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Full-Text Articles in Clinical Psychology

Polyamorous Millenials In Therapy: Interpreting Experiences To Inform Care, Rebecca Calhoun-Shepard Jan 2019

Polyamorous Millenials In Therapy: Interpreting Experiences To Inform Care, Rebecca Calhoun-Shepard

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Polyamory (poly) refers to a way of loving involving multiple concurrent romantic relationships. It has been suggested that consensual non-monogamies are becoming increasingly visible, particularly in the millennial generation. This warrants exploration of cultural considerations and the unique needs of this population to inform care and minimize potential for harm. The present study used interpretative analysis to explore the phenomenon of polyamorous millennials in therapy as described across semi-structured interviews with therapists and poly clients. Three primary themes emerged from aggregate data, including Idiographic Experiences in Therapy, Therapy with Polyamorous Millennials, and information about Polyamory and Millennials beyond a therapy …


"You're Doing Fine, Right?": Adolescent Siblings Of Substance Abusers, Cynthia E. Clarfield Jan 2017

"You're Doing Fine, Right?": Adolescent Siblings Of Substance Abusers, Cynthia E. Clarfield

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

There has been a rising interest in addiction medicine and addiction treatment in both the medical and behavioral health science fields. Research suggests having a family member with a substance abuse problem has negative impacts on both physical and mental health (Orford, Copello, Velleman, & Templeton, 2010a). Despite advances toward understanding the experiences of family members affected by a loved one's addiction, the siblings of substance abusers have been largely excluded from scientific research and literature. As a result, little is known about how siblings experience the impacts of a brother or sister's addiction; even less is known about the …


Young Adults In Transition: Factors That Support And Hinder Growth And Change, Mona Treadway Jan 2017

Young Adults In Transition: Factors That Support And Hinder Growth And Change, Mona Treadway

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Young adults between 18 and 24 years of age with mental illness are significantly less likely to receive mental health services than adults in older age groups.Nationally, higher rates of depression, substance abuse, and psychiatric issues are reported in this age group.A therapeutic model referred to as young adult transition programs has emerged to better address the unique developmental challenges found in this age group.This study examined 317 critical incidents that supported or hindered young adults in a therapeutic transition program.The research design used a combination of an instrumental case study and critical incident technique (CIT).Using interviews and the Outcome …


Experiences Of Neurotypical Siblings Of Children With An Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Qualitative Exploration, Stacie R. Keirsey Jan 2016

Experiences Of Neurotypical Siblings Of Children With An Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Qualitative Exploration, Stacie R. Keirsey

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

In recent years, the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been on the rise, prompting a simultaneous increase in scientific study regarding cause, impact, and intervention (Hughes, 2009; Ravindran & Myers, 2012). Research has proposed advances in the treatment of the individuals diagnosed and focused efforts on scholastic, parental, and professional intervention and supports. However, the siblings of ASD children have largely been neglected in this scientific investigation. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore neurotypical siblings’ experiences in living with a child diagnosed with ASD. Seven adolescents were selected using criterion, convenience, and snowball sampling. …


Finding Childcare For The Disabled Child: The Process And Decisions Through The Primary Caregiver’S Lens, Misty Dawn Torres Jan 2015

Finding Childcare For The Disabled Child: The Process And Decisions Through The Primary Caregiver’S Lens, Misty Dawn Torres

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

In this qualitative, Grounded Theory study, the researcher examined the process that primary caregivers go through when selecting a childcare placement for children who have special needs. Data were collected through participant interviews with primary caregivers (n=10) who responded to recruitment notices posted on (1) listservs by organizations directly affiliated with early intervention and child care services; (2) local Internet classified sites; and (3) through word of mouth. The research demonstrated that caregivers who learned of their child’s disability in a prenatal diagnosis or prior to an adoption identified with having a greater sense of choice and control over their …


A Narrative Study Of Emotions Associated With Negative Childhood Experiences Reported In The Adult Attachment Interview, Lynne Hartman Jan 2015

