Psychology Commons^™

Improving The Mental Well-Being Of Children Hospitalized With Chronic Illness, Emily Pedersen

Psychology Honors Projects

The psychological well-being of children hospitalized with chronic illness is of vital importance (Eccleston et al., 2015). In the first part of this project, I documented factors that influence their well-being and identified potential pathways for enhancing psychological health. In the second part, I did qualitative research in the form of interviews with four healthcare professionals who work closely with hospitalized children. I offer recommendations based on their observations, including a new type of staff position and closer collaboration among hospital staff.

Maltreatment And Resilience: Examining The Unique Roles Of Threat And Deprivation, Priscilla Herrera

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Background and objectives: This study aimed to investigate the involvement that maltreatment type, specifically threat and deprivation, play in a child’s life. We examine how threat uniquely contributes to resilience and how deprivation impacts resilience. Literature has highlighted differences in the effects of deprivation and threat in recent research that shows the impact on various neurological systems.

Methods and approach: Participants included youth aged 11-17 years in the Department of Family Services (DFS) custody following removal from their home after substantiated child maltreatment and were assessed. 90 of the youth in the sample reported that they have experienced threat-based maltreatment, …

Translating The Love Languages, Andrew Rilometo

Psychology Student Publications

Examines psychology studies addressing the Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman in a popular science style.

Mental Toughness In Athletics, Hope Goebel

Psychology Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Are Objects Oriented Towards Your Dominant Hand Easier To Recognize?, Lauren A. Miller

Honors Scholar Theses

Previous research demonstrated that conceptual knowledge of manipulable objects is partially grounded in the motor system. For instance, explicitly retrieving knowledge about how a manipulable object is interacted with (e.g. pinched or clenched?) is easier for right handed people if the object is oriented so that it more easily affords grasping with the right hand (Chrysikou et al., 2017). We tested if motor experience through handedness also influences participants’ abilities to name objects that are commonly grasped with their dominant hand. Participants were asked to name images of graspable objects whose handles were oriented toward either their left or right …

Social Isolation In Older Adults: A Qualitative Study, Jacqueline M. Rich

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Population aging is a worldwide trend linked to scientific developments such as vaccinations and medical advancements, including improvements in cancer treatment and a lower fertility rate than experienced by previous generations. This phenomenon is poised to instigate one of the biggest social revolutions of the twenty-first century. The consequences of an aging population affect housing, transportation, labor markets, and the demand for goods and services. It also influences interpersonal relationships, including family structures and friendships. This upward drift of improved longevity increases the possibility of developing physical and psychological ailments that can contribute to lifestyle changes and subsequently increase the …

Bridges And Barriers: Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Emerging Adults' Views On Integrating Their Sexual And Religious Identities, Rémy Roe

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The existing literature highlights sexual and religious identity integration as a significant mediating factor in the relationship between religion and spirituality (R/S), and the LGBTQ population. This study explores outcomes associated with the integration of sexual and religious identities in a religiously diverse sample of seven lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) emerging adults ages 18-25. The sample included participants identifying with Buddhism (2), Christianity (2), Islam (1), Judaism (1), and Hinduism (1). Semi-structured interviews with participants identified eight key themes across their experiences: identity narratives, emerging adulthood exploration, interconnectedness of identities, evolving perspectives, social and cultural barriers, personal growth and …

A Phenomenological Study Of Adoptive Parents’ Distress, Erica Rhoads

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of distress in parents who have adopted internationally. The aim was also to discover what this lived experience is like through the perception of both objective and subjective reality, providing understanding and meaning from the perception and experience of adopting and then parenting children who have experienced significant trauma. An additional goal of this study was to evaluate the experience of sharing their adoption story within a narrative therapy support group as a way to alleviate some of their distress. A focus on the background of adoption …

The Daily Lived Experiences Of Traumatic Brain Injury Survivors: An Examination Of The Emotional, Cognitive, And Spiritual Repercussions, Nanette Stewart Haney

