Perceived Discrimination Within The Patient-Provider Relationship And Its Impact On Help-Seeking Behaviors, Lechey S. Hibbler

Dissertations

Racial and ethnic minorities have faced discrimination for hundreds of years. When patients experience discrimination in healthcare settings, help-seeking behaviors decrease. Many patients choose to refrain from seeking treatment until their psychological or physical health issues are unmanageable, often resulting in acute visits to the emergency department. Patients that have experienced previous discriminatory encounters with health care providers are more likely to choose not to seek help for physical or mental health concerns, resulting in overall poorer physical health and mental health outcomes. With the use of critical evaluation of previous studies, this paper has demonstrated that perceived discrimination negatively …

The Impact Of The Transgenerational Cycle Of Prison On Attachment Among Black Individuals, Meagan Scott

Dissertations

This empirical study assessed the impact of incarceration on an individual’s attachment style and explored protective factors that moderate these overall outcomes. The study sought to answer the following questions: (a) Are there differences related to the gender of Black participants and the gender of their incarcerated parent? and (b) Will affective expression and/or sense of community serve as protective factors and mediate the attachment style of Black individuals who have been incarcerated? The sample consisted of 98 adults (45 of whom indicated being a part of the transgenerational cycle of prison) ranging from 18 to 68 years old. Participants …

A Psychological Perspective On Police Brutality: Current Statistics, Characteristics, And Trends Regarding Excessive Use Of Force, Ashley Salter

Dissertations

The purpose of this literature review was to utilize a psychological perspective on police brutality to identify current statistics, characteristics, and trends concerning excessive use of force. There were four fundamental goals of this literature review: (a) examine current statistics, characteristics, and trends regarding excessive use of force by law enforcement officers; (b) examine which populations are most likely to suffer from excessive use of force; (c) examine current methods in training law enforcement officers; and (d) propose a new model for training law enforcement officers. Also included is a discussion of a proposed idea for the training of police …

Colombian Women’S Experiences Of Cosmetic Surgery And Its Relationship To Body Image, Austin Gonzalez-Randolph

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand women’s experiences of cosmetic surgery and its effects on body image on women from the Colombian cities of Bogotá and Pereira. The participants of this study were women of Colombian descent, who reside in Colombia. This was done with the hopes of better understanding how culture impacts views on cosmetic surgery. Colombia appears to have a culture that is very enmeshed with cosmetic surgery. This study provides an initial exploratory and qualitative investigation into the perception of body image as it relates to cosmetic surgery among six young women living in Colombia; …

Remote Neuropsychological Assessment: Does Mode Of Administration Matter?, Renee Dematteis

Dissertations

Neuropsychology relies heavily on standardization of administration to increase the validity, reliability, sensitivity, and specificity of an assessment instrument. The COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly increased the need to be able to provide neuropsychological assessments remotely. Teleneuropsychology can be conducted through various avenues, including telephone, computerized, and televideo modalities. Given neuropsychology's reliance on standardization for proper use of normative data that accompanies individual assessments, the question arises how mode of administration impacts the validity, reliability, sensitivity, and specificity of an assessment instrument. The literature review summarizes the research conducted regarding the validity, reliability, sensitivity, and specificity of telephone neuropsychological assessments, computerized …

Creating Appropriate Clinical Guidelines For The Bilingual Population With Acquired Brain Injuries, Sophia L. Pena

Dissertations

While there is a growing bilingual demographic in the United States, relatively little is known about treating this population should they experience a brain injury. This is a growing area of interest, as research has demonstrated that the acquisition of a second language promotes neuroplastic changes that then impact brain functioning pre- and post-brain-injury. Given bilingualism’s cognitive complexity, clinicians are left with challenges on how best to tailor treatment for brain-injured bilingual populations. Therefore, the focus of this review was to provide clinical recommendations to clinicians performing assessments with bilingual individuals with acquired brain injuries. The goal was for the …

The Influence Of Parent-Child Relationships On Female Sexual Functioning: A Review Of The Literature, Laura Tillman

Dissertations

This literature review is an examination of the impact of parental communication of sexual functioning in women. Women have many commonalities of sexual experiences and receive similar messages as children and adolescents in regards to their sexual behavior. Current attitudes towards women’s sexuality and sexual functioning and the outcomes that a lack of communication can warrant are areas of importance for this literature review. This Clinical Research Project (CRP) examines how frequently parents communicate about sexual topics with their child, how parents communicate, and parental feelings surrounding discussions. Parenting models and attachment styles are reviewed and how childhood experiences shape …

Cuban Immigrants’ Experience With Acculturation And How They Cope In The United States, Lourdes Araujo

