Psychology Commons^™

Start From Zero: Reimagining Creative Arts Therapy Education In An International Context, Ling Cheun Bianca Lee

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This qualitative dissertation examines how Hong Kong-based art therapists trained in Western graduate programs adapt their educations to the cultural, institutional, and sociopolitical realities of their local contexts. Using photovoice methodology informed by decolonial, liberatory, and trauma-informed frameworks—referred to as stir fry praxis—the study centers the experiences of 11 participants navigating professional reentry, identity formation, and systemic constraints. Seven interrelated themes emerged: The evolving and precarious landscape of art therapy in Hong Kong; the dual role of practitioners as therapists and educators; the impact of sociopolitical forces, including self-censorship and limited access to care; the limitations of Western-centric education; grassroots …

Bisexuality: An Individual's Direction Is Society's Detour, Madisyn J. Roberts

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation explores the lived experiences of self-identified bisexual adults through a qualitative, narrative inquiry approach that centers how folx construct their story of sexuality and individual meaning making capacities based on held intersections of identity. Using Queer theory and intersectionality as a theoretical framework, this study investigates and advocates that sexual orientation is not validated or invalidated by its fluidity but aims to understand how bisexuality is an integrative part of an individual’s identity. This dissertation explores how society’s tendency to view sexuality as divided between heterosexuality and homosexuality erases the complexity and spectrum of sexual orientations that exist …

Examining The Addictive Qualities Of Smartphone Usage, Daniel J. Pasquini

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Individuals in today’s society, both nationally and globally, have become exceedingly reliant on their smartphones, i.e., cellular devices with the ability to perform many tasks similar to a traditional computer, for both recreational and productivity purposes. As smartphones become increasingly accessible and affordable for the general population, smartphone usage will continue to grow exponentially. As a result, a comprehensive investigation into the possible addictive properties of smartphone usage is warranted. The purpose of this study is to examine and highlight any possible addictive qualities of excessive smartphone usage. The research methodology that will be implemented within the study will be …

Ecological Attunement: Exploring Eco-Informed Clinical Supervision, Ari C. Bonagofski

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation examined what constitutes eco-informed clinical supervision, identified its essential components, described its practical implementation, and analyzed how it expands systemic practice. The lack of attention climate- and nature-related issues receive in the couple and family therapy field coupled with the climate crisis and disconnection from nature create a gap in training and care for those experiencing ecological distress. Clinical supervision is one method of addressing this issue by teaching and developing competence working with climate- and nature-related issues. Using a modified three-part Delphi methodology, this study included two surveys followed by an optional individual interview. Panelists agreed on …

Examining The Relationship Between Bicultural Stress And Mental Well-Being Among Second-Generation Filipino Americans Living In The United States, Krista Parker

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Research investigating the bicultural and mental health experiences of Filipino Americans, the third largest Asian American group in the United States, are consistently overlooked, with second-generation Filipino Americans (SGFAs) facing greater risk of adverse mental health outcomes. This quantitative study addresses a critical gap in research by examining the relationship between bicultural stress and mental well-being among SGFAs living in the United States. Using a cross-sectional survey design, a multivariate regression analysis examined the relationship between bicultural stress and four mental health constructs (as measured by depression, anxiety, stress, and self-esteem) among 302 SGFA participants. Results from this study strongly …

Supports For Mental Well-Being Valued By Healthcare Workers: Qualitative Analysis Of Data From A Canadian Cohort Of Healthcare Workers During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Shannon Marie Ruzycki, Anil Adisesh, Quentin Durand-Moreau, France Labrèche, Tanis Zadunayski, Erica Stroud, Nicola Cherry

Études primaires

A prospective cohort of 4964 HCWs from four Canadian provinces was established early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were invited to comment about workplace mental health supports at three time points. We performed a thematic content analysis of responses from 1738 participants using the Social Support Behaviour Code framework to categorize barriers to support as informational, tangible, emotional, social, or expressing esteem. Themes were synthesized into suggestions for healthcare organizations to prepare for future crises. Formal and informal peer support, workplace mental health supports, and one-on-one counseling were most often mentioned as valued. Analysis suggested that workplace social networks as …

The Relationship Between Perceived Racial Stress And Academic Achievement Of African American Students, Jodie E. Felder

