Clinical Psychology Commons^™

An Evaluation Of Culture-Specific Risk Factors And Emotion Regulation Strategies On Psychological Distress And Maladaptive Behaviors Among Asian Americans, Joo-Hyun Lee

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Cultural context is fundamental in cross-cultural conceptualizations of risk factors for mental health status among ethnic minorities. Existing studies indicate that acculturation level predicts psychological adjustment, but findings remain inconclusive. This study, consisting of university students of Asian descent, evaluated the relationship between acculturation level and internalizing/externalizing problems via the incorporation of more proximal measures of risk factors associated with acculturation (e.g., acculturative dissonance and acculturative stress). In addition, the predictive values of non-culture specific risk factors, such as emotion dysregulation and experiential avoidance, were examined. Acculturation-related stressors and difficulties with emotion regulation increased risk for maladjustment within the study’s …

Relationship Predictors Of Prenatal Maternal Representations Of The Child And Parenting Experiences One Year After Birth, Kylene Krause

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Bowlby’s attachment theory (Bowlby, 1969/1982) is one of the most dominant approaches used to describe and investigate attachment relationships and emotional development throughout the entire lifespan. However, attachment research is typically conducted through two distinct fields of psychology: developmental and social/ personality psychology. These two fields tend to use different research strategies and measures and focus on different types and aspects of relationships, yet both make important contributions to the attachment literature (Bartholomew & Shaver, 1998). The goal of this investigation was to integrate attachment research from these two fields of psychology in order to broaden psychological and scientific understanding …

Effects Of Emotion Regulation Strategies On Sexual Risk-Taking, Monica Lackups

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Sexual risk-taking is a growing problem and an area where there are significant individual differences in behavior. One contributing factor to risky sexual behavior may be emotion regulation difficulties. For example, suppression has negative effects on emotion experience, while reappraisal leads to increased well-being. Previous research has demonstrated the use of sexual behavior as an emotion regulation strategy in victimized populations. This study investigated whether emotion regulation strategies influence sexual risk-taking in a non-clinical college population. Individuals with higher levels of emotion regulation difficulties and higher suppression use engaged in more frequent sexual risk-taking behavior, whereas individuals who used reappraisal …

The Enduring Impact Of One-Session Exposure Treatment On Selective Processing Bias And Explicit Memory Avoidance In Snake- And Spider-Fearful Participants, Karen Stanley-Kime

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The prevalence of anxiety disorders in the general population makes clarification of variables that contribute to the onset or maintenance of these disorders essential. Two such contributory variables are anxiety-induced selective processing bias and theorized subsequent explicit memory avoidance. The purpose of the present study was to examine the impact of one-session in vivo exposure treatment on selective processing bias and explicit memory avoidance immediately following successful treatment of stimulus-specific anxiety as well as at one-week and one-month follow-up. Participants (N = 60) were assigned to one of three groups: (1) the treatment group, composed of individuals who were fearful …

The Effects Of Response Interruption And Redirection On Language Skills In Children With Vocal Stereotypy, Tamara Leigh Perry

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Vocal stereotypy is a common, skill-disruptive behavior in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Response interruption and redirection (RIRD), the delivery of demands contingent on the occurrence of vocal stereotypy, is an intervention that is gaining empirical support for reducing vocal stereotypy and increasing appropriate language. However, little is known about the efficacy of RIRD when combined with early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI), the recommended treatment approach for children with ASD, and its effects on the acquisition of language skills. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of RIRD when delivered during EIBI programming. Participants were …

The Impact Of A Group-Based Acceptance And Commitment Therapy Intervention On Parents Of Children Diagnosed With An Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jennifer D. Kowalkowski

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Parents of children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder face significant stressors and challenges; however, little research has investigated ways to effectively address their psychological distress and adjustment issues. This study used a between-subject and withinsubject repeated measures design to test the effects of an 8-week Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) or treatment as usual (TAU) group. Treatment completers included 13 mothers in the ACT condition and 4 mothers in TAU. They were assessed three weeks before the intervention, one week after, and three months post-intervention. Limited data for between-group comparison demonstrated only a significant difference on the frequency scale …

