Clinical Psychology Commons^™

Seasoned Psychotherapists' Experience Of Difficult Clinical Moments, Kirk J. Honda

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Purpose: This phenomenological study was concerned with the clarification of the experience of the difficult clinical moment which is defined as a discrete moment in which the psychotherapist experiences distress as a result of his or her work with a client. Method: Retrospective descriptions of experience of difficult clinical moments were obtained from a diverse sample of ten seasoned psychotherapists in the Seattle area. The interviews were transcribed, analyzed, and summarized, and these summaries were confirmed by each participant as being an accurate representation of their experience. Results: Thematic analysis revealed six themes of experience during a difficult clinical moment: …

Factors In Optimal Collaboration Between Psychologists And Primary Healthcare Physicians, Margaret A. Drewlo

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This survey study explored factors in optimal collaboration between registered psychologists and primary healthcare physicians (PHCP). With rising costs of healthcare, healthcare funding cuts, and changes in the way healthcare delivery is perceived, interprofessional collaboration is timely to explore. In particular, the attitudes of registered psychologists about salient factors noted in the collaboration literature, such as education and training, accessibility, and communication factors are important to the practice of psychology. As part of the exploratory nature of the study, questions about gender and hierarchy were also presented. While most data were quantitative, qualitative data were gathered on 6 of the …

Narratives Of Women Who Suffered Social Exclusion In Elementary School, Sarah Sunrise Allen

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Social aggression among children in schools is an old problem that has received some attention in recent years. The long-term influence of early experiences of social exclusion for women is underrepresented in the literature. In this qualitative study, a narrative, autobiographical approach is used to explore the life narratives of five adult women who experienced peer rejection, social exclusion, and/or harassment during elementary school. Literature related to social exclusion and narrative identity is reviewed. Autobiographical narratives were collected using life history interviews with a narrative methodology. The women interviewed
self-identified as having experienced social exclusion in childhood and provided accounts …

Juvenile Psychopathy: Instrumental Versus Reactive Aggression In Male And Female Juvenile Offenders, Marielena P. Tecce

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Over the past decade, the profusion of literature examining the downward extension of psychopathy to juvenile populations has been met with much debate and controversy. The focus remains on the accuracy of assessment and the negative effects from the premature application of labeling a juvenile a psychopath. The current study investigated the relationship between psychopathy and aggression by exploring the relationship between types of aggression (instrumental and reactive) and psychopathic traits in juvenile offenders. This study examined archived file information for male and female (N = 134) juvenile offenders (ages 13-17) referred for diagnostic and psychological evaluation services by …

The Dimensions Of Hardiness And Resiliency For Combat Ptsd, Warren Joseph Avery

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Research suggests that the personality factor hardiness may aid in resilience to combat PTSD. The need to understand resiliency factors like hardiness becomes more urgent as the depth of the epidemic of combat PTSD among veterans becomes more evident. Hardiness consists of three dimensions: (a) commitment, (b) control, and (c) challenge. This study was designed to explore the relationship between the dimensions of hardiness and combat PTSD in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) veterans. Participants were contacted through college veterans offices across the nation, and measures were anonymously completed online. Veterans who participated in the study …

The Role Of Religion In The Relationship Between Loneliness And Health Behaviors, Lindsy Jean Magee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While research has demonstrated the relationship of religion to health risk and health promoting behaviors, it has not investigated the relationship between religious coping and health risk and health promoting behaviors. In addition, while the link between loneliness and certain health risk and health promoting behaviors has been established, little research has looked at the potential effect that religion has on the relationship between loneliness, health risk, and health promoting behaviors. As such, it was the purpose of this study to investigate the relationship between religious coping and health risk and health promoting behaviors and to investigate the role of …

Effectiveness Of A Brief Parent Training Intervention, Brian Legg

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study examined the effectiveness of a brief parent-training intervention in reducing defiance in children. Four African American single mothers with children demonstrating clinically diagnosable levels of defiance participated in this study. Parental stress and general maladaptive behaviors of children were evaluated pre- and post-treatment. In addition, participants completed treatment-satisfaction questionnaires to assess the perceived value of the accommodations and training structure. Results indicated some reduction in child defiance in three of the four participants. Parental stress and overall child maladaptive externalizing behaviors were both reduced over the entire study for two participants. Participants reported that the flexibility of individually …

The Effects Of Mental Health Stigma On Treatment Attitude Within The Therapeutic Dyad: Therapist Beliefts In The Mental Health Recovery Process For Patients With Schizophrenia, Michele R. Miele

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

OBJECTIVE: Stigma maintains a belief that a recovery process is infeasible for patients with schizophrenia. As clients internalize stigma and therapists maintain a conceptualization of non-recovery, their core beliefs about recovery may become treatment barriers. This study investigated clinicians’ attitudes towards recovery by evaluating the relationship between knowledge of schizophrenia, attitudes of stigma, and attitudes of tolerance held towards people with schizophrenia; included in the evaluation are years of experience working as a mental health professional.