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Educational institutions are not only places of learning, but they can be places of refuge and support for students. Academic engagement and performance can be negatively affected for ethnic students of color. This can lead to a disconnection between the education system of teachers, administrators, and students. Studies suggest racial stress contributes to negative environmental factors, to which African American (Black) students have been found to be especially vulnerable. Overlooked, ignored, and misunderstood environmental factors for African American students exacerbate educational obstacles, widening achievement gaps and increasing attrition rates. A lack of culturally guided knowledge among stakeholders lessens the opportunity …

Sex Life Post Childbirth And The Role Of The Partner Relationship: A Qualitative Study, Agata Kopacz

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Sexual problems are common among postpartum women, and sexual functioning during the postpartum period is affected by biological, psychological, and social factors. There is limited research exploring women’s experiences within their romantic relationships and sex lives during the postpartum period. This qualitative study utilized the phenomenological approach to gain a better understanding of the experiences of postpartum women in their romantic relationships and their sexual functioning after childbirth. A total of eight eligible postpartum women were interviewed individually. Data from the interviews were analyzed utilizing the phenomenological data analysis approach and grouped into emerging themes. Four themes were extracted for …

Exploring The Effect Of Personal Mental Health Disclosures On Perceptions Of Doctoral Psychology Applicants, Hunter C. Schow

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

While some research exists discussing the attitudes around personal mental health disclosures as they pertain to both professional decorum and admission to doctoral psychology training programs, little research has analyzed the actual impact of such disclosures on how applicants are perceived. This study aimed to assess whether personal mental health disclosures in admissions essays ultimately affect how applicants are perceived by doctoral faculty determining whether or not to admit them to their program. The hypothesis was that ambiguous disclosures do have an impact, and especially those showing unaddressed or ongoing struggles. An electronic survey utilizing a mixed-methods approach was distributed …

Reducing Burnout In Healthcare Professional Training Programs, Michaela Lillie

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

There is an immense need for behavioral health clinicians in the United States, with an estimated 43.4 million people having behavioral concerns in 2015. An estimated 37% of counties in the United States are facing a shortage of behavioral health workers, which means many people are going without treatment. It also means caseloads will be elevated for current behavioral health clinicians. Research consistently shows that these workers face high burnout rates every year. Though burnout is typically studied at the organizational level, there are elevated rates of burnout at the academic training level. Because research has focused on the organization …

Creating The I-Ace: A Revised Ace Measure Incorporating Perceived Impact And Broader Adversity Experiences, Katherine M. Adams

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) survey is a widely used, evidence-based tool that assesses the number of adverse events an individual experienced before the age of 18 years. Research has shown that total ACE scores are associated with physical and mental health outcomes across the lifespan. The original ACE survey—often referred to as the conventional, standard, or primary version—consists of 10 items measuring adverse experiences across categories of abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction. However, it does not fully capture experiences that are increasingly relevant when assessing childhood adversity and trauma, particularly among historically marginalized minority and socio-economic populations. One area …

A Psychometric Investigation Of The Consumption Of Pornography Scale (Cops-G) In Undergraduate Students At A Private Christian University, Liberty Jedidiah Lillibridge

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Pornography is a multidimensional and complex topic that provokes feelings of shame, curiosity, and anxiety. In recent times, pornographic searches on the internet amounted to 25% of total search engine requests (Cooper et al., 2000). In a Canadian study on college students’ problematic pornography use, a higher level of pornography use was associated with negative psychosocial functioning and maladaptive use of cannabis, alcohol, gambling, and video games (Harper & Hodgins, 2016). Many researchers have attempted to mitigate the inconsistent measurement of pornography usage (Mckee et al., 2020; Short et al., 2012). Hatch et al. (2020) addressed these measurement issues and …

Self-Compassion And Shame: The Role Of Socioeconomic Status, Amanda Louie

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Undergraduate student mental health concerns are a growing issue on a global scale. One proposed intervention to support student well-being is to increase student self-compassion. Previous research has found that self-compassion can decrease negative affect and shame, and improve well-being and resilience, which in turn may reduce stress. A lesser area of study concerning self-compassion is what effect, if any, socioeconomic status may have on the development of self-compassion in individuals. To address this gap in the literature, this study collected data from college students on the West Coast and used a correlational design to explore the relationships between self-compassion, …

