Clinical Psychology Commons^™

Evaluating The Impact Of Individual And Couple Relationship Education On Postpartum Depression, Maggie O’Reilly Treter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation evaluated the impact of relationship education on postpartum depression using data from two randomized controlled trials of relationship education for individuals and couples who were pregnant or recently had a baby. Paper 1 focused on a well-established relationship education program for low-income couples in Oklahoma City, Family Expectations. Key findings from Paper 1 demonstrated that being randomized to Family Expectations was associated with lower odds of experiencing depression in the first 12 months after having a baby among both mothers and fathers, though this effect was only marginally significant, and that the program had the strongest impact among …

Inviting The Perspectives Of Refugee Mental Health Interpreters: A Critical Narrative Analysis, Emme Y. Paik

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The research literature lacks examination into several areas concerning mental health interpretation for refugee clients. This includes the management of interpreters’ vicarious trauma and retraumatization, interpreter’s perspectives on the appropriateness of hiring refugees as mental health interpreters, how interpreters define their trauma as well as their clients’ trauma, and support that interpreters seek for their traumatic responses from their work. The literature is also missing an analysis of how oppressive power differentials are repeated in workplace institutions, specifically for refugee mental health interpreters. Thus, this study aimed to invite the perspectives of refugee mental health interpreters on several issues pertaining …

Executive Function And Parenting Among Latinx Caregivers Of Young Children, Amy Dominguez Fabatz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Supportive and responsive parenting is vital to the healthy development of young children. Parenting behaviors are determined by many factors, including caregivers’ cognitive resources and abilities such as executive functioning (EF). The present study investigated how two core dimensions of EF, working memory and set-shifting abilities, are related to parenting behaviors in a sample of Latinx caregivers of young children experiencing low income. Positive parenting was measured using a multi-method approach including video-coded observations, parent self-report, and evaluation of the home environment. Findings from hierarchical regressions indicated that caregiver working memory, but not set-shifting, predicted positive parenting as measured by …

Mental Health Providers’ Responses To The Covid-19 Pandemic, Aubrey Faber

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in closures, increased stressors, and a high need for mental health services. To provide continuity of care and meet the rising need for therapy, mental health providers rapidly transitioned to telehealth. This transition occurred with the support of policy changes and leniency in telehealth guidelines. A survey including participant and client demographic variables, readiness for telehealth, transition time, methods for telehealth practice, and therapist efficacy in-person and via telehealth was created in Qualtrics. It was completed by 79 mental health providers to provide insight into this transition and inform future practice. This study hypothesized that (1) …

Perceived Parenting, Personality Traits, And Personality Pathology In An Adult Sample, Elizabeth Concetta Vento

Theses and Dissertations

Parenting practices influence offspring’s emotional and developmental behavior. The present study explored the relationships between retrospective ratings of perceived parental care in childhood and general and pathological personality traits in adulthood. Participants were comprised of three adult samples college undergraduate students (N = 105; 69% female), ages 18 to 33 (M = 19.70, SD = 2.28), general population (N = 99; 63% female), ages 18 to 83 (M = 44.71, SD = 16.27), and comedians (N = 111; 33% female), ages 18 to 67 (M = 37.24, SD = 11.20). Data from participants were aggregated from a larger study done …

Racial Bias In The Association Of Externalizing Symptoms With Black And White Children: The Development And Application Of An Implicit Association Test, Maura Francis

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that school and mental health professionals more strongly associate externalizing behaviors with Black children compared to White children. To test this hypothesis, we developed an implicit association test to determine if there was a difference in the reaction times in classifying symptoms as externalizing when the symptoms were paired with the word “Black Child” as opposed to paired with the word “White Child”. In a sample of 54 school and mental health professionals, we found clear evidence in support of our hypothesis. The existence of this implicit bias may explain …

Social Attention And Memory In Youth With Asd, Adnp Syndrome, And Foxp1 Syndrome, Megan L. Braconnier-Krupa

Theses and Dissertations

The current study used eye tracking and behavioral measures to examine social attention and recognition memory in two rare genetic disorders commonly associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD): ADNP syndrome and FOXP1 syndrome. Impairment in social functioning is considered a core deficit in ASD. Although individuals with ADNP syndrome and FOXP1 syndrome typically present with symptoms of ASD, research suggests several dissimilarities in symptom presence and severity between the groups. Thus, there is a need to clarify disorder-specific patterns of social attention and their relationships to observed social skills. A visual paired comparison eye tracking task was used to assess …

