Clinical Psychology Commons^™

The Role Of Child Anxiety In Parent Sick Role Reinforcement, Sarah Ann Bilsky

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A large body of evidence suggests that parents can facilitate offspring anxiety in response to bodily arousal. These learning experiences are referred to as “sick role reinforcement,” and are particularly important during adolescence, given the profound bodily changes (e.g., puberty) that characterize this period. Sick role reinforcement is likely important in the context of panic disorder (PD). Panic theorists suggest that parents may enhance panic vulnerability by increasing the threat value of bodily sensations. Although a sizeable body of work has examined the role of parent behavior in these processes, few have examined offspring factors in this process. Additionally, little …

Therapy Outcomes: Difference Between Latino And Non-Latino Foster Youth, Alicia G. Escobedo, Corie E. Schwabenland, Rosana M. Aguilar, Saralyn Ruff

Creative Activity and Research Day - CARD

Children in foster care experience a range of psychological symptoms due to their experiences with maltreatment. Latinos are a growing population within foster care, reflective of their growing numbers in the United States. Latinos often do not seek out mental health services and many face obstacles related to language, transportation, and lack of family support.

The current study describes treatment parameters of Latino and non-Latino foster youth receiving long-term, pro-bono psychotherapy through a non-profit. Telephone interviews were completed with the youths’ therapists at the start and end of treatment. Among the completed cases, nine were identified as Latino patients. An …

Teaching Children With Autism Who Have Difficulty Mastering Auditory Discriminations, Sarah Lichtenberger

Research and Creative Activities Poster Day

Simple and conditional visual and auditory discrimination repertoires are critical components of many skills necessary for daily functioning, including communication, academic, and daily-living skills (Green, 2001). When auditory discrimination is not under instructional stimulus control, it can result in delayed acquisition of new skills and limit academic progress. The purpose of this study was to teach auditory discrimination to children with autism who had little to no progress on classroom procedures that required auditory discrimination, such as selecting an object from an array when given the name of the object as the direction. Auditory discrimination was taught starting with teaching …

The Relationship And Consistency In Ratings Between The Conners 3 Executive Functioning Scale And The Behavior Rating Inventory Of Executive Functioning, Lauren R. Lamar

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Broadband behavior rating scales are commonly used in schools to gain data to help make critical decisions about a student’s educational programming and whether he or she is eligible to receive special education services. Several broadband behavior rating scales are beginning to include a scale that assesses executive functioning. This study investigated how scores from an executive functioning scale on a broadband behavior rating scale (Conners 3, Conners, 2008) compared to an established scale that only measures executive functioning (Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function [BRIEF], Gioia, Isquith, Guy, & Kenworthy, 2000). Teachers completed both scales at the same point …

The Consistency Of Ratings On The Cab-T Executive Functioning Scale As Compared To The Brief, Briese C. Chapman

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Executive functioning is an umbrella term used to describe abilities that include self-monitoring, goal-setting, planning, organization, attention, and working memory. Broadband behavior rating scales are commonly used by school psychologists and the instruments often now include an executive functioning scale. It is unknown, however, how these scales, based on a few items, compare to more extensive rating scales that solely measure executive functioning. The current study examined the overall consistency between the executive functioning scale on one broadband instrument to another instrument that assesses multiple areas of executive functioning by having teachers complete both instruments at the same point in …

Defining, Prioritizing, And Healing Emotional Abuse, Sarah A. Schillinger

Selected Honors Theses

This is a literature review which seeks to provide current research done on emotional abuse, emotional neglect, psychological maltreatment, verbal abuse, and any non-contact form of abuse. The purpose is to show issues with definitions, show effects of childhood emotional abuse, and show that the church can be an avenue of healing for victims of emotional abuse. Definitions of childhood emotional abuse (CEA) are presented, as well as problems inherent within the definitions. Effects shown to be congruent with victims of emotional abuse are shown. Lastly, a chapter on the purpose of the church and the ability of the church …

No More Secrets: Talking With Children And Young Adults About Pornography, Brad Hinman

Faculty Publications

This article provides an overview of the patterns, risk factors, and consequences of Internet pornography addiction and discusses appropriate personal and institutional responses, including discussing pornography with children at a young age in combination with other sexual and health topic. Christians are at higher risk for Internet pornography addictions than other groups, so addressing these issues with our children is particularly important. The article provides resources for ensuring student safety online, preventing online victimization, and learning more about Internet pornography addiction.