Utilization Of Assessment Results To Improve Identification Of Prenatal Substance Exposure, Whitney R. Mendenhall

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Prenatal substance exposure (PSE) significantly increases the risk of behavioral, emotional, and neurological challenges in children (Eiden et al., 2023). Children with PSE present similarly to children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and are often diagnosed with ADHD due to shared symptomatology (Garrison-Desany et al., 2022). However, PSE has a greater association with long-term cognitive, emotional, social, and behavioral deficits (Eiden et al., 2023). While PSE and ADHD share similar symptomologies, treatment and outcomes vary substantially, where early identification and treatment is a critical protective factor against the development of other psychological conditions in children with PSE. PSE can …

Exploring The Relationship Between Individual Value Priorities And Pathological Psychological Traits, Dennis Kurtz

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Values are central to the ways that humans evaluate the world and make decisions, and they play an important role in individual psychological functioning and well-being. Although human values are frequently used in psycho-therapeutic interventions in clinical practice, the precise nature of their relationship to psychopathology is unclear. This research explored the relationship between human values and psychopathology using the Schwartz basic theory of human values and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory–3. Participants were recruited from a community mental health clinic. Data were analyzed to determine relationships between value priorities and clinical scales.

The study hypothesized positive associations between self-enhancement …

Sport-Related Concussions In Division Iii Athletes: A 10-Year Prospective Analysis Of Trends And Incidence, Shaylyn R. Thorne

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Sports-related concussions (SRCs) among college athletes remain a growing area of concern due to a myriad of potential short and long-term implications. Understanding concussion trends and incidence in collegiate sports is critical for guiding prevention and management strategies. This study examined concussion injuries among NCAA Division III collegiate athletes at a single institution over a 10-year period. Analyses focused on trends in concussion incidence across sports, genders, and changes associated with institutional and NCAA policy updates. Results indicated that concussion incidence varied across sports and time, with higher rates in contact sports such as football and soccer. Significant differences occurred …

An Intersectional Approach To Examining The Impact Of Cigarette Taxes On Tobacco Use By Urbanization Level, Andrea R. Milstred

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Rates of traditional tobacco use have reached a century-level low though not universally with some vulnerable populations continuing high rates of tobacco use, such as those located in geographically isolated areas of the United States (US). Rural populations experience a unique set of challenges (i.e., decreased access to health promoting resources, high density of tobacco retailers, increased pro-tobacco advertising) that compound to produce a “cumulative disadvantage” ultimately increasing their risk of tobacco use. To curb and prevent tobacco use, tobacco control policies, such as excise taxes, can be implemented. At least one study suggests tobacco control policies are less effective …

Examining The Relationships Among Value Placed On Autonomy, Use Of Compensatory Control Strategies, And Suicidal Ideation In Older Adults, Catherine Huang Ju

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Rates of suicide in older adults are higher than those found in the general United States population. A variety of risk factors unique to older adulthood contribute to these numbers. Greater value placed on one’s own autonomy is related to suicidal ideation in older adults, but no research has yet been done to examine the mechanisms underlying this relationship. As individuals age and functional impairment increases, older adults generally engage in compensatory primary control strategies (e.g., seeking help) but those who prioritize independence and self-directedness – i.e., place a high value on autonomy – engage in fewer compensatory primary control …

Does The Time Spent With Same-Gender Peers Matter? Gender Segregation And Attitudes About Coercive Sex In College Students, Kourtney L. Kotvas

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Gender segregation, or the tendency to form friendships with same-gender peers, is a common phenomenon across the lifespan (Mehta & Strough, 2009). Research suggests that same-gender peer groups reinforce traditional gender norms (Leaper, 2022), which may contribute to coercive sexual attitudes, which are beliefs that justify sexual coercion. This study examined how different measures of gender segregation, peer nomination, actual time spent with same-gender peers, and ideal time spent with same-gender peers relate to coercive sexual attitudes. These attitudes were assessed through rape myth acceptance, which reflects beliefs that minimize or justify sexual violence (Canan et al., 2023), and sexual …

Do Demographics And Social Determinants Of Health Relate To Current And Anticipated Caregiving Roles?, Sarah Alison Bolling

