The Relationship Between Trauma And Well-Being: Moral Emotions In Sex-Trafficked Women, Gina M. Scarsella

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Cognitive models of PTSD implicate attention to threat, negative social cognition, and behavioral avoidance in perpetuating symptoms. In contrast, moral elevation and gratitude are positive socio-moral emotions theorized to facilitate attention to positive features of one’s social context and prosocial approach behavior. No research has examined the relevance of positive moral emotions in the well-being of sex-trafficked women, who may be prone to PTSD symptoms and low positive socio-moral emotions. I tested trait gratitude, elevation, and moral purity as predictors of well-being and moderators of PTSD symptoms on well-being. Participants included sex-trafficked (n = 16) and college (n …

The Etiology And Phenomenology Of Sexual Shame: A Grounded Theory Study, Noel Clark

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Although sexual shame is widely present in social discourse and has previously been described clinically—as shame related to sexual thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and attitudes—it has not been defined in an operational manner that can be empirically tested. This study creates a bridge between the colloquial knowledge regarding sexual shame found in clinical practice and the way in which sexual shame is defined and measured scientifically in the psychological research literature. Grounded theory was used in this study to generate theory related to the development and experience of sexual shame. The concept of sexual shame was explored from both a personal …

The Effect Of Emotional Vulnerability And Invalidation On Emotion Dysregulation In Early Adolescence: An Empirical Investigation Of Linehan’S Biosocial Theory Of Borderline Personality Disorder, Sarah Crystal

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

The current study examined the relationship between emotional vulnerability, invalidation, and emotion dysregulation as they predicted borderline features in a community sample of young adolescents. Emotional vulnerability, as measured by trait negative affect (trait NA), as well as the psychophysiological component of basal vagal tone, as measured by respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), were proposed as risk factors for borderline features. Emotion dysregulation as indexed both by psychophysiological indices (vagal tone in response to stress i.e., RSA reactivity) and self-report measures was hypothesized to function as a mediator between trait NA and borderline features. A moderated mediation model was then proposed …

Sexual Assault Coping Self-Efficacy As Moderated By Legal Advocacy Social Support, Clara Jane Roberts

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Sexual assault is a pervasive issue with the potential to impart serious and lasting consequences. Of the many possible factors that may influence outcomes, coping self-efficacy (CSE) and social support (SS) may play a role. Specifically, higher levels of SS appears to predict higher CSE following trauma (Hohl et al., 2015). SS also appears to be impacted by age, such that older individuals are often more negatively impacted by low SS (Matt & Dean, 1993; Schnittker, 2007). This study examined if the SS provided by a legal advocate (LASS) produced similar effects on CSE, with age as a moderator. Participants …

Does Use Of Neutralization Techniques Predict Delinquency And Substance Use Outcomes?, Erin C. Siebert

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

This study was part of a larger research intervention that uses motivational interviewing (MI) as part of an in-school substance abuse intervention in local high schools in the greater Seattle area. Our aim was to test hypothesized relationships between marijuana use, other delinquent behavior, and neutralization techniques used by participants and determine their impact on the effectiveness of an MI-based intervention. Hypotheses were that neutralization technique use would decrease the effectiveness of an MI intervention due to the conflicting cognitive processes of justification and developing discrepancy. Of the 84 participants that completed Intake assessments, 60% were male and identified as …

Brooding, Avoidance, And Suppression As Mechanisms Linking Shame-Proneness With Depressive Symptoms, Melissa Rose Hudson

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Depression is a significant mental health concern. Cognitive-affective models of depression identify that negative emotions and cognitive strategies for responding to negative emotions contribute to the development and maintenance of depressive symptoms. Shame has been identified as a problematic negative emotion and is associated with multiple mental health concerns including depression. Research has begun to examine cognitive emotion regulation strategies individuals use when experiencing shame and how these contribute to depressive symptoms. This study examined three strategies jointly (avoidance, brooding, and suppression) in a three-part prospective design. In a sample of 137 young adults, three hypotheses were tested. Participants ranged …

Temperament And Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia As Contributors To Externalizing Behavior Among Early Adolescents, Tyler Laney Ph.D.

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

The current study examines the relationship between temperament and physiological models of externalizing behavior to externalizing behavior in a community sample of early adolescents. The psychophysiological component of vagal tone, as measured by respirator sinus arrhythmia (RSA), is used with an emphasis placed on distinguishing between its function as a state versus trait measure of parasympathetic nervous system activity. Negative affectivity (NA) is proposed as a general risk factor for psychopathology. Emotion regulation, as indexed by effortful control (EC) and basal RSA, is hypothesized to function as a mediator between NA and externalizing behavior. A moderated mediation model is then …

Impact Of Situational Context On Gratitude And Its Affective Outcomes, Adam P. Mcguire