An Examination Of The Specificity Of Economic Loss And Deprivation And Community Violence On Depressive Symptoms And Aggressive Behavior In Urban, Low-Income Adolescents, Jarrett T. Lewis

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Based on the current literature examining associations of stress and psychopathology in adolescents, several types of stress (e.g., violence exposure, economic-related stress) have been identified as particularly salient in lowincome, urban adolescent populations (Grant et al., 2003; Natz et al., 2012). This population also has been shown to be at heightened risk for problems including internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Identifying specific pathways through which urban, low-income adolescents develop specific emotional and behavior problems in response to particular stressors would be helpful in the development and selections of as the targets of interventions that disrupt mediators that link particular stressors to …

Parents And Teachers’ Perceptions And Clinical Diagnosis Of Autism Among White And Non-White Groups, Margaret Gopaul

School of Psychology Publications

The pervasiveness of autism has significantly increased over the past 2 decades with the 2014 Center for Disease Control and Prevention report indicating 1 in 68 children are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Early intervention is recommended as the most effective treatment approach. Nevertheless, previous research has indicated that White children are diagnosed with ASD about 1.5 years earlier than are Non-White children. A current gap remains in literature regarding ASD and different racial groups, and evidence has been inconclusive regarding disparities in identifying and diagnosing ASD. To fill this gap, this study investigated the relationship between child race, …

Psychological Distress And Revictimization Risk In Youth Victims Of Sexual Abuse, Samantha L. Pittenger, Alayna Schreier, Katie Meidlinger, Jessica K. Pogue, Kate Theimer, Mary Fran Flood, David J. Hansen

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Psychological distress, including depression and anxiety, has been associated with increased risk for sexual revictimization in youth who have experienced child sexual abuse. The present study utilized assessment information from treatment seeking youth with histories of sexual abuse to explore specific risk indicators for revictimization—risk taking, social problems, maladaptive cognitions, and posttraumatic stress—that may be indicated by self-reported distress. The relationship between initial levels of distress and change in symptoms over a 12-week course of treatment was also explored. Participants were 101 youth referred to a child-focused therapeutic group for victims of sexual abuse, 65 youth referred to an adolescent-focused …

Parents And Teachers’ Perceptions And Clinical Diagnosis Of Autism Among White And Non-White Groups, Margaret Gopaul

Walden Faculty and Staff Publications

The pervasiveness of autism has significantly increased over the past 2 decades with the 2014 Center for Disease Control and Prevention report indicating 1 in 68 children are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Early intervention is recommended as the most effective treatment approach. Nevertheless, previous research has indicated that White children are diagnosed with ASD about 1.5 years earlier than are Non-White children. A current gap remains in literature regarding ASD and different racial groups, and evidence has been inconclusive regarding disparities in identifying and diagnosing ASD. To fill this gap, this study investigated the relationship between child race, …

Parent Participation In Child Therapeutic Settings, Robert Doss

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Researchers agree that more caregiver participation and higher levels of engagement in child therapeutic settings lead to better outcomes. However, challenges arise in families of low socioeconomic status (SES) where resources are already spread thin. The current study evaluates the efficacy of implementing a single caregiver participation session during an eight-week physical activity and play group for kids aged 6 to 9 years old. Results indicate that the group as a whole is useful in improving some emotional and behavioral issues in children, but the participation session did not seem to have an impact on improvement. A discussion of results, …

Living With Hiv: A Potential Source Of Trauma In Children And Adolescents, Kaitlyn P. Ahlers

