Clinical Psychology Commons^™

She’S Just Not That Into Me: Sexual Self-Concept Among Heterosexual Men Who Identify As Involuntary Celibates, Kyle J. Justin, Dustin K. Shepler, Joseph R. Kinel

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Emerging adult men experiencing involuntary celibacy are increasingly self-identifying as “incels.” Popular culture has painted a negative view of incel men. Nonetheless, almost no research has addressed the experiences of incels or systematically compared incels to their peers to identify whether actual differences exist in psychological functioning. In this study, we surveyed a total of 129 emerging adult men (75 incels and 54 non-incels) to determine if and how incels differ from their non-incel peers. MANOVA results indicated that incels disproportionately struggled with low self-esteem, social anxiety, difficulty approaching women, and optimism about partnered sexual experiences compared to their non-incel …

Parental Supervision And Monitoring And Deviant Adolescent Behavior, Mary Catherine Ross-Gray

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Deviant adolescent behavior is a social crisis in the United States, estimated at an annual cost of over $4 billion; yet there are gaps in the research on parental influences regarding this behavior. In this study, the principles of social learning theory were used to examine the relationships between parental supervision and deviant adolescent behavior as moderated by self-control and socioeconomic status. The population for this quantitative study consisted of 87 parent volunteers who completed surveys measuring parent supervision, child executive functioning, and delinquent behavior as well as demographic information such as socioeconomic status. Multiple Regression/Correlation was used to examine …

Predicting Outcomes Of American Youths' Shift Toward E-Cigarette Use, D J. Resendez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There has been a shift toward e-cigarette use and away from tobacco smoking among American youth. Despite effects of ongoing public health campaigns that bring attention to the harmful effects of tobacco and nicotine use generally, youths might not perceive e-cigarette use to be unhealthful in terms of psychological functioning. This study was an investigation of the impact of the method of tobacco use (cigarette or e-cigarette), past cessation attempts, cravings or needs to use tobacco, and serious cognitive difficulties, upon youths' intentions concerning future tobacco usage. The conceptual framework was based upon the self-medication hypothesis, biopsychosocial model, and social …

The Relationship Between Attachment, Self-Regulation, And Resilience In Undergraduate Students' College Adjustment, Scott Tanner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Difficulty adjusting to college life is noted in nearly 20% of freshmen who fail to return to college. The purpose of this quantitative survey design study, grounded in attachment theory, was to investigate the best predictor (e.g., secure parental attachment, self-regulation, or resilience) of college adaptation, the combined contribution of the variables in predicting college adaptation, and whether a bivariate relationship existed between the variables and subcomponents of college adaptation. The Connor Davidson Resilience Scale Revised, Parental Attachment Questionnaire, Short Self-Regulation Questionnaire, and Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire were securely administered online to a sample of 68 full-time students from …

The Relationship Between Emerging Adulthood And Communication Patterns, Eli Felt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adults who have not developed effective communication skills are at an increased risk of

having unsuccessful relationships. Children of divorce are less likely to have communication behaviors modeled to them, resulting in undeveloped communication and therefore a higher likelihood to get divorced themselves. The purpose of this quantitative quasi-experimental study was to determine if there was an association between the successful transition to emerging adulthood and the development of communication behaviors among adults. The research question focused on whether successful transition through emerging adulthood positively discriminates communication patterns among adults, specifically using Gottman's framework of the Four Horsemen of the …

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, …

Childhood Abuse And Neglect, Global Emotional Functioning, And Emotional Regulation In A Comunity Sample Of Adults, Deborah Isaacs

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Emotional impairment can lead to emotional disorders or dysfunction. Childhood abuse or neglect can be used to predict disorders and dysfunction. Missing from the literature was research exploring a direct relationship between a history of abuse or neglect and future emotional impairment. This quasi-experimental study served to examine whether histories of childhood abuse or neglect can be used to predict future emotional impairment using the Mayer and Salovey model of emotional functioning. A community sample of 138 adults from rural Wyoming completed retrospective reports of childhood trauma and current measures of emotional functioning, and 42% of the sample reported a …

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, …

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, …

Challenges Of Child Trauma On Adoptive Families' Social And Emotional System, Jacqueline Yvonne Ford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adoption-focused psychoeducation is deemed essential in maintaining the permanency of traumatized children within a new family unit. However, adoptive parents of traumatized children struggle to find training to address their unique concerns. Guided by the lens of psychodynamic theory, the purpose of this study was to investigate the challenges faced by adoptive families of traumatized children. Special focus was placed on the social and emotional relationships of the adoptive parents of traumatized children, to identify the realistic expectations towards attachment from the families' perspectives. Fifteen families were randomly selected to participate in this study from a group of 30 parents …

How Adult Children Experience Parent Dependency In A Caregiving/Care-Receiving Dyad, Anna C. Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite plentiful research on the physical, psychological, and emotional demands on adult child caregivers, there are few studies that highlight developmental issues in the adult child/dependent parent dyad. This study was designed to highlight the dependency factor in this dyad, thus addressing the gap in the literature. With family systems theory, attachment theory, and role conceptualizations constituting the bases for the study, research questions addressed how adult child caregivers experience parental dependency and how dependency affects the caregiving/care-receiving dynamic. Ten volunteer participants were interviewed, and the results were analyzed using a variation of the van Kaam method of data analysis …

The Impact Of Symptom Severity On Parent-Child Interaction And Relationships Among Children With Autism, Nicole M. Beurkens

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Recent estimates indicate that 1 in 100 children in the United States is diagnosed on the autism spectrum. Although research has demonstrated the bidirectional nature of parentchild relations, the effect of child autism symptom severity on parent-child interaction and overall relationships has not yet been explored. This study examined the impact of child symptom severity in children ages 4-15 years, as measured by the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS), on parent-child interaction, as measured by the Dyadic Coding Scale (DCS), and parent-child relationships, as measured by the Parent Child Relationship Inventory (PCRI). The bidirectional model of socialization informs the study, …

Predictors Of Placement Duration For Foster And Adopted Children With Special Needs, Patricia A. Somers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Foster and adopted children with special needs have high rates of placement instability. This has been associated with their increased risk of having special needs, particularly reactive attachment disorder which results from severe disruptions in early relationships. Child welfare agencies report inadequate knowledge of specific placement predictors and assessment measures, although research has shown that placement duration is partly a function of successful parent-child match. Using Bowlby's attachment theory as the theoretical framework, this quantitative study examined the contributions of foster and adoptive parents' own attachment characteristics, the child's type of special need, and the child's age at the time …

Treatment Practices Of Childhood Sexual Abuse: A Developmental Psychopathology Perspective, Deborah Watson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) occurs in up to 9.9 % of the general population. Clinical implications of CSA are lasting and warrant treatment utilizing suitable approaches. Although the developmental psychopathology model encourages clinicians to evaluate disorders in the context of risk/protective factors, cultural issues and development, there is a gap in current research regarding the utilization of developmental theory among clinicians working with this population. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine consistent patterns in treatment practices employed by therapists with CSA patients. The primary research question in this study was to determine how closely therapists' actual treatment …