The Internal And External Expectancies Scale: Development And Validation., Joanne Raptis

Theses and Dissertations

Healthy lifestyle habits are widely known to improve physical and psychological wellbeing, but many struggle to regularly practice these behaviors. As an overarching solution has yet to emerge, it may prove more fruitful to instead personalize behavior change recommendations and interventions. The present study examined whether individual responsiveness to internal and external expectations can be measured, as it could be a useful behavioral factor to target with tailored treatment recommendations. This construct was first postulated by popular author Gretchen Rubin (2015) but has yet to be studied empirically. For the current project, the Internal and External Expectancies Scale (IEES) was …

Emotion Beliefs And Attitudes: Implications For The Stoic View Of Emotions And A Test Of Some Theories Of Psychotherapy, Amanda M. Fisher

Theses and Dissertations

Traditional CBT and third-wave CBT, namely ACT, are widely used psychotherapy approaches. These psychotherapies have distinct philosophical and theoretical roots and, in turn, emphasize divergent approaches to emotions. The current study explored beliefs about emotions (emotion beliefs) associated with both approaches to psychotherapy, the relationship between emotion beliefs and emotion outcomes, as well as factors that mediate these relationships. Specifically, the study examined correlations between emotion beliefs (emotion controllability beliefs, acceptance of emotions, and emotion control values) and depression, anxiety, and anger. Correlation coefficients were compared to determine significant differences in associations between different emotion beliefs and emotion outcomes. It …

Anger And Intimate Partner Violence In Young Adults: The Role Of Impulsivity, Olga Gulyayeva Fuller

Theses and Dissertations

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a widespread concern that has been associated with a number of negative outcomes, including mental health problems, and is especially prevalent among young adults (Black, 2011; Miller & McCaw, 2019). Anger has been identified as a risk factor for IPV perpetration, however not all instances of anger within a relationship result in the perpetration of IPV (Birkley & Eckhardt, 2015, Baumeister & Boden, 1998). Impulsivity has been proposed as a possible explanation for why some but not all instances of anger lead to aggression (Baumeister & Boden, 1998). Furthermore, some literature has suggested an interaction …

Examining The Intention-Behavior Gap: The Impact Of The Food Environment On The Eating Behaviors Of Low-Income African American Women, Karen Glownia

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The current study investigated environmental barriers to the intention-behavior gap. The food environment was examined as a moderator between motivation for healthy living and actual eating behavior. A sample of 55 low-income African American women (M_age = 30.25, SD = 7.46) completed self-report motivation and eating behavior questionnaires. The food environment was measured by the number and proportion of healthy and unhealthy food retailers in one’s neighborhood using ArcGIS mapping software. The results showed that greater motivation was associated with less unhealthy eating when there was relatively equal access to nearby unhealthy and healthy food retailers. When given …

Parenting, Neighborhood Characteristics, And Disruptive Child Behavior In Low-Income African American Families, Alyssa Buthman

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to further examine the multifaceted relationship between parenting, neighborhood characteristics, and child disruptive behavior. Examining data from a low-income, African American preschool sample, this study investigated how self-reported neighborhood characteristics and observed parenting behaviors uniquely predicted observed disruptive behavior in children. Findings supported the strong relationship between parenting behaviors and child disruptive behavior where parenting sensitivity and engagement were predictive of fewer child disruptive behaviors while verbal and physical parenting interference and intrusiveness was predictive of greater disruptive child behavior. Neighborhood characteristics did not directly relate to parenting or child behaviors. However, neighborhood characteristics …

Factors Associated With Patient-Reported Experiences And Outcomes Of Substance Use Disorder Treatment In Cape Town, South Africa, Bronwyn Myers, J. Randy Koch, Kim Johnson, Nadine Harker

Psychology Publications

Background

Interventions are needed to improve the quality of South Africa’s substance use disorder (SUD) treatment system. This study aimed to identify factors associated with patient-reported suboptimal access, quality, and outcomes of SUD treatment to guide the design of targeted quality improvement initiatives.