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of traumatic brain injury survivors, seeking to understand their lived experiences by examining the emotional, cognitive and spiritual daily experiences. The study participants were adult male and female survivors of a life altering moderate to severe traumatic brain injury who live within the United States of America. The theories guiding this study are Jean Piaget’s (1896-1980) Constructivism Theory and John Watson’s (1878-1958) Behavioral Approach Systems Theory. Jean Piaget believes that all cognitive development progresses towards complex levels of organization. When an individual acquires new knowledge, it is received, …

Exploring The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence And Religiosity And The Experience Of Emotional Labor In Working Women, Jane Naa Koshie Acquah-Bailey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Women serve crucial roles within the home as caregivers and outside the home in the workforce, where they often fill many essential support positions such as service industry workers, teachers, social workers, nurses, and human service workers. In these roles, women must often mitigate the psychosocial issues of those whom they serve, resulting in high emotional labor with subsequent deleterious effects for them. Religiosity and emotional intelligence have been demonstrated to alleviate psychosocial stressors. Current research identified on emotional intelligence and emotional labor in diverse workspaces shows ongoing development. Biblical references to emotional intelligence and religiosity in emotional management highlight …

Trait Morbid Inquisitiveness: Horror Attraction, Religion, And The Final Girl, Charley Elles Brown

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

People are attracted to horror entertainment, such as movies, video games, dark tourism, and human-made haunted attractions, to experience fear and scary play. It is also utilized in research on emotional responses. Three types of attractors have been identified: dark copers, white knucklers, and adrenaline junkies. In horror movies, the evolution of threat management is exemplified by the resourcefulness and adaptability of the final girl. Furthermore, the attraction to horror-based entertainment is linked to morbid curiosity. A new research perspective known as trait morbid curiosity has identified this fascination as the development of psychological traits to handle morbid, threatening, and …

The Effects Of Mental Health On Emotional Intelligence Among Latino Church Leaders, Janice M. Torres

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Latinos are a culturally based race whose mental health focuses on the foundation established by their cultural upbringing and religion. Stigma, religious values, and culture are essential in Latinos' perspectives regarding their emotional intelligence and mental health. This experimental study investigated the effect of mental health on emotional intelligence in Latino church leaders, utilizing The Emotionally Healthy Leader as an intervention. This study employed a pretest-posttest design where participants' emotional intelligence, mental health, and mental health awareness were assessed before and after the intervention. A randomized, controlled trial (RCT) encompassed a group of randomly assigned Latino church leaders who participated …

Reinventing Holistic Healthcare: Pastoral Perspectives Of Biblical Insights For The American Healthcare System, Leanne Michelle Bergey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to examine pastoral perspectives of Biblical healthcare. These perspectives are essential to consider due to the long history of the connection between spirituality and healthcare and the church’s successful intervention worldwide for increasing healthcare outcomes. Since the church has been successful worldwide at creating faith-based organizations that meet community needs, it is vital that research focus on how churches might continue this success within the United States. This study used semi-structured interviews to examine the research questions of 1) What is the Biblical responsibility of healthcare? 2) How does culture influence the role …

Understanding The Lived Experiences Of Law Enforcement Officers Utilizing Employee Assistance Programs After Critical Incidents, Lovetta Quinn-Henry

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological research was to understand and describe the lived experiences of Central Florida law enforcement officers who utilized an employee assistance program (EAP) following a critical incident. Law enforcement professionals exposed to critical workplace incidents are often referred to an EAP for their mental health. The problem is that law enforcement officers severely underutilize the available services offered by an EAP, even after critical incidents when the support is urgently needed. Piaget’s work is underpinned by McCann and Pearlman’s constructivist self-development theory guiding the study. The theory asserts that individuals draw from their experiences to …

Measuring Corporate Social Responsibility Leading To Organizational Commitment And Belongingness, Clifford J. Strawder

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Following the completion of the study, it was found that there exists a significant relationship between perceived Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) congruence and employee outcomes, particularly organizational commitment, as elucidated through the lens of social identity theory. The investigation aimed to elucidate how employees' personal values and assessments of CSR dimensions could positively shape their attitudes and commitment to their organizations. The study, conducted with participants from various organizations recruited via the Amazon Mechanical Turk (M-Turk) platform, delved into three key CSR dimensions: Discretionary, Ethical, and Economic Responsibility. Results indicated that organizations can bolster organizational commitment by fostering a sense …