Deconstructing Children's Expectations For Psychotherapy: Understanding How Parents Prepare Their Children For Mental Health Treatment, Heather Nix

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Little research has investigated the effects of stigma on child psychotherapy. Because parents are a primary factor in determining whether children receive psychotherapy and how therapy progresses, understanding how parental perceptions of psychopathology and psychotherapy are associated with children’s mental health treatment seems to be an important step in investigating how stigma impacts child psychotherapy. Researchers have not closely examined, however, how parents might influence children’s experiences of psychotherapy. To address this topic, the current study examined how parents’ views of psychotherapy were related to how they prepared their children for psychotherapy and how this preparation was related to children’s …

A Pilot Study Of The Effects Of Mentoring On Disordered Eating Behavior, Marya Mccarroll

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Subclinical levels of disordered eating are problematic for both adolescent girls and young women. Not only could subclinical disordered eating lead to full threshold eating disorders without intervention, it is also associated with higher levels of psychological problems such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicide. Unfortunately, most current interventions for subclinical eating disorders demonstrate limited effectiveness in creating lasting changes in disordered eating thoughts and behaviors. This study contributes to the literature by investigating a novel intervention for addressing subclinical disordered eating in both adolescent girls and undergraduate women. Specifically, this study attempted to detect changes in measures of …

An Examination Of Psychological Risk Factors For The Development Of Substance Abuse Among Post-Bariatric Surgery Patients, Valentina Ivezaj

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Bariatric surgery is a clinically effective tool that commonly results in sustained weight loss changes for the majority of patients. While bariatric surgery is generally associated with a number of positive health outcomes post-operatively, some popular media outlets and clinical anecdotes have presented concerns about the notion of “addiction transfer” and substance abuse post-bariatric surgery. There is a lack of research, however, in this area. The present study examined the rate of substance abuse in a broad sample of postbariatric surgery patients and examined potential risk factors for the development of substance abuse post-surgery. It was hypothesized that documented risk …

Visuomotor Adaptation In Young Adults With And Without Motor Difficulties, Chi-Mei Lee

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Children with Developmental Coordination Disorders (DCD) have shown motor learning deficits in visuomotor adaptation tasks, and the failure of detecting errors seems to be the key that impedes motor learning. Recent studies suggested that presenting larger feedback improves the rate and extent of motor learning in healthy subjects and stroke patients. The present study recruited young adults with and without motor difficulties and aimed to examine their adaptability in visuomotor adaptation tasks with either regular (30° rotation) or enlarged (30° + double error) visual feedbacks. Results revealed that participants with lower motor ability showed less adaptability than those with higher …

Sex Talk: Factors That Influence Parent-Child Communication About Sex, Tiffany Abrego

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Between 50 and 70% of young people are first sexually active between the ages of 15 and 17, and almost 90% by age 18. This early sexual debut puts adolescents at high risk for sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancy if they are uneducated about safe sex. For this reason, it is important to determine the variables that contribute to early sexual debut. One factor that researchers have explored is the communication between parents and their children concerning sex. Researchers have found that the communication about sex is influenced by parents’ own beliefs, experiences, and comfort level discussing sexual topics. …

Moving To The Other Side Of The Desk: An Examination Of The Practice Of Including Peer Support Specialists As Treatment Providers Within The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Paradigm, Chelsea Cawood

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Dialectical Behavior Therapy is the primary empirically supported treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder. This multi-modal treatment consists of individual therapy, group skills training, the availability of 24-hour phone coaching, and weekly consultation meetings for therapists. A recent trend in Michigan Community Mental Health has been to add an additional component to traditional DBT, the inclusion of peer-provided services. In this role, graduates of DBT programs become members of the DBT team and may function to provide services at a variety of levels. Currently, no research exists examining this potential new treatment modality. The purpose of the current qualitative and descriptive …

Individual Differences In Anxiety Sensitivity: The Role Of Emotion Regulation And Alexithymia, Amrit Kaur