A Narrative Study Of Emotions Associated With Negative Childhood Experiences Reported In The Adult Attachment Interview, Lynne Hartman

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Attachment patterns, which tend to be stable over time, are passed from one generation to the next. Secure attachment has been linked to adaptive social functioning and has been identified as a protective factor against mental illness. The parents’ state of mind with regard to attachment—as measured with the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) (Main, Goldwyn, & Hesse, 2002)—predicts the attachment classification for the infant in Ainsworth’s Strange Situation Procedure (Ainsworth, Blehar, Waters, & Wall, 1978). Earned-secure individuals have overcome negative childhood experiences to achieve a secure state of mind in adulthood. Earned security, like continuous security, strongly predicts infant security …


A Phenomenological Exploration Of The Experience Of Parenting Half-Siblings Within A Blended Family, Nicole Josephsen Jan 2015

A Phenomenological Exploration Of The Experience Of Parenting Half-Siblings Within A Blended Family, Nicole Josephsen

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Blended families are a growing population and encompass a diversity of characteristics and family types. Among the different types of blended families are those with both stepchildren and mutual children. Research on the complex experience of parenting a mutual genetic child and a stepchild within a blended family is minimal. To better understand the unknown experience of such parents, this phenomenological study was conducted to provide an in depth description of the experience of simultaneously parenting mutual children and stepchildren within a blended family. In this phenomenological study the researcher conducted interviews with six participants who varied by gender, socioeconomic …


Personhood & Parenthood: An Experiential Account Of Balance & Well-Being, Venice Bruno Jan 2015

Personhood & Parenthood: An Experiential Account Of Balance & Well-Being, Venice Bruno

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Parents are constantly engaging in a balancing act, weighing their own needs with those of their children and family. Helping parents navigate the role of parenthood can promote optimal development in the child, parent, couple and family. Parents engage in various roles and responsibilities essential for family and individual well-being that require balance in order to be effective. Past research on balance has indicated that people are more satisfied with life when they are active in multiple life domains rather than in a single one. This study is interested in two specific life domains: personhood and parenthood, and how parents …


Loneliness And Perceived Stigmatization Among Older Adults Enrolled In Opiate Substitution Treatment Programs And The Utilization Of Mental Health Services, Jennifer B. Armstrong Jan 2015

Loneliness And Perceived Stigmatization Among Older Adults Enrolled In Opiate Substitution Treatment Programs And The Utilization Of Mental Health Services, Jennifer B. Armstrong

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Little research has examined the role that loneliness and perceived stigmatization play in the decision to seek mental health services among older adults enrolled in opiate substitution treatment. Researchers studying this at-risk population have called for more studies to examine services that can be implemented within current opiate substitution treatment settings. This study advances research in the field by utilizing standardized self-report measures to examine the relationship between loneliness, perceived stigmatization, and the impact of said variables on the utilization of available mental health services among older adults enrolled in opiate substitution treatment programs. Ninety-four 50-71-year-old adults from an opiate …


Benevolent Sexism, Perceived Fairness, Decision-Making, And Marital Satisfaction: Covert Power Influences, Monique Brown Jan 2014

Benevolent Sexism, Perceived Fairness, Decision-Making, And Marital Satisfaction: Covert Power Influences, Monique Brown

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This study examined the association between endorsement of benevolent sexism and marital satisfaction in heterosexual marriages, which are perceived as being egalitarian. The goal was to explore how covert power dynamics like those involved in benevolent sexism affect marital satisfaction, and how perceived fairness and decision-making outcomes interact with this relationship. Men and women who have cohabitated with their spouses at least five years were asked to complete measures assessing their endorsement of benevolent sexism and their perceived global marital satisfaction. Participants were also asked to fill out measures examining the mediating effect of perceived fairness and decision-making outcomes. Previous …


How Young Adults Make Meaning Of Their Family Intergenerational Solidarity Through The Use Of Music, Keri B. Petrone Jan 2014