METHOD: This study is a cross-sectional survey design using a sample of 319 participants. The survey consisted of the following measures: knowledge of …

The Effects Of Acknowledging Cultural Differences On Therapeutic Alliance In Cross-Cultural Therapy, Jean-Pierre Assouad

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Therapeutic alliance has been documented to have a significant impact on therapy. This study examined the impact that acknowledging visible cultural differences in the first session of treatment has on therapeutic alliance, perceived clinician cross-cultural competency, and potential attrition. A vignette study design was utilized with 26 subjects who were patients at the PCOM Center for Brief Therapy. The patients were randomly assigned one of four vignettes that consisted of a cross-cultural therapy situation, in which visible cultural differences were either addressed or not by a clinician. Following the reading of the vignette, the subjects were asked to complete the …

The Effects Of Yoga With Meditation (Ywm) On Self-Criticism, Self-Compassion, And Mindfulness, Kelly Newby

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study investigated the effects of a mindfulness-based intervention, Yoga with Meditation (YWM), on self-criticism, self-compassion, and mindfulness in a graduate student population. When compared to a control group, the experimental group reported decreased self-criticism, and increased self-compassion and mindfulness. The experimental group consisted of graduate students interested in participating in weekly yoga and meditation classes over the course of a two-month time period. Each participant was encouraged to complete self-report measures prior to the first YWM session, and after the completion of each YWM class. Baseline and post-intervention scores of 24 individuals who attended at least four of the …

Stress In Mothers Of Newly Diagnosed Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: Barriers To Care, Use Of Support Services, And Child Behavior, Michelle Petrongolo

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

A reasonable amount of parenting stress is not only expected, but often adaptive (Deater- Deckard, & Scarr, 1996); however, in the presence of chronically high levels of stress, negative outcomes are common. Parents of children with special needs, particularly autism spectrum disorder (ASD), are especially vulnerable to the presence of clinically significant levels of stress, making this group an important focus in the prevention of negative outcomes. The purpose of the present study was to determine the contribution of barriers to care, social support, and child behavioral problems to stress levels of parents with a child newly diagnosed with ASD. …

Learned Helplessness, Spirituality, Abstinence Efficacy, And Alcohol Recovery, Nicholas J. Demarco

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Treatment for alcoholism is a long and difficult process. Identifying variables that aid in treatment completion and retention of its effects is something that continues to be sought after. Research has identified the factors of spirituality, learned helplessness, and abstinence efficacy as some of the variables that can influence a person’s ability to complete treatment successfully (Sterling, Weinstein, Hill, Gottheil, Gordon, & Shorie, 2006). What it has failed to address is whether or not learned helplessness, spirituality, and abstinence efficacy can impact a person’s ability to sustain treatment effects for a period, post treatment. The data for this project were …

The Inclusion Of Spirituality In Sex Offender Treatment, Vanessa Bennifield

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The management of sex offenders is a collaborative effort that typically includes law enforcement and treatment professionals. The management of sex offenders has focused largely on assessing for risk and need of the offender, with limited attention paid to addressing responsivity factors of the sex offender, such as worldview, interpersonal style, and cultural influences. In an effort to understand how therapists perceive the influence of responsivity factors, this study explored sex offender therapists’ perceptions of the inclusion of spirituality in sex offender treatment. The investigator conducted semi-structured interviews with sex offender therapists who had at least 1 year of experience …

Cultural Factors In Mental Health Referral Among Asian Americans, Ishani Deo

Scripps Senior Theses

Epidemiological studies have shown that disparities in mental health service utilization still exist among ethnic minority groups in the United States. This study looks specifically at the lay referral system and what factors influence the likelihood of an individual referring a friend to mental health services. Since college student populations have fewer barriers than most to seeking treatment, 60 Asian American and 49 White American college students were sampled for the purposes of this study. They evaluated one of four vignettes in which cultural competency of the potential therapist and type of symptoms being presented were manipulated. Though there was …

Sexual Assertiveness As A Predictor Of Differential Vulnerability In Sexual Victimization Between Sorority- And Non-Affiliated College Women, Mary Ashton Phillips