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The literature has shown anxiety sensitivity to be a significant risk factor in the development of pathological anxiety. Recent theoretical models have also emphasized the additional importance of emotion regulation in predicting the development of anxiety disorders. The present study examined the interactive influence of anxiety sensitivity and emotion regulatory strategies on anxiety symptoms in an ethnically diverse sample recruited in Singapore in order to determine the most appropriate anxiety prevention strategies to pursue. Results indicate that emotion regulation skills had a much greater effect on anxiety levels in this non-clinical sample than anxiety sensitivity and, second, that emotion regulation …

Cumulative Risk As A Moderator Of The Association Between Intimate Partner Violence And Maternal Parenting Behaviors With Infants, Erin Gallagher

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The primary objective of this study was to broaden psychological and scientific understanding of the lasting effects of intimate partner violence (IPV) on maternal parenting behaviors in families with infants. This study used longitudinal data to examine these associations. Much is to be gained from exploring the association between IPV and maternal parenting behaviors in families with infants because IPV is known to negatively impact a wide range of parenting capacities, as well as the social-emotional adjustment of young children. This study also examined an accumulation of social-contextual risk factors as a moderator between the chronicity and severity of IPV …

Influences Of Openness And Identity Style On Orientations To Religious Belief: A Proposed Integrative Model, J. Robert Parker

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Religions differ in their relative emphasis on beliefs and rituals. Christianity is a belief-oriented religion, but Christians differ in their orientation to beliefs. People with an Intrinsic orientation live by their beliefs, while those with an Extrinsic orientation use the religious group for other ends, such as networking. High “Questers” explore beliefs. Combinations of orientations were hypothesized to fall into patterns and be influenced by Openness to Experience (Five Factor Model; Costa & McCrae, 1992) and by identity styles (Berzonsky, 1989). People with an Informational identity style explore important ideas before accepting or rejecting them. Those with a Normative identity …

Role Of Cortisol In Social And Memory Impairments In Individuals With Velocardiofacial Syndrome (Vcfs), Daniel Jacobson

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Velocardiofacial Syndrome (VCFS) is a genetic disorder characterized by numerous physiological and psychological symptoms. Little is known regarding the neuropsychological and hormonal substrates and the social functioning in individuals with VCFS. There is some evidence to suggest that the stress hormone cortisol contributes to social, cognitive, and communication deficits in related populations (Corbett, Schupp, Levine, & Mendoza, 2009). This study investigated the role that cortisol has on the social and cognitive impairments observed in children with VCFS. To this end, 11 children with confirmed VCFS were assessed for baseline cortisol levels and received neuropsychological testing that assessed attention, memory, language, …

The Relationship Of Interpersonal Sensitivity, Identity Impairment, And Binge Eating Disorder Among College Women, Rachel M. Sienko

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study explored the association of identity impairment and interpersonal sensitivity (IPS) with binge eating disorder (BED). A convenience sample of 295 female undergraduate psychology students from a large Midwestern university was recruited to complete an online survey. Three primary hypotheses were tested: (1) IPS (high fear of negative evaluation and selfconsciousness) would be associated with binge eating; (2) Identity impairment (few total and positive possible selves, many negative possible selves, and a high ratio of negative to total possible selves) would be associated with binge eating; and 3) There would be a significant interaction between identity impairment and IPS …

Memory Consolidation In Developmental Disorders, Laszlo A. Erdodi

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The relationship between memory and adaptive functioning was studied in sample of 268 children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD, n = 83), autism spectrum disorder (ASD, n = 62), velo-cardio-facial syndrome (VCFS, n = 21), and low birth weight (LBW, n = 38) and neurotypicals (n = 64). Children with ASD and VCFS demonstrated a relative weakness in facial and visual memory, while no between-group differences were found during the auditory verbal learning task of the TOMAL. Learning curve analyses showed that after the first trial of the visual span test, all groups performed at the same level, but the …