Dissertations

Objective: This research examines how Cuban immigrants experience cope and adapt to the United States. Cuban immigration is associated with specific stressors related to the immigration experience and the necessary process of acculturation and assimilation. These major stressors can result in mental health concerns among Cuban immigrants; however, no studies have examined how acculturation may influence Cuban immigrants’ coping skills and resultant mental health concerns. This unique study is the first to examine the coping skills Cuban immigrants use during acculturation and the effects of these skills on Cuban immigrants’ mental health. Methods: Seventeen participants completed a semistructured interview and …

A Task Analytic Model Of Tenderness In Emotion-Focused Therapy For Couples: The Discovery Phase, Corie Mcnally

Dissertations

The focus in the present study was to develop a refined model of tenderness events in emotion-focused couples therapy. The model was created in the discovery phase of a task analytic research study through a rational-empirical method. The study was designed to combine empirical and rational data on the expression of tenderness and the display of a tenderness expression within the context of therapy. The rational model was derived from a review of the literature on emotions, couples therapy, and tenderness as an emotion. Empirical data were observed and recorded through reviews of videotapes and transcripts obtained during the York …

Accurately Diagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorder Among A Comorbid Population, Michelle Okolita

Dissertations

Two of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), are diagnosed in early childhood. The two disorders share similar impairments across domains, are highly comorbid, and have many overlapping symptoms. Studies have shown that among this comorbid population, children receive an ASD diagnosis a few years after their initial ADHD diagnosis, which leads to many negative consequences, including a delay in treatment. The focus in this study was on the early indicators of ASD that are present prior to the age of 3 years in order to educate others on these symptoms. In an …

Exploring Gender Differences Between Bipolar Disorder And Borderline Personality Disorder In Responses On The Personality Assessment Inventory (Pai), Stephanie M. Green

Dissertations

Bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder are two diagnoses that are often difficult to differentiate. Current literature supports this challenge and reveals a high rate of misdiagnosis between the two, as well as a high prevalence of borderline personality disorder diagnoses in women. Diagnostic accuracy remains a vital skill for clinicians to effectively address the needs of clients, and diagnostic assessment tools are often used to aid in this endeavor. The focus in this study was to explore gender discrepancies in responses across the main features of borderline personality disorder (i.e., affective instability, identity problems, negative relationships, and self-harm) and …

Exploration Of The Link Between Migration And Acculturation Related-Stress, Attachment Style, And Psychological Distress In Arab Immigrants, Refugees, And Asylees, Hayat Nadar Psy.D.

Dissertations

Abstract

The migration process is fraught with experiences of ethnic discrimination and has been linked to heightened levels of psychological and acculturative stress. Interestingly, earlier research revealed a higher prevalence of insecure attachment in migrant compared to non-migrant populations. Attachment style may be influenced by sociocultural and sociopolitical forces and the associated prejudice and discrimination experienced by a particular migrant population. The current study was conducted to explore whether higher levels of sociocultural adversity were associated with increased psychological distress and attachment insecurity and to test attachment as a mediator between sociocultural adversity and psychological distress. Using a cross-sectional design, …

Exploring The Relationship Between Mindfulness, Self-Compassion, And Empathy In Student Therapists, Nicole Montes

Dissertations

Literature suggests that the practice of mindfulness may foster self-compassion within the practitioner. Mindfulness is also associated with increased empathy towards others. The current study explored the relationship between a mindfulness intervention and student clinicians’ levels of self-compassion and empathy towards a mock “client.” Graduate student clinicians were randomly assigned to two groups: one that participated in a mindfulness exercise then viewed a mock client video, and another that did not participate in the mindfulness exercise and went directly to viewing the mock client video. Participants’ levels of empathy towards the client and self-compassion were measured. The results revealed no …

Social Deprivation And Solitary Confinement, Mallory Mccoy

Dissertations

Solitary confinement is one of the most enduring, severe, and restrictive prison practices that has been widely debated since its inception in the early 19th century. Across the United States, the development of supermaximum prison facilities and the use of solitary confinement have become foundational aspects of corrections. Despite the controversy surrounding solitary confinement, there has been a lack of empirical research in this area. This literature review attempted to further explore and advance the understanding of the potential harmful effects of solitary confinement on incarcerated individuals. Specifically, this review summarized what is currently know regarding the effects of social …

The Impact Of Social Media On The Self-Esteem Of Youth 10–17 Years Old: A Review Of The Literature, Jasmine M. Daniels

Dissertations

The world of technology has expanded quickly and vastly since its inception. The creation of social media sites and applications has changed the ways in which youth interact, connect, and share with one another. As the number of social media sites and applications increases, so does their use by adolescents. During adolescence, youth are undergoing the process of identity development and self-esteem is an important part of this development. During this developmental period, adolescents’ self-esteem is likely to be affected by the feedback they receive online through social media sites. There is limited research available that specifically evaluated the impact …