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since Koss' seminal research in 1985, it has been clear that college women are especially vulnerable to sexual victimization; more than 30% of her sample had experienced the legal definition of rape, which includes completed as well as attempted rape. Since then, several studies have found similar findings. Koss, Gidycz, and Wisniewski (1987) reported that 15.4% of a sample of college women had experienced rape and 12.1% had experienced attempted rape since the age of 14. Gross, Winslett, Roberts, and Gohm (2006) also found in their college sample that 13.3% of women had experienced rape and 18.2% had experienced attempted …

Neurocognitive Outcomes In Children Experiencing Seizures During Treatment For Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Stephanie L. Nassar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is a growing literature for cognitive late effects among childhood cancer survivors, yet little empirical information is known regarding specific neurocognitive outcomes of children who experience seizures while treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. This study examined prevalence of on-protocol seizures, seizure risk factors, and neurocognitive change in children with therapy-related seizures in comparison to the normative sample and a matched cohort of children without on-protocol seizures. Participants included children enrolled on the St. Jude frontline leukemia treatment protocol, Total Therapy 15 (TOTXV) - the first systematic investigation of intensified chemotherapy agents plus optimal intrathecal therapy without irradiation. Out of …

Direct-To-Consumer Advertising Of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy For The Treatment Of Depression, Lauren B. Flegle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Narrative Writing And Post-Writing Processing Instructions On Ptsd, Laura Mcintire

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Outcomes Of The Sanctuary Model In An Education Setting, Brianna Matey

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study examines the short-term outcomes of implementing the Sanctuary Model in an emotional support educational setting over the 2011-2012 school year. The frequency of restraints, the therapeutic environment, and job satisfaction were evaluated pre and post implementation of the model. Study participants included teachers, teacher aides, and a licensed clinical social worker at a nonprofit behavioral health care organization in the mid-Atlantic region. Results indicated similar numbers of restraints employed in the 2010-2011 school year compared to the 2011-2012 school year. Three out of 10 domains in the therapeutic environment measured by the Community Oriented Program Environment Scale (COPES-R) …

Self-Reported Strengths And Weaknesses In The Prediction Of Institutional Aggression, Sarah A. Demarco

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Aggression on inpatient psychiatric units poses a multitude of issues not only for patients, but also for staff. Thus, the identification of dynamic risk factors that may increase and also of protective factors that may decrease the likelihood of a patient becoming aggressive is important. The current study sought to expand on the current literature by examining if there is a difference between self-perceived strengths and risk factors between aggressive and nonaggressive patients. More specifically, it was hypothesized that self-reported strengths would moderate the relationship between self-reported risk factors and institutional aggression (IA) in forensic and in civil psychiatric units …

Recovery Knowledge, Skills, And Attitudes Of Doctoral Students In Apa-Accredited Clinical Psychology Programs, And Interns In Apa-Accredited And Appic-Member Internships, Carmella R. Tress

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The concept of Recovery can be understood as an attitude or perspective about people, an attitude that encompasses beliefs about the respect, power, responsibility, empowerment, and hope that people deserve. Knowledge of and attitudes towards Recovery principles are instrumental to the development of Recovery-oriented approaches to mental health care. However, until the present study, information had not been gathered regarding the knowledge and attitudes that clinical psychology doctoral students and pre-doctoral interns have towards Recovery principles and the provision of Recovery-oriented services. A survey of a national sample of 189 doctoral students in APA-accredited programs, and 185 pre-doctoral interns in …

Perceived Parenting Styles Of Mothers With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Madina Bakhitova

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between maternal PTSD symptoms and parenting, specifically the authoritarian and permissive parenting styles, and parental dimensions of nurturance, consistency, control, and physical punishment. Participants included a convenience sample of 84 mothers (40% Hispanic, 35% African American, and 25% Caucasian) from a community behavioral-health agency in Philadelphia. The mothers completed a brief demographic questionnaire, the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist – Civilian Version (PCL – C), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Parenting Authority Questionnaire – Revised Version (PAQ – R), and the Parenting Dimensions Inventory – Short Version (PDI – S). …

Impacts Of The Recovery Movement On Treatment Adherence For Individuals With Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders, Kelly J. Campanile

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The recovery movement presents a shift in the treatment of severe mental illness to a more person-centered approach. The current researcher hypothesized that the more recovery-oriented a treatment was perceived to be, the more participants would have attended appointments and adhered to their psychiatric medication regimen. The variables of empowerment, recovery assessment, attitudes toward treatment, and participatory decision-making were explored in relation to their possible correlation with increased treatment adherence. An archival data set was used. Participants included 215 adults who met criteria for a schizophrenia spectrum disorder. The participants generally rated their treatment as high on all four of …

