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Full-Text Articles in Clinical Psychology

The Acceptability And Feasibility Of Virtual Parent Acceptance And Commitment Therapy Groups: A Feasibility Study, Abigail Elizabeth Moretti Aug 2022

The Acceptability And Feasibility Of Virtual Parent Acceptance And Commitment Therapy Groups: A Feasibility Study, Abigail Elizabeth Moretti

Theses and Dissertations

Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience higher rates of anxiety, depression, and poor overall well-being, particularly when their child also engages in challenging behavior (e.g., self-injury, aggression, property destruction). Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), which encourages psychological flexibility and attending to the present moment, is particularly suited for this population because parents of children with ASD experience high stress levels and difficulty with adaptive coping. The aim of the current study is to examine the feasibility and acceptability of implementing virtual ACT groups with parents of children with ASD and co-occurring challenging behavior. Participants attended an in-person …


A Randomized Controlled Trial Of Telehealth Mindful Parenting Training On Executive Function In Autistic Children And Their Parents, Vanessa Zhou Aug 2022

A Randomized Controlled Trial Of Telehealth Mindful Parenting Training On Executive Function In Autistic Children And Their Parents, Vanessa Zhou

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

This randomized controlled trial study explored the effect of telehealth mindful parenting group intervention on executive function in autistic children and their parents. Participants included 83 caregivers (29-54 years) of autistic children (5-18 years) in the United States who were randomized into either the immediate (n = 40) or waitlist-control group (n = 43). Of the participants randomized, 55 caregivers (immediate = 33; waitlist = 22) followed the protocol and were included in the primary analysis. Caregivers in the sample (mean age of 42.97 years) were mostly white (73%), married (76%), female (80%), biological mothers (67%), from Washington …


Predictors Of Emotional Health Across Autistic And Non-Autistic Students' First Semester Of College, Erin E. Mckenney May 2022

Predictors Of Emotional Health Across Autistic And Non-Autistic Students' First Semester Of College, Erin E. Mckenney

Theses and Dissertations

The prevention and treatment of mental health concerns, including depression, are significant priorities for autistic adults. While several theories have been proposed to explain the high prevalence of depression in autistic populations, little longitudinal research has been done on potential causal mechanisms. Additional research is needed to explore how proposed contributors to depression from general population research -- namely, negative repetitive thinking, lack of social opportunity, and attributional style -- predict and/or moderate the development of depressive symptoms in autistic individuals. The current study investigates these potential predictors' relationship to internalizing symptoms over the course of college students' first semester. …


Effects Of Superflex Curriculum On Social Skills Of Children With Autism, Charli Elaine Doyle Jan 2022

Effects Of Superflex Curriculum On Social Skills Of Children With Autism, Charli Elaine Doyle

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is considered an applied science under the umbrella of behavior analysis and was accepted into the mainstream science in the mid-1900s. An increase in the prevalence of autism gave rise to the need for evidence-based social skills curricula. Previous research indicated many children respond well to video modeling and positive reinforcement. However, literature on social curricula for children aged 7 to 10 years in a clinical setting versus a school setting was limited. The purpose of this quantitative study with a single-subject design was to examine the effectiveness of Superflex, a superhero social thinking curriculum, on …


Exposure Response Prevention For Adolescents With High-Functioning Autism And Social Anxiety, Elisha Jones Jan 2022

Exposure Response Prevention For Adolescents With High-Functioning Autism And Social Anxiety, Elisha Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Anxiety disorders are the most common comorbid mental health condition seen in individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders. This study was an exploration of the benefits of exposure and response prevention (ERP) for high-functioning adolescents with autism and comorbid social anxiety. The research problem was the lack of qualitative description of trained clinicians’ experiences of ERP delivery to high-functioning adolescents with autism and social anxiety. Data for this study were collected through semi structured interviews with six ERP clinicians who had experience in practicing ERP with this population. Analysis of the data revealed the following four core themes: (a) professional recommendations for …


Applied Behavior Analysis Therapy For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder And The Impact Of Environment On Treatment Outcomes, James Adkins Jan 2022

Applied Behavior Analysis Therapy For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder And The Impact Of Environment On Treatment Outcomes, James Adkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) effects growing numbers of children and effective treatment is essential for families to overcome the challenges associated with ASD. Applied behavior analysis treatment has been tailored to address the unique learning needs of children with ASD. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which treatment environment impacted language milestones and barriers among children with ASD. Behaviorism and applied behavior analysis served as the framework for the study. A nonexperimental quantitative mixed design with two independent variables was used. The between-subjects independent variable was type of treatment environment (home vs. clinic). The within-subjects …


A Literature Resource For Those Supporting Patients With Autism Spectrum Disorder And Cancer, Kaylee James Jan 2022

A Literature Resource For Those Supporting Patients With Autism Spectrum Disorder And Cancer, Kaylee James

Psychology Doctoral Specialization Projects

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that impacts both social interaction and patterns of behavior. ASD is rooted in genetic, biological, and environmental causes. Cancer begins when cells grow out of control and there is also a genetic and biological cause of cancer. There is an overlap between the genetic and biological causes of ASD and cancer. As a result, evidence supports an increased risk of developing some types of cancer as well as protective factors for some times of cancer for individuals with ASD. Therefore, individuals with ASD may be at a heightened risk to develop cancer, …