The Impact Of Infertility On Relationship Satisfaction, Mental Health, And Expectations During The Transition To Parenthood, Jill Giresi

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the relationship between the method of conception (assisted reproductive technology [ART] vs. spontaneous conception) and the associations between parenting expectations, psychological distress, and relationship satisfaction. First-time parents (N=100) completed an online questionnaire within the first six months postpartum. Results indicated a significant difference in reported postpartum relationship satisfaction between couples who conceived via ART and those who conceived spontaneously, with ART couples reporting higher relationship satisfaction. This result was in the opposite direction than what was hypothesized. All other results were as expected. Postpartum relationship satisfaction was negatively associated with both unrealistic parenting expectations and psychological distress. …

A Phenomenological Examination Of The Experiences Of College Theater Majors In Regard To The Covid-19 Pandemic And Lockdowns In The United States, Ronda Celeste Jones

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting lockdowns were phenomena experienced by the majority of the modern world, but not everyone experienced it in the same way. Each person brings their own past, their own interests, and their own needs to the lived experience. Pre-pandemic research on art therapy suggests that creative expression could be helpful to adolescents experiencing such trauma. Theater majors are a particular set of people for whom creative expression through theater is a huge part of their life. Theater majors are also participating in a creative activity that requires social contact, and that social contact was limited or …

Attachment (Avoidance And Anxiety) In Relation To Marital Satisfaction In Couples Born Between 1980 And 2000, Shevanthi Kanaganayagam

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative correlational study examined the relationship between attachment styles (Anxiety, Avoidance) correlated to marital satisfaction in heterosexual couples living in the U.S., born between 1980-2000, and the moderating role of social media use. Attachment styles develop during the infant stage through interactions with adult caregivers. It is apparent from research results that early attachment styles affect how a person interacts, impacting satisfaction in adult romantic relationships (Sandberg et al., 2015). The emergence of social media platforms, including Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, has given people new ways to communicate with each other, build networks, and share information. According to research, …

Family Discipleship: Forming A Biblical Worldview For Godly Decisions, Eric Spencer Mccrickard

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This action research project focuses on equipping parents to disciple their children in home-based worship, Bible study, and developing a biblical worldview. The problem at The Mission Church is poor decision-making from teens in the student group. The students make decisions from a malformed biblical worldview, resulting in decisions contrary to God’s Word. Further analysis of this problem revealed the need for home-based discipleship. Contemporary literature demonstrates the need for family ministry, specifically family-based discipleship. Thus, this research is critical to developing parents to teach their families God’s precepts (Deut 6:7-9). This thesis intervention seeks to instruct the parents about …

A Phenomenology Of Spiritual And Religious Supports For Female Victims Of Intimate Partner Violence, Robin Downs

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of Christian female victims of intimate partner violence as they engaged with their religious and spiritual supports through online interviews, journal entries, and focus groups. In this study, existential theory assisted in shaping an understanding of how victims of intimate partner violence interact with spiritual and religious supports to find meaning in their suffering and to identify what Christian women victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) describe as building their resilience and posttraumatic growth. Semi-structured interviews of 9 Christian women over 18 who experienced intimate partner violence were …

Child To Parent Violence By Adhd Children: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Approach To The Experiences Of Parents In The Evangelical Church, Amber Hilton Stokes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Child-to-parent violence (CPV) is a poorly understood and underreported phenomenon that involves physical, psychological, or financial damage by a child to gain control of a parent. There is a unique lack of literature on how a diagnosis of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may contribute to CPV. Ecological elements such as cultural, social, family, and individual factors impact the expression of aggression by these children as well as preclude parents’ help-seeking behaviors. The local church, an important agent of social support, has thus far remained silent on the issue of CPV and has been shown to underrecognize other forms of domestic …