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Due to advances in medical treatment for HIV/AIDS, individuals infected with HIV are living longer. HIV is now considered a chronic illness, and there has been limited research into the mental health problems that can arise from living with HIV, particularly among children and adolescents. Past research has demonstrated that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can result from experiences related to chronic illness. Importantly, HIV could affect children and adolescents in a distinct way when compared to any other incurable, chronic illness. The present study examined the mental health issues faced by children and adolescents who are infected with HIV as …

Exploring Barriers To The Generalization Of Social Skills Interventions For Children Diagnosed With Asd: A Qualitative Analysis Of ‘Youth Engagement Through Intervention’, Zachary Shindorf

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Many children who are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have difficulty with social skills and maintaining friendships. In turn, many social skills interventions have been developed to aid in the treatment of children diagnosed with ASD. Children with ASD, however, have difficulty generalizing the skills learned in social skills interventions to more natural settings like the home and school. This study, therefore, explored the barriers to the generalization of a social skills intervention, Youth Engagement Through Intervention (YETI) for children with ASD. Barriers to the generalization of YETI were explored through the qualitative examination of parents’ acceptability of the …

Identifying The Trauma Recovery Needs Of Maltreated Children: An Examination Of Child Welfare Workers' Effectiveness In Screening For Traumatic Stress, Adrienne Whitt-Woosley

Theses and Dissertations--Social Work

Children in the child welfare system comprise a group characterized by their exposure to trauma via experiences of maltreatment, under circumstances presenting multiple risk factors for traumatic stress. High rates of posttraumatic stress have been observed in this population. However, there is currently no standard for the universal screening of children in child welfare for trauma exposure and traumatic stress. The purpose of this study was to analyze the trauma experiences of a sample of maltreated children and examine whether child welfare workers are effective screeners of traumatic stress symptoms with children from their caseloads. Method: A sample of children …

The Lived Experience Of Facilitating The Violet Oaklander Model Of Psychotherapy For Children And Adolescents, Blake Brisbois

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the experience of facilitating the Oaklander Model of Gestalt Play Therapy when treating children or adolescents in psychotherapy. Interviews were conducted with clinicians who have received training and use the Oaklander method in their practice of psychotherapy. Transcriptions of the interviews were coded and analyzed, revealing a consistent experience along various themes. Participants reported that this Gestalt method allows a non-linear method of helping clients to unfold according to the needs and challenges of each session. Participants also reported that the end goal of the Oaklander Gestalt model helped young clients …

Slam Poetry: An Online Intervention For Treating Depression, Spencer J. Ruchti, Mercedes Becker, Cara Mckee, Austin Herron, Alex Swalling

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Given that depression is the “leading cause of disability worldwide,” and that less than 50% of people suffering from depression receive treatment, this study aims to provide support for a globally accessible depression treatment (WHO, 2012). The study conducted implemented an internet-based treatment for depression in which users were provided an opportunity to watch slam poetry videos related to mental health issues and write free responses regarding the content of the videos and their subjective experience of depression. Numerous studies provide support for the effectiveness of expressive writing, online mental health interventions, and slam poetry in particular for reducing symptoms …

The Influence Of Client-, Family-, And Therapist-Level Pretreatment Characteristics On Therapist Delivery Of Youth Psychotherapy Treatments, Adriana Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the extent to which pretreatment characteristics influence therapist treatment adherence by using data sampled from a randomized effectiveness trial and an efficacy study. Research suggests that youth-, family-, and therapist-level pretreatment characteristics influence therapist behavior; however, this area is underdeveloped as most studies have focused on externalizing problem areas, family-based approaches, and the use of parent or therapist report to assess for therapist adherence. To date, no research has examined this question with anxiety as the target problem, individual-focused CBT, and with observational therapist adherence data. An observational coding measure, Cognitive-Behavioral …

Can The Complex Care And Intervention (Cci) Program Be Culturally Adapted As A Model For Use With Aboriginal Families Affected By Complex (Intergenerational) Trauma?, Chipo Mcnichols