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In 2021-22, approximately 37.1 million Americans provided care to family or friends who had an illness or disability (U.S. Bureau of Labor, 2024). These informal caregivers experience poorer mental health (Dahlrup et al., 2015) and physical health (Pinquart & Sorensen, 2003) influencing their overall well-being. Experiences in caregiving may differ across age, gender, race (Young et al., 2019). Given the effects of Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), such as financial stability, health care, and food resources (Duran & Perez-Stable, 2019), some adults may experience additional threats to health and quality of life before entering into the caregiver role. Little is …

Exploring Front-Line Implementers Perceptions To Inform Tier 1 Pbis Implementation Coaching, Sammi Cowger

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The successful implementation of universal practices within Positive Behavior Interventions and Support systems (Tier 1 PBIS) relies on front-line implementers to deliver services through student-facing practice elements. However, schools are often limited in the implementation support they can provide (Fixsen et al., 2005). Therefore, there is a growing emphasis in educational research on the systems and resources necessary to support the individuals tasked with implementing the programming (Forman et al., 2013). One form of support commonly used to support implementers of other school-based practices is implementation coaching. While this term is not universally used within the literature, it can be …

Remote Infant Studies Of Early Learning (Rise): Scalable Online Replications Of Key Findings In Infant Cognitive Development, Rhiannon Luyster, Elena Tenenbaum1, Caitlin Stone, My H. Vu, Madeleine Hare, Kristen Gilyard, Sudha Arunachalam, Elika Bergelson, Somer Bishop, Michael Frank, J. Kiley Hamlin, Melissa Kline Struhl, Rebecca J. Landa, Casey Lew-Williams, Melissa E. Libertus, Julie Markant, Maura Sabatos-Devito, Stephen J. Sheinkopf, Jennifer B. Wagner, Kayle Park, Anna I. Soderling, Ashleigh K. Waterman, Jordan N. Grapel, Amit Bermano, Yotam Erle, Shafali Jeste

Emerson Authors, Researchers, & Creators

The current manuscript describes the Remote Infant Studies of Early Learning (RISE), a battery intended to provide robust looking time measures of cognitive development that can be administered remotely to inform our understanding of individual developmental trajectories in typical and atypical populations, particularly infant siblings of autistic children. This battery was developed to inform our understanding of early cognitive and language development in infants who will later receive a diagnosis of autism. Using tasks that have been successfully implemented in lab-based paradigms, we included assessments of attention, memory, prediction, word-recognition, numeracy, multimodal processing, and social evaluation. This study reports results …

Students’ Perceptions Of Self And Peers Predict Self-Reports Of Cheating, Amber M. Henslee, Luke Settles, Sara E. Johnson, Gayla R. Olbricht

Psychological Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Academic dishonesty and how to address it are common concerns across higher education disciplines, but engineering students admit to higher rates of academic dishonesty than other students. However, first-year students may be particularly receptive to prevention efforts. Considering self-perception, social norming, and behavioral choice theories, we hypothesized that 1.) Students who perceived themself as ethical and more knowledgeable of the consequences for misconduct would be less likely to self-report cheating and 2.) Students who perceived cheating and plagiarism to be common would be more likely to self-report cheating. For this study, freshmen engineering students (N=703) reported their self-perception, perception of …

How Do Human And Ai Gender Bias Interact In Hiring Decisions?, Eyuel Getahun, Daniel Burton Shank, Casey I. Canfield, Jessica L. Cundiff, Jenny L. Davis, Celia Freed

Psychological Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

The hiring process is crucial for organizational success but has long been troubled by human biases. Many organizations now include AI in their hiring protocols to mitigate these biases and increase efficiency. However, AI itself can have biases baked-in. Human biases and AI biases are distinct but related; here, we examine how human and AI biases interact to affect hiring outcomes. Through an online experiment, we examine this question in the context of gendered hiring for a male-dominated leadership position in electrical engineering. The study tests how elevated and depressed AI recommendations for male and female job candidates affect participant …

Comparison Of Cnn And Lstm Networks On Human Intention Prediction In Physical Human-Robot Interactions, Khosro Ghorbani Zadeh, Niloofar Zendehdel, George L. Holmes, Keyri Moreno Bonnett, Amy Costa, Devin Michael Burns, Ming-Chuan Leu, Yun Seong Song