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Previous research indicates gratitude is associated with positive affective outcomes (Wood, Froh, & Geraghty, 2010). However, researchers have primarily examined gratitude across long periods of time, and exclusively in the context of positive events. Additionally, few researchers have examined the impact of situational factors on state gratitude during specific moments. The purpose of this study was to assess the affective effects of state gratitude in specific positive versus negative events, and to examine how situational factors facilitate gratitude in a naturalistic setting. Participants included 148 (72% women) undergraduate students (M age = 19.26, SD = 1.63). Across eight weeks, …

Ecosystemic Effects Of Military Sexual Trauma In Male Service Members And Veterans, Jessica A. Carlile

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Military sexual trauma (MST) represents a significant, endemic concern in the United States Armed Forces. Although approximately 50% of individuals who experience MST are male, few studies have been published examining the overall experience of males who survived MST, and no known project has recruited a sample unaffiliated with Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Therefore, this study investigated the immediate and enduring ecosystemic effects of MST on male service members and veterans recruited entirely outside the VHA system. To evaluate the depth and richness of human experience, 12 participants—10 veterans and two active duty service members (50% Euro-American, 58% partnered, 75% …

Queers In The Hands Of A Loving God: God Image, Strength Of Faith, And Campus Climate In Predicting Self-Stigma, Sage Liam Willis

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

There is a complex relationship between the intersections of religious or spiritual faith and sexuality when it comes to sexual minorities. Sexual minorities’ sexualities have historically been stigmatized within the many of the faith traditions that sexual minorities may have grown up in. Further, college/university is a time when intersecting identities are often explored. In order to investigate the relationship between sexual minority students’ internal working models of God (God image benevolence and God image acceptance) and internalized self-stigma as a function of both strength of faith and campus climate, I recruited 68 sexual minority students and recent students from …

Psychometric Evaluation Of The Offender Coping Self-Efficacy Scale In The Context Of Incarceration And Upon Re-Entry, Minhdan Thuy Ta

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Incarceration presents unique stressors that affect psychological well-being. Identifying self-efficacy for different types of coping strategies to manage stressors may help treatment teams develop appropriate interventions aimed at reducing recidivism. Consequently, I developed and evaluated the preliminary psychometric properties of the Offender Coping Self-Efficacy Scale (OCSS). An initial pool of 47 items was used to assess inmates’ confidence in their ability to cope with stressors related to incarceration and re-entry. The scale was completed by a sample of inmates (N = 144) who were 18 years or older and serving time at one of two county jails. The majority …

Internalizing Symptoms: Relations To Executive Functions In Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jessica L. Berg

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Children with ASD exhibit significantly higher rates of internalizing symptoms than typically developing (TD) peers and co-occurring anxiety and depression are associated with greater negative outcomes. The current study explored possible neurocognitive correlates underlying increased risk by examining relations between developmental status, executive functioning (EF), and internalizing symptoms in young children. Participants included 66 children between 36 and 85 months with 40 TD children (57.5% male) and 26 children with ASD (84.6% male). EF measures included the BRIEF (Goia, Isquith, Guy, & Kenworthy, 2000) Plan and Shift subscales and a neuropsychological task (TOH-R; Welsh, Pennington, & Groisser, 1991). Parents and …

The Role Of Emotional Distress In Predicting Opiate Analgesic Medication Use In Chronic Pain Patients, Amy E. Kupper

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Chronic pain is a common, costly, and debilitating problem. The biopsychosocial model purports that biological, psychological, and social factors are involved in the experience of chronic pain. Multidisciplinary pain management programs adhere to the biopsychosocial model and successfully treat and manage chronic pain. Depression, anxiety, and opiate analgesic medication misuse and abuse are significant problems faced by many individuals with chronic pain, however these relationships are not well understood. This study examined a sample of 248 chronic pain patients who completed a multidisciplinary pain management program. Two hypotheses were tested. First, it was hypothesized that the relationships amongst change in …

Courage, Psychological Well-Being, And Somatic Symptoms, Christopher J. Keller

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between courage, psychological well-being (PWB), and somatic symptoms in an adult population. Courage is the ability to pursue goals or a purpose despite risk or fear. While courage has been shown to be associated with decreased mental health symptoms, little is known about health outcomes associated with courage. The hypotheses of this study were that higher reported levels of courage would predict lower reported somatic symptoms, and that PWB would account for significant variance in the relationship between courage and somatic symptoms. Participants, mean age 38, were given online surveys …

Integrating Cognitive Mechanisms In The Relationship Between Trait Affect And Depressive Symptoms: The Role Of Affect Amplification, Kaitlin A. Harding

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Trait levels of negative affect (NA) and positive affect (PA) are established risk factors for depressive symptoms (Clark & Watson, 1991), but the mechanisms through which high NA and low PA confer risk for depression are poorly understood. Two proposed mechanisms in the transmission of affective vulnerabilities to depression are the cognitive responses of brooding and positive rumination. Brooding and positive rumination may represent a common cognitive process that amplifies the intensity of affect and contributes to depressive symptoms. Therefore, my dissertation purposes were to (a) determine whether brooding and positive rumination represent a shared cognitive process on distinct affective …