How Young Adults Make Meaning Of Their Family Intergenerational Solidarity Through The Use Of Music, Keri B. Petrone

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This qualitative research project explores how young adults make meaning of their family intergenerational solidarity through the use of music. The project employed a type of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to unlock meaning-making themes among young adults. Data collection consisted of interviewing ten young adults whose family had unintentionally or intentionally used music to increase their family intergenerational solidarity. The interviews were semi-structured. This study attempted to capture the depth of each young adult’s meaning-making. Seven general themes emerged: (a) I have experienced bonding with my family members through the use of music; (b) I have experienced emotional and/or psychological …


The Post-Combat Couple Adjustment Questionnaire: A Preliminary Validation, Valerie Maine Jan 2013

The Post-Combat Couple Adjustment Questionnaire: A Preliminary Validation, Valerie Maine

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation presents the results of a psychometric study regarding the preliminary validation of The Post-Combat Couple Adjustment Questionnaire (PCCAQ). This measure was designed to assess post-combat and post-deployment adjustment for male veterans and their female partners. The measure was created using existing literature on veterans, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and couples. The PCCAQ consists of four domains of couple functioning, including: (a) redefining roles, expectations, and division of household responsibilities; (b) managing strong emotions; (c) abandoning emotional constriction and creating intimacy in relationships; and (d) creating a sense of shared meaning surrounding the deployment experience. The PCCAQ was compared …


Children's Constructed Meanings Of Sisterhood When An Older Sibling Has Autism, Jamie L. Carroll Jan 2013

Children's Constructed Meanings Of Sisterhood When An Older Sibling Has Autism, Jamie L. Carroll

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Sibling relationships have been recognized as important in facilitating the acquisition of emotional and social understanding and even assisting in cognitive development (Sanders, 2004). Sibling relationships that include one child with a disability are especially significant and worthy of study, as typical siblings tend to take on more responsibility for their siblings' care across their lifespan (Cicirelli, 1995). In attempting to understand these sibling relationships in childhood, past researchers have largely relied on parent report and behavioral observations. In order to advance the field's understanding of sibling relationships when one child autism, this study asked children to voice their perspectives …


Sibling Closeness And Similarity And The Presence Of Perfectionism, Jennifer L. Crowe Jan 2013

Sibling Closeness And Similarity And The Presence Of Perfectionism, Jennifer L. Crowe

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This study explored whether characteristics of the sibling relationship are related to the level of perfectionistic tendencies that an individual reports. The framework of this study was based on Tesser's Self-Evaluation Maintenance Model, which says that the effects of comparisons with a close other, such as a sibling, can be mediated in one of three ways: (a) by reducing the closeness of the relationship, (b) by improving one's performance/impeding on the other's performance, or (c) by decreasing the relevance of the performance to one's self-concept (pursuing different areas and interests). Several hypotheses were offered which were based on the presumption …


Fatherhood And A Partner's Postpartum Depression: Coping, Relationship Satisfaction, Gender Roles, And Empathy, Martha G. Ruiz Jan 2012

Fatherhood And A Partner's Postpartum Depression: Coping, Relationship Satisfaction, Gender Roles, And Empathy, Martha G. Ruiz

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The present study focused on assessing differences in new father’s coping styles when living with a partner suffering from symptoms of postpartum depression. It further investigated whether a relationship existed between father’s coping style and their level of relationship satisfaction, empathy, and views on gender. Five fathers, between the ages of 27 and 46 volunteered their participation in this study. Fathers were recruited through their partners from medical and mental health clinics and agencies offering services to new mothers or mothers suffering from symptoms of postpartum depression. The Coping Responses Inventory (CRI) was utilized to determine if differences existed in …


