evans & Sheu, 2019). Research has shown that stigma surrounding mental health treatment contributes to lower rates of professional help-seeking among Black Americans (Pederson, 2023). Despite the growing diversity within the Black community, limited research exists on how stigma influences professional mental health help-seeking among Africans living in the United States.

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore the effect of public stigma on the mental health help-seeking behaviors of Africans living in the United States. Demographic data were collected, …

Understanding And Alleviating Teacher Burnout: A Focus On Supports For Teacher Candidates, Meghan Glahn

Honors Projects

This Honors Project begins by analyzing the overall patterns of burnout, and then narrowing to the experienced pressures by special educators. This research topic highlights how stress arrives early during teacher preparation and increases for individuals entering special education. Research from various sources emphasize the prevalence of burnout and the contributing factors that often lead to mental and physical consequences. This study also has results from a survey involving Intervention Specialist majors that captures their college experiences with academic demands, emotional labor, and field placement expectations. The outcomes supported by literature and the survey demonstrate that teacher burnout is severe, …

Maternal Age And Income Moderate The Effects Of Infant Sleep Interventions On Maternal Sleep And Mood, Rachel Kerr, Afton Craig, Kara Mcrae Duraccio

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

Introduction: Demographic and social factors, including maternal age, number of children, and income, may influence the success of sleep training approaches for infants based on differences in supports available and varying levels of maternal self-efficacy/confidence. This study investigated whether maternal income, age, and number of children moderated the effect of three infant behavioral sleep interventions on maternal sleep and mental health.

Methods: Mothers of infants (ages 5-10 months) were randomly assigned to basic sleep hygiene control, graduated extinction, or responsive parenting interventions to help improve the sleep of their infant. Mothers completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, PROMIS Sleep Disturbance …

Comparing The Effects Of Suicide Stigma Reduction Interventions On Adult Help-Seeking Intentions: An Experimental Investigation, Max Stivers

LSU Master's Theses

With relatively few individuals who experience suicidal thoughts and/or behaviors (STB) engaging in formal treatment, one critical aspect of bridging the treatment gap is to reduce barriers to their seeking help (WHO, 2014). Stigma regarding suicide and mental health help-seeking has been identified as a barrier to care, inspiring development of interventions and public health campaigns targeting stigma reduction as a means of increasing help-seeking attitudes, intentions, and behavior (Corrigan et al., 2004). However, because efforts focusing specifically on reducing stigma may fail to address other logistical and psychosocial barriers to engaging with treatment, their broader impact in promoting help-seeking …

Memory Representations In Cortico-Hippocampal Systems, Angelique Ibanez Delarazan

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Episodic memory often captures both the content of past events (e.g., people, places, and situations involved) and the specificity with which those events are remembered, ranging from summary-level to detailed recollection. Content-based theories, including the PMAT Framework, propose that cortical networks are organized around the types of information memories contain. In particular, the Anterior Temporal Network (ATN) supports entity representations, including characters, and the Posterior Medial Network (PMN) support contextual information, such as locations. Specificity-based theories, including the Trace Transformation Theory, propose that the level of recall specificity maps onto functional gradients within the hippocampus, with posterior regions (pHPC) supporting …

Holding The Line: The Existential Threat To Dei Language And Values, Terrance Fitzsimmons, Larry Martinez, Jennifer Bishop, Darryl Rice, Florence Villesèche

Psychology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Purpose – This article critically analyses and critiques the operationalisation of the Trump administration’s anti- DEI policies on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the United States of America and beyond. It specifically examines the attempt to silence DEI scholarship and practice, assessing the broader implications for social justice and global progress towards equity. The article also positions these attacks as an existential threat to DEI scholarship, scholars and practitioners, with the potential to reverse progress made since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. The article serves as a call to action, urging the …

Lived Experiences Of Eye Movement Desensitization And Reprocessing (Emdr) Certified, Staci Ekblad

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This phenomenological study explored counselors’ lived experiences of utilizing Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) with children ages 8 to 12 years of age. Guided by a Husserlian approach, the research examined how clinicians make meaning of adapting EMDR—traditionally conceptualized as a structured, eight-phase protocol—for developmental and relational responsiveness within child psychotherapy. Through phenomenological reduction and epoché, counselors described a shift in consciousness from viewing EMDR as a rigid procedure to experiencing it as a flexible, relationally attuned process grounded in the child’s lived world. Counselors described the phenomenon of implementing EMDR with children with playful adaptations and co-regulation. The …

Leadership Practice And Organizational Culture In Reducing Burnout Among Sud Supervisors, Christine Arismendi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Burnout in supervisors/managers working in residential substance use disorder (SUD) treatment settings poses serious threats to the agency, staffing, and client care. Behavioral health leaders need to understand how organizational culture and leadership practices shape burnout and resilience in their teams. This qualitative case study drew on the Leadership and Workforce categories of the Baldrige Excellence Framework to examine the influence of leadership and organizational culture on staff emotional well-being and resilience at a Boston-area nonprofit residential SUD treatment center. The study sought to answer: (a) how organizational culture and leadership affect supervisor and manager well-being and resilience; and (b) …