International Interests And Psychological Well-Being Following Global Service Learning As A Function Of Sociocultural Adaptation And Cultural Distance, Elizabeth C. Dykhouse

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

International immersion learning experiences intend to increase students’ awareness and understanding of the world and other cultures. However, empirical support for global learning and psychosocial outcomes is mixed. Using hierarchical linear modeling, this study examined the longitudinal trajectories of a global learning outcome (international interests; AGLII; Musil, 2006) and a psychosocial outcome (psychological well-being; MHI; Veit & Ware, 1983) for students (N = 147; 87% female; 72% Caucasian) who participated in a short-term (13 to 62 days) global service learning immersion to one of 15 countries (Brazil, Cambodia, China, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Malawi, Russia, Rwanda, Thailand, …

Negative Cognitive Style, Rumination, And Negative Emotionality As Mediators Of The Antidepressive Effects Of Physical Activity Among Young Adults, Kara Pegram

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Abstract

This study assessed whether three potential cognitive and affective mechanisms mediated the relationship between physical activity and depressive symptoms. Participants were 143 young adults between the ages of 18 and 29 (M = 19.29, SD = 1.65); the majority of participants were female (72%) and Caucasian (69.9%). Participants were followed across eight weeks and completed measures of trait and state rumination, negative emotionality, cognitive style, depressive symptoms, and physical activity. A mediated model was proposed hypothesizing negative association between physical activity and depression mediated by less rumination, negative emotionality, and cognitive style. Hypotheses were examined cross-sectionally and prospectively. …

The Relation Of Hyperactivity To Parenting Stress Within The Parent-Child Relationship In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Heather Davis

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Research indicates that parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience more total stress and more stress within specific domains of the parent-child relationship. Specific externalizing behaviors such as hyperactivity have been related to elevated adverse parent-child outcomes in families with typically developing children. To date, the relation of child hyperactivity to parenting stress has not been examined in children with ASD. This study investigated the extent to which child hyperactivity differs between children who are typically developing (TD) and children with ASD. In addition, this study also examined the relation of child hyperactivity to parenting stress. Participants included …

Perspectives On A Positive Youth Development Environment For Youth With Developmental Disabilities In 4-H, Megan E. Zurawski

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

This study is a consensual qualitative research (CQR; Hill et al., 2005; Hill, 2012) investigation of the positive youth development (PYD) model utilized by the 4-H Youth Development Program (4-H). 4-H relies on a four-quadrant model of PYD (belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity), composed of eight elements. My aim was to investigate 4-H’s environment for youth with developmental disabilities, determining whether 4-H utilizes their stated PYD approach with this population. Ultimately, the qualitative study may be utilized by 4-H to inform future programming, not only for youth with developmental disabilities, but for all 4-Hers. There were 15 total participants, 12 …

Examining The Relationship Between Forgiveness And Subjective Well-Being As Moderated By Implicit Religiousness And Spirituality, Jessica Peterson

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Forgiveness is thought to contribute to subjective well-being (SWB), which has been associated with a variety of beneficial physical and mental health outcomes. However, it remains unknown whether the relationship between forgiveness and SWB may vary depending on types of forgiveness, and may be strongest for those who endorse religiosity/spirituality as important. The current study tested whether forgiveness of oneself, others, and situations predicted SWB, as well as whether these links were moderated by implicit religiousness/spirituality (R/S). A cross-sectional on-line survey was provided to interested students attending a small private liberal arts college. Participants (N = 134) were largely …

Behavioral Health Among Asian American And Pacific Islanders: The Impact Of Acculturation And Receipt Of Behavioral Health Services On Depression And Anxiety, Mari E. Yamamoto

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Behavioral health models improve access to mental health care by integrating psychology and medicine. While integrated care is supported among the general population, less research focuses on the model with Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs). AAPIs are low treatment-seeking due to various barriers (e.g., limited English proficiency, stigma, insurance) and acculturation stressors. Using hierarchical linear modeling, this study examined longitudinal depression (PHQ-9) and anxiety (GAD-7) growth trajectories among AAPIs within a behavioral health model and the moderating impact of acculturation and frequency of behavioral health visits. The best fitting model was from a sample who (N = 354; …

Adaptive Functioning Deficits And Internalizing Problems In Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Hayley A. Dauterman

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

The current study assessed whether deficits in adaptive functioning skills mediated the association between diagnostic status and internalizing symptoms in young children with and without an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis. Participants included 70 children, 26 with ASD and 44 who were typically developing (TD), between the ages of 3:0 and 6:11 years. Parent reports of children’s adaptive functioning skills were collected for the following constructs: functional communication, social skills, self-help skills, and independence. Additionally, parent and teacher reports of children’s internalizing symptoms were obtained. Results indicated that diagnostic status significantly predicted parent reported internalizing symptoms such that the ASD …