Psychological Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Advancements in robotics and AI have increased the demand for interactive robots in healthcare and assistive applications. However, ensuring safe and effective physical human-robot interactions (pHRIs) remains challenging due to the sophistication of human motor communication and intent recognition. Traditional physics-based models struggle to capture the dynamic nature of human force interactions, limiting robot adaptability. To address these limitations, neural networks (NNs) have been explored for force-movement intention prediction. While multi-layer perceptron (MLP) networks show potential, they struggle with temporal dependencies and generalization. Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks effectively model sequential dependencies, while Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) enhance spatial feature …

Popular Music And Movies As Autobiographical Memory Cues, Julien Hanson, Jessica Frame, Elena Bai, Kendra Mehl, Kelly Jakubowski, Amy M. Belfi

Psychological Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Research on music-evoked autobiographical memories has grown rapidly in recent years, suggesting that music can be an effective stimulus for cueing memories from one's life. One challenging aspect of this type of research is creating a stimulus set that is effective at cueing autobiographical memories in a wide range of individuals. The present work sought to address this issue by creating a normed stimulus set of popular music and popular movie cues. In addition to this methodological aim, we had an empirical aim to identify differences between autobiographical memories cued by music and movies. Participants (N = 248) either listened …

Urban Isolation In The Digital Age- Examining The Sociological Impact Of The Digital Divide On Civic Life In U.S. Cities, Delante Clark

Graduate Scholarship and Creative Works

The digital divide remains a persistent barrier to civic participation and social inclusion in urban America, particularly in historically underserved communities. This mixed-methods study investigates how digital lack of access affects civic engagement, social capital, and community cohesion in U.S. cities, with a focus on Chicago’s South Side, Harlem New York, St. Louis, and Orlando. Drawing on quantitative data from recent surveys and qualitative insights from peer-reviewed literature, the research applies four sociological frameworks, Urban Sociology, Social Capital Theory, Critical Race Theory, and Symbolic Interactionism. These were used to examine the structural and interpretive aspects of digital isolation. Findings reveal …

Psychopathology, Symptomology, And Treatment In Offspring Of Holocaust Survivors: An Integrative Systematic Review, Lauren Grace Escobar

Theses and Dissertations

This systematic review aimed to evaluate the symptomatology, psychopathology, and treatment of offspring of Holocaust survivors (OHS). A comprehensive search was conducted in PsycINFO, PILOTS/PTSD, and Scopus for studies published between 1990 and 2024. Inclusion criteria required peer-reviewed studies, reports, books, literature reviews, and meta-analyses written or translated into English that reported on symptomatology and treatment for OHS. From an initial yield of 2,532 articles, 119 studies met the inclusion criteria. The findings suggest that OHS demonstrate significantly higher levels of symptomatology and psychopathology reported in nine clinical classifications. Psychodynamic treatment was the most commonly found treatment modality for OHS, …

The Efficacy Of Trauma-Informed Treatment For Undocumented Latinx Immigrants With Manifestation Of Trauma Symptoms: A Systematic Review, Daniel Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

This systematic review provides a narrative synthesis of the trauma symptom manifestation in the undocumented Latinx immigrant population, how acculturation impacts trauma symptom manifestation, and what interventions have been shown to be effective in treating trauma symptoms with this population. Using specific search terms, the PsycINFO and Scopus databases were searched. After a review of the full-text, a total of 26 articles met the inclusion criteria. Results indicated that undocumented Latinx immigrants present with trauma symptoms associated with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) diagnostic criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), somatic symptoms, and symptoms associated with …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Autistic Youth Mental Health, Chase Keyler

Theses and Dissertations

This systematic literature review explores the experiences of autistic youth during the COVID-19 pandemic and their ongoing adjustment in a post-pandemic world. It focuses on three primary concerns: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on ASD youth’s mental health, the factors influencing their adjustment during and after lockdown, and post-pandemic recommendations for clinicians and stakeholders. A comprehensive electronic literature search was conducted across six databases within the EBSCOhost platform. Study selection consisted of three phases: an initial screening (title and keywords), a partial review (title, keywords, and abstract), and a full- text analysis. The results of this systematic review indicate …