A Mediation Analysis For Agency And Turnover Intentions: A Cross-Sectional Inquiry For Army Talent Management, Joshua P. Cowin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The study contributed to theoretical and practical implications for retention. Targeting a population of mid-career soldiers in the United States Army, the predictor variable of interest was agency and its relationship with turnover intentions. The Army was a good candidate organization for this study because contemporary recruitment pressures and higher-than-average attrition rates place increasing importance on the effectiveness of organizational retention efforts. Accordingly, this study aligned research questions with a mediation model wherein agency influenced the relationships affective commitment, needs-supply fit, and career satisfaction held with turnover intentions. The hypotheses for this study were: (a) that agency significantly influenced turnover …

Exploring The Relationship Between Leadership Style And Psychological Capital Constructs, Matthew Austin Clark

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is currently a gap in knowledge regarding how leadership styles relate to employee psychological capital. Leaders can use this knowledge to emphasize employee health. It will also help organizations by promoting employee development and retention. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between each leadership style of situational leadership, servant leadership, authentic leadership, transformational leadership and levels of employee psychological capital. This research also examined whether age acted as a moderator in the relationship. The research questions that guided this study were does leadership style have a relationship with employee psychological capital, and does age act …

Impacts Of Nostalgia Intervention On Wellbeing Over Time: A Proposed Study, Josh R. Burdick

2024 Symposium

Research indicates that nostalgia, “a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past,” increases perceptions of social support and meaning in life. The proposed study is intended to complement the existing cross-sectional studies via examination of nostalgia’s effects over time. This study will measure the effects of weekly nostalgia interventions on loneliness and well-being over a period of three weeks.

Participants will engage in three weekly nostalgia interventions in which they write about and reflect upon a personally significant nostalgic memory. After each weekly session, participants will complete measures for loneliness as well as two key areas of well-being: perceived …

The Bible And Mental Health: Towards A Biblical Theology Of Mental Health, Robert D. Mcbain

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

No abstract provided.

The Soul Of Desire: Discovering The Neuroscience Of Beauty, Longing, And Community, Rebekah Bled

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

No abstract provided.

Faithful Integration: The Importance Of Worldview, Hermeneutics, And Theology For Christian Counseling, Nicole C. Biller

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

Efforts to integrate faith with psychological science and counseling have been present within Christian graduate programs for decades; however, questions remain about how to do this effectively. A brief review of integration efforts and a survey of the experience of graduate students within these programs reveal a desire to further model this practical integration within the classroom. Possible solutions emphasize a biblically informed worldview, intentionally crafted hermeneutics, and well developed theology, which can lead to faith-informed counseling practices.

Pentecostal Hope In The Age Of Covid-19, Peter Althouse, Audrey E. Mccormick

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

This research sought to identify how Pentecostals and charismatics responded to the Coronavirus pandemic. Specifically, what role did eschatology play in provoking hope, and how did theologies on healing influence responses? Data revealed that Pentecostals were generally not casting their responses to the pandemic as a millennial expectation of a better future but were grieving their losses and seeking to provoke hope amidst suffering. While minimal miraculous healings were reported, healing was cast primarily as the ongoing presence of defiant hope amidst trauma, grief and suffering. We propose that grief and grieving is an eschatological response to loss and death.

Exploring How Pentecostals Preach About Depression, Robert D. Mcbain

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

A qualitative analysis was completed on twelve sermons into how Pentecostal preachers talk about depression from the pulpit using the Assemblies of God (AG) as a purposive sample. Findings illustrate that preachers talked about faulty thinking as the source of depression and interpreted depression as a transformative journey occurring within the context of a God encounter where the believer fixed their faulty thinking. While the way the preachers interpreted depression is not without critique, the article suggests that preaching about depression as a journey of encounter may help listeners frame their depression experiences within a narrative framework that helps them …

The Role Of Spirituality In The Lives Of Counselors: Reframing The Focus, Greg A. Meyer

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

The term spirituality is often hard to hear without prior, preconceived ideas and bias attached to it, and is often used interchangeably with other words, depending on one’s past and culture. The field of counselor education and supervision has also used the term in ambiguous ways, which has led to apprehension and a lack of clarity with which the term is taught and understood. This paper explains the historical focus of spirituality within the counselor education field, then redefines the focus towards the lives of counselors, but more specifically the lives of counseling students and the impact counselor educators might …