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Despite living in a country with a world renowned healthcare system, Canadian Aboriginal children, youth and their families, consistently have poorer access to healthcare as well as higher mortality and morbidity rates, in comparison to non-Aboriginal Canadians (Tang & Browne, 2008). Among factors including their history of residential school and intergenerational trauma, the lack of a culturally specific treatment intervention for complex trauma, is identified as a key factor in maintaining this health disparity. This study used participatory action research within an identified Aboriginal community, to develop a culturally adapted complex trauma intervention model. This was based on an existing …

Title: Parents And Teachers’ Perceptions And Clinical Diagnosis Of Autism Among White And Non-White Groups, Margaret Gopaul

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The pervasiveness of autism has significantly increased over the past 2 decades with the 2014 Center for Disease Control and Prevention report indicating 1 in 68 children are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Early intervention is recommended as the most effective treatment approach. Nevertheless, previous research has indicated that White children are diagnosed with ASD about 1.5 years earlier than are Non-White children. A current gap remains in literature regarding ASD and different racial groups, and evidence has been inconclusive regarding disparities in identifying and diagnosing ASD. To fill this gap, this study investigated the relationship between child race, …

An Evaluation Of The Validity Of A Script-Driven Imagery Procedure Among Traumatic Event Exposed Adolescents, Emily Renae Mischel

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Extensive research suggests script-driven imagery procedures employed with traumatic event-exposed adults produce reliable reactions that map onto contemporary models of posttraumatic stress, including increased physiological (Carson et al., 2000; Orr et al., 1998; Ramón et al., 2006) and negative affective (Pitman et al., 1987) responses to trauma scripts. Therefore, such procedures can be utilized in a controlled, laboratory-based setting, supporting mechanism-oriented research designed to better understand the nature, correlates, and consequences of traumatization and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Unfortunately, only one study has begun to evaluate the validity of script-driven imagery procedures for use with youth, making further investigation of …

Child Routines And Self-Regulation As Mediators Of Parenting Practices And Externalizing Problems In Preschoolers, Lovina R. Bater

Master's Theses

Studies clearly indicate that parenting practices relate to child externalizing behaviors, although the mechanisms underlying this relation are less well understood. Researchers suggest that daily routines are one way through which parenting practices relate to externalizing behaviors, allowing children to regulate their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors accordingly, potentially promoting development of appropriate self-regulatory behaviors. Self-regulation is also a possible route through which child routines inversely relate to externalizing behaviors. These relationships have been tested in school-age and older children, yet self-regulatory abilities are known to develop during the preschool period. This study examined child routines and self-regulation as serial mediators …

An Evaluation Of The Perfectionistic Social Disconnect Model Among Ethnic Minority Youth, Ana Belen Goya Arce

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Interpersonal aspects of perfectionism, particularly perfectionistic self-presentation, have been identified as specific vulnerability factors in the development of depressive disorders during the early adolescent years. The Perfectionistic Social Disconnect Model (PSDM) offers a theoretical framework explaining the relationship between perfectionistic self-presentation (PSP) and depressive disorders. The PSDM suggests that perfectionistic self-presentation leads to depressive symptoms indirectly through interpersonal problems and social disconnection. While previous studies have supported the hypothesized role of social disconnection as a mediator in the relation between perfectionistic self-presentation and suicidal ideation, no studies have explored the role that interpersonal problems play in the model. Furthermore, the …

Early Diagnosis Of Autism Spectrum Disorder Via A Transdisciplinary Clinic, Peter John Thaxter

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

The current study seeks to explore whether a transdisciplinary clinic is accurate in their diagnosis of ASD prior to the age of three. Participants in the current study consist of 34 children aged 13 to 36 months who were evaluated by a transdisciplinary clinic between 2007 and 2009. Participants were reassessed using the ADOS and ADI-R once the child is over the age of three. The diagnoses from the two time points was compared to determine the accuracy and reliability of the diagnosis assigned by the transdisciplinary clinic prior to the age of three.