Psychosocial Characteristics Of North American Male Cannibals, Sheila A. Murphy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Criminal cannibalism is a rare form of violent offending that remains understudied despite public attention. This gap limits understanding of the psychosocial characteristics and life experiences of individuals who engage in cannibalistic behavior. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore psychosocial characteristics within the life experiences of North American males who engaged in cannibalistic behavior and identify common themes. Grounded in social control theory and self-control theory, the study examined how weakened social bonds and diminished self-regulation may relate to extreme deviance. The guiding research question focused on identifying common psychosocial characteristics within this population. A descriptive phenomenological …

Psychometric Properties Of A Newly Developed Self-Report Scale To Determine The Relationship Between Retained Primary Reflexes And Behavioral Signs And Symptoms In An Adult Population, Joan Marie Macmillan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many adults suffer from mental health issues, often caused by retained primary reflexes. There are current gaps in the literature surrounding primary reflex assessment methods. The purpose of this quantitative psychometric study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of a new behavioral self-assessment scale used to identify retained primary reflexes from behavioral indicators, while also determining if statistically significant relationships exist among study variables. The theoretical foundation for this cross-sectional study was based on the neurodevelopmental and neurobehavioral work of Melillo, while conceptually benefiting from several neuroplasticity related frameworks, such as those developed by Ayres, Bach-y-Rita, and Masgutova. The self-report …

Comparison Of Levels Of Bmi, Stress, And Depression Of Women During The Prenatal Period Relative To Their Activity Levels, Kalayna King

Create@State

This study aimed to analyze the relationships between activity levels, Body Mass Index (BMI), stress levels, and depression symptoms in obese pregnant women in Arkansas. Two separate exercise intervention studies were combined in this analysis to ultimately give a sample size of 293 pregnant women who were randomized into standard of care group (control) and an exercise group (experimental) (n = 115 and n = 178, respectively). Women in the control groups were instructed to independently continue to follow the physical activity guidelines recommended by their gynecologist, whereas the experimental groups participated in a combination of aerobic and resistance exercise …

Student Perspectives On The Selection And Suitability Of Emotional Support Animals, Ella G. Speer

Create@State

Emotional support animals (ESA) are classified as any species of animal that provides cognitive and emotional benefits for individuals struggling with mental health impairments (Ferrell, Crowley 2021, p. 561). Emotional support animals differ from service and therapy animals because there are no restrictions regarding the specie selection if the owner perceives their benefits (Ferrell, Crowley 2021, p. 561). Relaxed regulations on the specie of emotional support animals allow individuals the opportunity to choose any animal based on their perceived benefits (Pettable Staff, Fleming 2024). Recently, universities have implemented an emotional support animal policy to protect students who live on campus …

Who Will Grow Our Food In The Future? Factors Influencing A-State Agricultural Student’S Intentions To Enter Production Agriculture, Kamana Kafle

Create@State

The future of agriculture depends on what motivates today’s student to pursue careers in production agriculture. This study identifies key drivers of career intention among College of Agricultural students at A-State using an extended Theory of Planned Behavior framework. Data were collected through a cross-sectional survey and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The model explained a substantial 74.2% of the variance in agricultural career intention. Results revealed that Career Planning was the strongest positive predictor, followed by Attitude Towards Agriculture and Perceived Value. Interestingly, factors such as Perceived Behavioral Control, Subjective Norms, and access to Facilities …

Increasing On-Task Behavior Using Reward Systems, Sarah Becker, Danielle M. Kovach

Psychology Research Conference

This study intended to examine the effectiveness of a reward system on on-task writing behavior. This single-subject study utilized momentary time sampling to gather data, and data was displayed using an ABAB design that alternated between baseline and intervention periods. The intervention used was the visitation the co-investigator's cat. Overall, there was an increase in on-task writing behavior during the intervention periods.