Wholeistic EducationTm, Cerissa Leigh Desrosiers Jan 2012

Wholeistic EducationTm, Cerissa Leigh Desrosiers

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation introduces Wholeistic EducationTM (WEDTM), an innovative, values-based, interdisciplinary pro-social theory that is the culmination of centuries of scientific and philosophical learning and exploration about optimal mental health and human development. WED is based on basic human nature and universal human rights, and so it applies to all variations of human society- racial, ethnic, religious, or otherwise. WED is a foundation theory to which any targeted implementation strategy can be applied. It is both a proactive strategy for seeking and maintaining health before a crisis arises in families, schools, and organizations as well as a treatment …


The Origin Of A Sense Of Self In Women, Kimberly Dewing Robbins Jan 2012

The Origin Of A Sense Of Self In Women, Kimberly Dewing Robbins

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This phenomenological study focuses on how a strong sense of self in women changes social precepts and gender stereotypes empowering women to define themselves instead of being defined by society. A sense of self may be defined as the ability to distinguish one’s own values from those of any outside persuasions, and to do so well enough to be able to protect those ideals from unwanted external influence. Is a sense of self, realized at a young age, an innate feeling or developed over time through adversity and the maturation process? This study will specifically look at what influences can …


Life Experiences That Contributed To The Independence And Success In The Lives Of Foster Care Alumni, Dawn Elizabeth Montgomery Jan 2011

Life Experiences That Contributed To The Independence And Success In The Lives Of Foster Care Alumni, Dawn Elizabeth Montgomery

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine the factors which helped these foster care alumni to persevere and to succeed. The intent was to provide a framework for equipping youth in foster care more effectively by building on their strengths and the resources available in foster care. The study’s method incorporated the interviewing of ten ethnically diverse individuals who had experienced the foster care system. Based on their insights and the themes which emerged, the WARRIORS Model was created. This acronym represents the key themes derived from the interviews: Wounded, Advocacy, Reality of Belonging, Resources, Inspired to Succeed, …


The Impact Of Therapeutic Alliance On Outcomes In Parent-Child Dyadic Interventions, Ryan M. Smith Jan 2010

The Impact Of Therapeutic Alliance On Outcomes In Parent-Child Dyadic Interventions, Ryan M. Smith

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

An infant’s attachment relationship with primary caregivers has been demonstrated to have a long-term relationship to an individual’s social and emotional functioning throughout the lifespan. Recognizing the critical importance of this period, interventions to facilitate secure attachment are now being evaluated for treatment efficacy. Evaluation of these treatments has typically focused on the components of treatment, examining changes in maternal sensitivity, parental attachment representations, and concrete support to address basic needs, housing, or other contextual factors, and evidence has been found to support the inclusion of these factors. However, little is known regarding what elements of treatment impact the effectiveness …


A Search For Meaning: The Family’S Response To Serious Mental Illness, Katherine Marie Burrelsman Jan 2009

A Search For Meaning: The Family’S Response To Serious Mental Illness, Katherine Marie Burrelsman

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

It is a commonly held belief that it is inherent in human nature to strive for coherence and meaning in the midst of adversity. Whether this is short or long term, for immediate or prolonged functioning, we all strive to put experiences within events into a framework that enables us to develop a sense of order leading to acceptance and resolution. Therefore, each individual within a family system may develop a hypothesis in order to make a modicum of sense of what can appear to be an impossible situation. The participants involved in this study were individuals with relatives suffering …


Mental Health Professionals’ Perceptions Of Voluntarily Childless Couples, Felizon C. Vidad Jan 2009

Mental Health Professionals’ Perceptions Of Voluntarily Childless Couples, Felizon C. Vidad

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Studies conducted in previous decades have examined attitudes toward and perceptions of voluntarily childless men and women. Participants in these studies were usually comprised of high school, college, and university students. The results showed that, compared to those who were parents, voluntarily childless men and women were mostly perceived in a less favorable light. This study sought to investigate how voluntarily childless heterosexual couples are currently viewed and whether attitudes toward the voluntarily childless have changed since the earlier research was conducted. Participants in this study consisted of individuals who were practicing in the field of mental health and who …