You Are Resilient: Trauma-Informed, Strengths-Based Treatment For Low-Ses, Urban Youth, Courtney Molina

Dissertations

The focus in this review was to explore the benefits and optimal use of trauma-informed, strengths-based care for the therapeutic treatment of low-socioeconomic status (SES), urban youth. Specific focus was given to evidence-based research on the treatment of emotional and behavioral dysregulation among low-SES, urban youth. The review was guided by the following research questions: How can emotional and behavioral dysregulation be symptoms of trauma among low-SES, urban youth; What makes trauma-informed and strengths-based care optimal for the treatment of low-SES, urban youth with dysregulation; and What are clear guidelines for providing trauma-informed, strengths-based care to low-SES, urban youth with …

Clinical Trainees' Experience Of Burnout And Its Relationship To Supervision, Amanda Weaver

Dissertations

Burnout is a phenomenon that has recently gotten a lot of attention in research and media, but there is still a need to understand burnout among clinical trainees. Burnout is characterized by emotional exhaustion, a sense of cynicism, and a reduced sense of personal accomplishment. This qualitative study attempted to understand clinical trainees’ experience of burnout, the factors they believed were contributing factors to their burnout, and how supervision impacted this experience. The participants included six trainees who were enrolled in a clinical or counseling doctorate program, have experienced or are currently experiencing burnout, and had at least six months …

Psychotherapy Model For The Training Of Counselors In India, Vini Kalra

Dissertations

Common mental disorders in India are on the rise and are adding to the national burden of mental health care on a day-to-day basis. The demand for treatment of mental illnesses has risen considerably, though there is a shortage of mental health professionals who can deliver counseling services. The Indian government has made efforts to improve the scalability of services by training lay health counselors to diagnose and conduct brief counseling with the mentally ill and those involved with their care. Despite efforts to scale up services, the treatment gap still exists, as mental health services are not uniformly distributed. …

Cultural Homelessness, Self-Esteem, And Skin Color Satisfaction Among Latinxs, Josephine M. Almanzar

Dissertations

This study explored feelings of cultural homelessness, self-esteem, and skin color satisfaction among Latinxs. A close interest was placed in examining responses of participants who identified as racially Black or Afro-Latinx. Through an electronic survey, the study aimed to answer the four research questions: (1) Is there a correlation between cultural homelessness, self-esteem, and skin color satisfaction; (2) Do participants of different self-perceived skin colors differ in self-esteem, cultural homelessness, and skin color satisfaction; (3) Does age moderate the relationship between self-perceived skin color and self-esteem; and (4) Does age moderate the relationship between self-perceived skin color and cultural homelessness. …

Military Sexual Trauma In Veterans: Consequences, Treatment, And Therapeutic Implications, Chelsey Siville

Dissertations

Amongst Veterans served within the Veterans Affairs healthcare system, approximately 1 in 50 men and 1 in 3 women have experienced military sexual trauma (MST). While every individual is different, a common characteristic or identity amongst those who have served is that of a warrior – someone perceived as strong and ready to defend both their country and fellow soldier. Experiencing military sexual trauma can create a painful and discrepant identity as well as impact almost all domains of functioning. Unfortunately, trauma is an all too common occurrence in the lives of many service members and the multifinality of trauma …

Social-Ecological And Protective Factor Approach To Managing Parental Incarceration, Jacquelyn Harris

Dissertations

Mass imprisonment does not only impact the incarcerated individual; it also affects approximately five million children in the United States. Researchers identified and compare the impact of parental incarceration on child development. They acknowledged the protective factors across the lifecycle from a social-ecological perspective and specifically related to parental incarceration. The comprehensive literature review inspired an innovative model, the social-ecological and protective factor approach to managing parental incarceration. The primary goal of this model is to combat the detrimental effects of parental incarceration by identifying protective factors across the lifecycle and throughout the microsystem, mesosystem, and exosystem. This model is …

The Relationship Between Neuropsychological Functioning, Biomarker Av-1451, And Subjective Memory Impairment In A Cognitively Normal Sample, Amberrose Reale-Caldwell

Dissertations

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is often a prodromal stage for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) development, with those diagnosed with MCI at increased risk for developing AD. The present study aimed to provide data to support a prodromal stage of MCI via analysis utilizing the neuropsychological domain of memory, subjective memory impairment (SMI), and the PET tau biomarker, AV-1451. It was hypothesized that individuals with SMI would differ significantly from participants without SMI (nSMI) on measures of memory and level of tau binding in the entorhinal cortices and the hippocampi. It was further hypothesized that differences in memory would be mediated by …