Ways Of Being In Trauma-Based Society: Discovering The Politics And Moral Culture Of The Trauma Industry Through Hermeneutic Interpretation Of Evidence-Supported Ptsd Treatment Manuals, Sarah Peregrine Lord

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

One hundred percent of evidence-supported psychotherapy treatments for trauma related disorders involve the therapist learning from and retaining fidelity to a treatment manual. Through a hermeneutic qualitative textual interpretation of three widely utilized evidence-supported trauma treatment manuals, I identified themes that suggested a particular constitution of the contemporary way of being—a traumatized self—and how this traumatized self comes to light through psychotherapeutic practice as described by the manuals. The manuals included: 1) a trauma focused cognitive-behavioral therapy for children; 2) an eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy for adults; and, 3) an early intervention and debriefing therapy series for post-traumatic stress …

The Relationships Between Attachment Style And Boundary Thickness, Dore Lavering

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Despite the multitudes of research on attachment and many different aspects of relational structures, only one study to date has researched the relationship of adult attachment to boundary thickness. The possible benefits to understanding this relationship would provide therapists and clients a better conceptualization of individual's internal working model of attachment. This study investigated the relationship between the Hartmann Boundary Questionnaire (HBQ), a measure of boundary thickness, and an adult romantic attachment measure, the Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory-Revised (ECR-R) two dimensions of attachment. This study theorized that attachment anxiety would be related to thinner boundaries and conversely attachment avoidance …

The Relationship Between Adolescent Depression And Social Skills In Young Adulthood, Emily H. Simmons

Scripps Senior Theses

This study investigated the relationships between a history of adolescent depression and social skills in young adulthood. Participants between the ages of 22 and 30 reported past and present experiences with depression and completed assessments of three aspects of social skills: emotional understanding, strength of social relationships, and interpersonal competence. Results indicated an association between current depression and social skills deficits but no main effect of adolescent depression on overall social skills. However, greater emotional understanding was associated with a history of adolescent depression. An earlier age of onset predicted stronger social relationships while length of depressive episode and time …

Trauma, Personality, And Behavior: A Longitudinal Study Predicting Adverse Outcomes After Sexual Assault From Personality Prior To The Assault, Jessica L. Combs

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Exposure to sexual assault results in ongoing harms for women. After an assault, some women engage higher levels of externalizing behaviors, such as drinking problems and drug use, and others experience higher levels of internalizing dysfunction, such as clinical anxiety and clinical depression. In a longitudinal sample of 1929 freshman college women assessed across three time points, I found the following. Pre-assault negative urgency (the tendency to act rashly when distressed) interacted with assault exposure to predict increased subsequent drinking and initiation of drug use. Pre-assault trait anxiety/depression interacted with assault exposure to predict increased subsequent clinical anxiety and depression. …

Risk And Protective Factors In The Relationship Between Peer Victimization And Internalizing Disorders, Rebecca Hamblin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the experience of peer victimization through the lens of an integrative model of individual (gender, ethnicity, grade level) and social (receipt of prosocial support from peers, peer victimization) risk and protective factors in terms of association with psychopathology. The examination was conducted in a rural sample of elementary school children of multiple ethnicities. Results suggest that both overt and relational forms of peer victimization predicted social anxiety, depression, OCD, GAD, panic, and separation anxiety and loneliness symptoms with moderate effect sizes. No differences in either overt or relational victimization were found among …

Evaluating Values, Mindfulness, And Working Alliance: Exploring The Effects Of Short, Specific Techniques, Regan Slater

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Comfactors research indicates that there is a positive relationship between therapeutic relationship and improved client outcomes. However, little research has been done to examine the nature of this relationship. The current study examined the relationship among values, mindfulness, and working alliance. This study used different specific interventions and examined the interventions' impact on values and mindfulness. The study also examined whether changes in values and mindfulness led to differences in working alliance ratings. Participants were 66 undergraduate students and were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: mindfulness plus values, mindfulness, or control. The participants were then led in a …

Process Group Vs. Skills Group Modalities In The Treatment Of Individuals Diagnosed With Major Depressive Disorder, Kirk David Duncan

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

PROCESS GROUP

VS.

SKILLS GROUP MODALITIES

IN THE TREATMENT OF INDIVIDUALS DIAGNOSED WITH MAJOR

DEPRESSIVE DISORDER

by

KIRK DAVID DUNCAN

August 2014

Advisor: Dr. George Parris

Major: Counseling

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

The goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of a process group vs. a cognitive behavioral skills group modality on depression while investigating the effects of facilitator bond on outcomes. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was conducted on the BDI-II posttest scores, and pretest scores served as the covariate and the group membership as the independent variable. When observing Figure 1 there was a visual desired …