Overall, diagnostic stability was high between …

The Efficacy Of Electroconvulsive Therapy In Managing Self-Injurious Behaviors Among Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Review, Themal I. Ellawala

Scholarly Undergraduate Research Journal at Clark (SURJ)

Self-Injurious Behaviors (SIB) in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) form a constellation of particularly pervasive and harmful symptoms signifying high morbidity for children and adolescents. Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) has been proposed as a last resort for particularly severe and treatment-resistant forms of SIB, yet has received little acceptance in mainstream clinical psychology. This paper summarizes findings of four studies investigating the effic- acy of ECT in treating SIB in ASD inflicted youth. This paper also evaluates the research on potential side-effects and ethical implications of ECT use. I conclude that while extensive further research is required to understand the implications of …

Parent Stress And Social Skills Development In Children With Developmental Delays, Andrea Lewallen

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The following dissertation is a compilation of two studies examining the impact of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) on parents of children with developmental delays (DD) and the subsequent effects on child social development. Study one sought to examine whether changes in child social skills occurred after parent stress was reduced through an 8-week MBSR training group, and whether these changes were associated with improvements in parent-child relational factors. Data from 24 families of children with DD (ages 2.5-5) were examined in this study. Paired samples t-tests examining pre-post differences revealed that mothers, secondary informants, and teachers acknowledged improvements in …

The Impact Of Ethnicity On Executive Functioning In Youth, Silvia M. Henriquez Gerken

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Executive function can be defined as a group of processes that guide and direct cognitive functions (Isquith, Roth & Gioia, 2013). Relatively little is known about executive function in ethnic minority children. This dissertation examined whether ethnicity predicts performance and parent rating scores on three executive function processes. To date, no study has teased apart the effects of ethnic minority status and its confounding variables in executive function. A total of 134 Caucasian and African American youth between the ages of 11-17 were included in the study. Of those 134 youth, 116 had complete data (both performance-based scores and rating …

A Person-Centered Examination Of Latino Youth Depressive Symptom Trajectories: The Role Of Youth, Parent, And Dyadic Familism, Jessica Annabel Arizaga

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

A growing body of literature indicates Latino youth are at greater risk for depression relative to other racial/ethnic groups (CDC, 2014). Research examining predictors of Latino youth depression suggests higher familial values might buffer against youth depressive symptoms (Polo & Lopez, 2009; Zeiders et al., 2013b). However, longitudinal relationships between these variables remain largely unexamined. Furthermore, the literature on longitudinal youth depressive symptoms is mixed, with both increases and decreases being observed over time using group-centered analyses. The present study has three major aims: 1) map the trajectories of depressive symptomology among middle-school age Latino youth over the course of …

Pediatric Medical Traumatic Stress In Youth With Type 1 Diabetes And Their Caregivers: A Longitudinal Assessment Of Metabolic Control And Psychosocial Mediators, Sabrina Anne Karczewski

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the role of pediatric medical traumatic stress (PMTS) in response to a type 1 diabetes (T1D) diagnosis for both parents and children and its influence on a child’s future metabolic control. PMTS is a term that represents a continuum of posttraumatic stress symptoms (i.e., intrusion, hyper-vigilance, and avoidance) that occur in response to a medical event that may or may not meet full clinical criteria for a Diagnostic Statistical Manual, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) diagnosis. This study examines a theoretical model (see Figure 1) and the interrelationships between a child and/or parent’s level of PMTS in response to …

Creating A Digital Community In Colleges Through An Interactive Theater Intervention: Guidelines For Cyberbullying Prevention During Freshmen Orientation Week, Benjamin Hindell

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Cyberbullying has created a demand for trainings and workshops that propose “digital citizenship” in schools. These trainings focus on respect for one’s self, peers, and community on and offline (Collier, 2012). Most research in the area has been on junior-high and high-school-age students. However, studies have shown that college age youth also experience cyberbullying. Freshmen may begin college with the psychological trauma of bullying and/or cyberbullying experienced in junior high and high school. They may be perpetrators, victims or both. I propose an interactive cyberbullying prevention program designed for incoming college freshmen that addresses the dynamics of traditional and cyberbullying, …