Women's Experiences Of Internalized Sexism, Syeda Rahmani

Dissertations

This study involved exploring the lived experiences of women with sexism and its internalization. Ten women participated in the study to share their experiences through personal narratives. The study was qualitative in nature and results yielded coded phenomenological themes related to the experiences of sexism and how it can become internalized. The study’s results are divided into themes and subthemes and supported by direct quotes from the participants. Themes included development & socialization across a range of environments, gender expectations, family of origin, intergenerational sexism, relationship conflict, sexism at work, career expectations, loss of income, intersectional experience of discrimination, appearance …

Exploration Of Physician Attitudes About Self-Care And Personal Mental Health: Possible Barriers To Physician Well Being, Candich Farrar

Dissertations

The present study was designed to examine physicians’ mental health, attitudes, and behaviors toward self-care and the utilization of mental health services. As the medical field can be very demanding and exhausting, it is believed that many physicians suffer from mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression. However, it was theorized that many physicians do not engage in adequate self-care regimes or seek support and suppress their symptoms, which may further exacerbate their illnesses. A thorough literature review was performed to explore the following: possible barriers to physicians seeking mental health services to address high rates of mental illnesses, physicians …

Exploration Of Factors That Influence The Use Of Psychological Testing In The Treatment And Evaluation Of Children: Development Of A Clinical Decision-Making Model, Joy Bui

Dissertations

Mental health disorders are on the rise among children. Within the field of clinical psychology, psychological testing is considered a professional competency and a formative diagnostic tool. Simultaneously, testing can help clarify differential diagnosis, guide treatment for both medical and mental health conditions, and provide accurate monitoring of treatment over time. Although there is substantial evidence supporting the use of testing in practice, there is limited scientific data linking these same benefits to the assessment process. One explanation for this is that studying psychological assessments is a challenging task, given the complexities of the process. Subsequently, many have described conducting …

An Interoperative Phenomenological Analysis Of Hindu Psychologists And The Impact Of Hinduism On Their Clinical Work, Kinjal Panchal

Dissertations

This study was an exploration of spirituality, cultural upbringing, and deeply rooted Eastern philosophy and their conscious and unconscious impact on the way Hindu psychologists practice in the field. The purpose was to take into consideration the four major theories of Hinduism and to assess whether psychologists of Hindu origin integrated them into their clinical work. The study used qualitative methods, specifically interpretative phenomenological analysis, as the main strategy of inquiry for data collection and analysis. The goal was to broaden the understanding of how spiritual beliefs can inform a psychologist’s clinical approach and lead to a better understanding of …

Differences In Characteristics Of Criminal Behavior Between Solo And Team Serial Killers, Matthew Woster

Dissertations

Criminal Profiling and classification of serial killers has been an expanding area of research for decades. Recent research has called into question the accuracy and utility of these systems, and calls for further research and development. This study aims to use the Serial Killer Database (SKDB) to examine and classify differences in criminal behavior between serial killers who act alone versus those who act in pairs, groups, or teams. The specific aim of this study is to examine whether there are significant differences between Solo Serial Killers and Team Serial Killers in the Number of Victims, Length of Career, Method …

Self-Care Domains, Benefits Of Self-Care In Graduate-Level Training Programs, And Ways To Incorporate Self-Care Education And Practices In Graduate-Level Training Programs, Krystel Segovia

Dissertations

A literature review was conducted to examine the concept of self-care as a proactive means to manage the stressors of life, enhance professional competency, and live a well-balanced lifestyle, particularly for graduate-level psychology students. Different levels of distress, including stress, compassion fatigue, and burnout, were researched and discussed. The various domains of self-care were discussed as were the benefits of engaging in regular self-care practices. Finally, various ways to incorporate self-care into already established graduate-level training programs at universities and practicum training sites were discussed to enhance the training experience as well as mitigate burnout in the novel clinician.

Attitudes And Beliefs Of Christian Denominations Toward Mental Health, Javier Velez

Dissertations

This empirical study assessed common attitudes and beliefs toward mental health services in the varying denominations of Christian churches. Specifically, the objective of this study was to identify the effects of Christian denomination on attitudes toward seeking mental health treatment and to identify whether there are racial and age differences that also impact those attitudes within the church. The study sought to answer the following questions: (a) What is the difference in attitudes and beliefs between different races toward mental health services in the church among Christians? (b) Is there an age difference in attitudes and beliefs toward mental health …

The Effects Of Historical Alcohol Use On Neuropsychological Functioning In Older Adults Following A Traumatic Brain Injury, Ryan Sever

Dissertations

The present study aimed to determine the effects of alcohol abuse and dependence in long term functioning of older adults who have experienced a moderate to severe traumatic brain injury. The research question being answered in the current study was if a history of alcohol abuse or dependence would worsen neuropsychological functioning in older adults who experienced at least one moderate to severe traumatic brain injury. Participants of the study were selected from the more extensive database provided by the Brain Aging in Vietnam War Veterans (DOD-ADNI) database. All participants were Vietnam War veterans between the ages of 61 and …