The Relationship Between Adult Attachment And Trauma, Lauren Earls

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Prior research has suggested a complex relationship between childhood interpersonal traumas perpetrated by attachment figures and the experience of trauma in adulthood. Very little is known, however, about how various forms of childhood interpersonal abuse and neglect affect trauma sequelae and adult romantic attachment in women during the childbearing years. Using a sample of postpartum women (N = 104), this study examined the associations between a history of attachment-related traumas (operationalized as childhood interpersonal abuse and neglect) and complex trauma sequelae believed to be unique to victims of interpersonal traumas; the possible role that adult romantic attachment anxiety and avoidance …

Deconstructing The Time-Out: What Do Mothers Understand About A Common Disciplinary Procedure?, Amy K. Drayton

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Problem behavior is extremely common throughout childhood, and time-out (TO) is one of the most common disciplinary tactics used by parents to address problem behavior. However, despite the prevalence of use and five decades of research demonstrating the efficacy of time-out, parents rate time-out as one of the least useful behavior modification techniques. This discrepancy between parental opinion and empirical data may be due to the fact that all research conducted thus far has used adults highly trained in empirically-supported time-out procedures. No research has examined the degree of similarity between time-out conducted by untrained parents to empirically-supported time-out procedures. …

The Impact Of Prior Sexual Victimization And Victim Identification On Threat Recognition In A College Sample, Katherine Porter

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Previous research on sexual assault has demonstrated a pattern of revictimization, in which victims of childhood sexual assault are at an increased risk for adult sexual assault (e.g., Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000). Previous findings indicate that participants with a history of sexual assault take longer to identify and respond to risks (Marx et al., 2001; Soler-Baillo et al., 2005; Wilson et al., 1999), are less likely to respond in assertive ways (VanZile-Tamsen et al., 2005), and are more likely to indicate that they would be compliant in risky sexual situations (Naugle, 1999).

The present study attempted to replicate and expand …

The Influence Of Poverty On The Development And Maintenance Of Conduct Disorder And Perpetuation Of Crime And Violence, David Saunders-Scott

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Jamaica has one of the highest murder rates per capita in the world, as well as a high rate of other crimes. With this study, I examined how factors such as income, socialecological factors of poverty (S-E factors of poverty), and symptoms of conduct disorder (CD) were related to criminality in a sample of 79 male Jamaican parolees and probationers. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 74 years old and were all of African descent. I interviewed participants using the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview (WHO-CIDI), a survey to assess S-E factors associated with poverty, and the …

Factors Contributing To Disability In A Chronic Low Back Pain Population: A Comprehensive Analysis Using Continuous Ambulatory Monitoring, Kevin N. Alschuler

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Disability in chronic low back pain patients has been established as a function of variables across three areas: pain, cognitive-behavioral variables, and social variables. New technology has improved the ability to accurately measure physical activity, a significant component of disability, through the use of actigraphy for real-time ambulatory monitoring. The current study assessed between and within patient changes in physical activity as a function of current pain, anticipated pain, pain sensitivity, depression, pain anxiety, catastrophizing, and significant others' responses. Time-series and ordinary least squares regression analyses of 20 participants revealed that patients change their physical activity based on both their …

Faith-Based Sexual Education: A Comparison Of Comprehensive And Abstinence-Only Programs, Leanna Fortunato

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study sought to evaluate the effects of faith-based sexual education programs. Participants (ages 13-18, N = 128) were surveyed regarding their religious and sexual attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors prior to completing a sexual education program at their church, synagogue, or religious institution and again after completing the program. The sexual education programs were divided into three groups based on program content and duration: abstinence-only-short, comprehensive-short, and comprehensive-long. The first goal was to assess the within-group effects of attending an abstinence-only or comprehensive sexual education program. Participants from all three groups showed an increase in the degree to which they …

Diagnostic Efficiency Of The Computerized Ptsd Scale – Multimedia Version (Cps-M) In Assessing Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Jennifer Boss Mainka