Evaluating A Virtual Reality-Based Physical Activity Intervention For Nicotine Vaping Cessation: Pilot Study Findings, Ryan X. Gallagher, Lucas S. Wittenburg, Sweta Banjara, Sampada Tuladhar, Matthew Mitnick, Bethany Raiff

Psychology Research Conference

Nicotine use remains a globally significant contributor to preventable illness and premature death. the prevalence of vaping has witnessed a significant increase in recent years, especially among youth in the United States, with a considerable rise from individuals who previously did not smoke. Although vaping is a relatively new method for tobacco use, research is starting to accumulate on its negative health effects, including obstructing airways, increasing heart rate, increasing systolic and diastolic blood pressure, exacerbating symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and decreasing lung function. Vaping cessation continues to be a primary public health initiative, and to date, little …

The Effects Of Visual Supports On The Acquisition Of Guitar Chords, Cole S. Jahna

Thesis Projects

There is a current literature gap in applied behavior analysis (ABA) and music-based leisure activities. This study utilized a multiple-probe design to evaluate the effects of visual supports on the guitar fretboard combined with behavioral skills training (BST) to teach correct strumming and finger placement of three guitar chords (i.e., E, C, and G) to a neurodivergent adult. By using a task analysis, the strum and each individual finger placement were scored as correct or incorrect during each chord trial. Three chords that were under 50% accuracy in baseline were selected for the intervention. The intervention was introduced sequentially to …

Eating Vs. Competing: Comparing Pressures Of Disordered Eating In Lean And Non-Lean Sports, Brielle G. Newland, Meredith Meyer

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

In the current study, I compared the risk factors of disordered eating between athletes in weight dependent and non-weight dependent sports, specifically the motivating pressures to pursue this behavior. Weight dependent or “lean athletes” participate in sports with emphasis on weight, size, or bodily appearance. Non-weight dependent or “non-lean athletes” participate in sports without emphasis on weight or aesthetics, which tend to be team sports. While there are many different disordered eating risk factors in athletics, the current study focused on sport based pressures and societal based pressures. Participants included undergraduate student athletes on female athletic teams or dance minors …

Burnout And Secondary Traumatic Stress Experiences In Mental Health Professionals Working With Military Veterans, Megan Carter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Burnout among mental health professionals has been a long-standing phenomenon when working with trauma individuals resulting in increased job turnover rates and decreased quality of care for patients. The job demands- resourced model and constructivist self- development theory were used to guide this study. The purpose of this research study was to explore how mental health professionals working with the military veteran population experience burnout and secondary traumatic stress. A descriptive qualitative design was used with purposive and snowball sampling to attain 10 mental health professionals from various facilities serving military veterans. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and were …

Carrying The Call: A Literature Review On Pastoral Burnout, Nisaa Robinson

College of Arts and Cultural Studies

This literature review examines theory and practice related to the leadership challenge of burnout among Black full-time pastors serving mid—sized urban churches in the Midwestern United States. Utilizing 21 sources across peer—reviewed, professional, popular, and action—network literature, the review applies pragmatic and interpretive research philosophies to evaluate contributing and mitigating factors, conceptual frameworks, validated assessments, and leadership practice implications. The review synthesizes foundational literature, clergy—specific extensions, and culturally responsive scholarship to identify evidence—based insights. Significant gaps in culturally specific, regionally disaggregated research are identified, with implications for future inquiry and organizational leadership practice.

The Effects Of Hurricane Helene On Mental Health And Physical Activity, Hunter Smathers, Robyn York, Jarrett Walbolt

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Hurricane Helene brought widespread damage to Southern Appalachia, disrupting utilities, health care, and recreation. While natural disasters are linked to declines in mental and physical health, few studies have examined their effects on distinct types of physical activity (PA).

Purpose: This study evaluated the effects of Hurricane Helene on perceived stress, depressive symptoms, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomology, and intentional (exercise for health benefits) and incidental (physical labor or transportation) PA. Evacuation status influence was also explored.

Methods: Twenty participants completed assessments four weeks before (BASE), immediately after (0POST), and four weeks after landfall (4POST). Measures included the Perceived …

Starting With Story, Not Symptom: Narrative Collapse And Cultural Repair In Appalachia, Wayne Coombs Ph.D.

Journal of Appalachian Health

Appalachia’s opioid crisis reflects uneven burdens, especially in distressed coalfield counties, and it cannot be solved by symptom tracking alone. This commentary argues for a narrative shift, starting with story and cultural repair alongside clinical care. Narrative collapse is defined here as the loss of shared, dependable public meaning across groups, not the absence of storytelling in families, churches, and recovery circles. Trauma science suggests that chronic threat reshapes nervous systems across generations, making safety a prerequisite for renewed trust. Drawing on narrative identity research, the piece proposes peer story work as infrastructure that can reduce shame, support treatment engagement, …

Demographics & Diversity Training Among Counselors Serving Dhh Clients: A 2025 Field Study, Moss Maclean, Cheryl Wu

Annual Student Research Day

This project aims to determine the demographic composition and the multicultural competencies of counselors working with DHH clients. Currently, no comparable data exists. Findings indicate that most counselors are women, straight, and deaf. Common barriers to professional development include cost, transportation, access to interpreters, and access to training in ASL. Implications include the need to address barriers in existing professional development, innovative multicultural counseling training in ASL, and the need for interpreters and other cultural liaisons to facilitate home-school collaboration between Deaf schools and CLD families.