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The most commonly used interview for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), a semi-structured interview patterned after the DSM-IV criteria (Blake et al., 1990). The Computerized PTSD Scale – Multimedia Version (CPS-M: Richard, Mayo, Bohn, Haynes, & Kolman, 1997) is a computerized interview that is modeled after the CAPS. This study examined how well the CPS-M agreed with the CAPS diagnostically in a clinical sample. Ninety veterans completed the test protocol consisting of paper-and-pencil measures, the CPS-M, and the CAPS interview. Correlations between the CAPS and CPS-M were high at the item, subscale, and full-scale levels. …

The Impact Of Pre-Treatment Identification Of Personality Style And Personality Disorder Symptoms On Psychotherapy Outcomes In A Training Clinic, Shauncie Marie Skidmore

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

To investigate the clinical and fiscal feasibility of administering a pre-treatment, dimensional personality assessment to clients seeking treatment at university-based counseling centers, a multi-phase study was conducted. This study sought to replicate the results of a recent study conducted by Ryder, Costa Jr., and Bagby (2007) regarding the validity of the DSM-IV-TR PD symptoms and their relationship to normal personality traits. This study also investigated the clinical utility of providing pre-treatment personality information to therapists, as assessed by a dimensional measure of normal personality the NEO-PI-R. Impact on treatment outcome was evaluated. After completing a pre-treatment assessment battery, university-affiliated clinic …

Predictors Of Help-Seeking In Returning Operation Enduring Freedom (Oef) And Operation Iraqi Freedom (Oif) Veterans, Carole Porcari

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Despite a significant number of Afghanistan and Iraqi veterans who reported symptoms of PTSD, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse, the majority of these veterans did not seek help for these problems. Past research has shown several variables that may contribute to an individual seeking help for a mental health problem including demographic variables, nature and severity of the mental health problem, and psychological variables. All Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) veterans and service members that registered with the Ann Arbor VA Healthcare System between 2001 and 2007 were contacted by mail and asked to participate in …

Intentions To Seek Therapy, Attitudes, And Stigma: An Analysis Of The Theory Of Reasoned Action, Matthew J. Altiere

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The relatively low utilization of mental health care is a concern for psychology, as only 32% of individuals with a psychological disorder receive treatment (Andrews, Issakidis, & Carter, 2001). It is typically attitudinal rather than structural barriers that influence individuals when deciding to pursue treatment (Outram, Murphy, & Cockburn, 2004). This study utilized the theory of reasoned action as a model to test the relationship among variables hypothesized to contribute to the intention to seek therapy: public stigma, self-stigma, social support, self-efficacy, attitudes toward seeking therapy, and psychological distress. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to evaluate barriers to …

Assimilative Demands: The Psychological Impact Of Legal Decisions On Lesbians’ Lives, Melissa J. Grey

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Covering, a construct that has been absent from the empirical psychological literature, is the pressure to or act of downplaying characteristics associated with a stigmatized identity (Goffman, 1963). This research investigated the covering demand in lesbian-identified women drawing on four related literatures: acculturation, discrimination, stigma, and self-concealment. The objectives of this research were to examine the impact of structural, legal covering demands on psychological domains and develop a grounded understanding of these demands in lesbian women. A mixed-method approach was utilized. Forty-six lesbian-identified women recruited from community venues participated in the quasi-experiment and focus groups, and five also engaged in …

Exposure To A Computer-Hosted Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention For Pathological Gambling: Impact On Gambling Symptomatology And Disclosure Of Gambling Participation In Required Counseling For Adults Receiving Opiate Substitution Therapy For Heroin Addiction, Andrew E. Cameron

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study examined the prevalence of pathological gambling (PG) in an urban methadone-maintenance population (n=125) using the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS). In addition, those meeting criteria for PG, and other inclusion criteria (n=42), were randomly assigned to one of two 6-week treatment groups and given the opportunity to utilize a computer-hosted cognitive-behavioral treatment program for PG. Seventeen participants used the treatment program, but no effect was found on their gambling behavior as measured by the SOGS and Timeline Follow-back procedure. Predictive factors of PG severity and treatment response were examined. Overall, 47.1% of those sampled …