Method

We analysed clinical record and patient survey data routinely collected by SUD services in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. The sample included 1097 treatment episodes, representing 32% of all episodes in 2019. Using multivariate logistic regression, we modelled socio-demographic, substance use and treatment correlates of patient-reported suboptimal access to, quality and outcomes of SUD treatment. …

A Call To Dismantle Systemic Racism In Criminal Legal Systems, Cynthia J. Najdowski, Margaret C. Stevenson

Psychology Faculty Scholarship

Objectives: In October 2021, APA passed a resolution addressing ways psychologists could work to dismantle systemic racism in criminal legal systems. The present report, developed to inform APA’s policy resolution, details the scope of the problem and offers recommendations for policy and psychologists to address the issue by advancing related science and practice. Specifically, it acknowledges the roots of modern-day racial and ethnic disparities in rates of criminalization and punishment for people of color as compared to White people. Next, the report reviews existing theory and research that helps explain the underlying psychological mechanisms driving racial and ethnic disparities …

Motherless Mothers: Attachment, Grief, And The Development Of Maternal Identity In A Sample Of Maternally Bereaved First-Time Pregnant Women, Ronit Grofman Margalit

Selected Full-Text Dissertations 2020-

This study investigated the development of maternal identity among maternally bereaved first-time pregnant women over 17 weeks of gestation, who lost their mother more than 12 months before their pregnancy. The aim of this study was to explore the relationships among attachment-related avoidance, attachment-related anxiety, maternal identity, and grief reactions. Participants were recruited online via announcements on email listservs, social media, bereavement forums, and pregnancy forums. A cross-sectional study was conducted among N = 250 primigravida women who experienced the death of their mother at least a year prior to their pregnancy. Data were collected using online self-report measures. Attachment-related …

Applying Dialectical Behavior Therapy To Latinx Youth Experiencing Deportation Stress: A Critical Literature Review And Culturally Congruent Application, Desiree Curcio

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Deportation policies from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have harmful effects on the mental health of immigrant families in the US. These effects can be experienced at multiple points such as living in fear of deportation, undergoing ICE raids, becoming detained, or being deported. The children that witness these experiences of deportation within their families are impacted substantially. Some of the psychological effects of having a parent deported or detained can include internalizing and externalizing problems, attention difficulties, emotional and behavioral changes, interpersonal conflict, and feeling like a burden. While the impacts of deportation on youth are highlighted in the …

Memory For Emotional Expressions In Adults With Acquired Brain Injuries, Lauren Jeanne Radigan

Wayne State University Dissertations

Introduction: Memory for emotions expressed by others forms the continuity that characterizes unique and intimate relationships. Successful memory for facial expressions requires the ability to remember the identity of the face (who showed the emotion) as well as the emotion (which emotion they showed). People with acquired brain injuries (ABI) frequently have problems with social cognition, which involves understanding cues that communicate emotional and interpersonal information. ABI is commonly associated with trouble perceiving emotional expressions and recognizing the identity of faces; however, research on memory for emotions after ABI is sparse. This study examined cognitive and emotional characteristics that contribute …

Risk Factors For Traumatic Bonding And Associations With Ptsd Symptoms, Emma Virginia Shaughnessy

Dissertations and Theses

What could lead individuals to become attached to people who cause them harm? Traumatic bonding, a construct similar to, yet distinct from, Stockholm syndrome, offers one possible psychological explanation as to why many people with abusive romantic partners do not break off these relationships. But the question remains: when comparing individuals with abusive romantic partners, what individual-level factors make some of these people more likely than others to develop traumatic bonding toward their current partners? A path model tested the associations among childhood maltreatment, attachment insecurity, traumatic bonding, and PTSD symptoms in a sample of 354 participants in abusive relationships. …

The Deaf Community And Their Preferences In A Clinical Psychological Setting, Alexandra Alonso

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The focus of this study was to examine the Deaf community and their preferences for both a psychologist and the language utilized in a clinical psychological setting. The study gave each participant a mock profile for a psychologist and then asked participants to answer questions on their perceptions of the psychologist provided. A total of 22 participants who identified as Deaf, deaf, hard-of-hearing, or as an individual with hearing loss were surveyed. Results indicated that participants randomly assigned to the Deaf psychologist had higher rates of satisfaction and trust over participants who were assigned to other psychologists. The study also …

Technology Screens And Effects On Attention: A Meta-Analysis, Carly A. Haxel

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study looks at how technology screens have an effect on academic performance considering how technology is becoming relied upon more every day. A meta-analytic review that quantitively combines data was conducted to estimate effect sizes between technology screens and academic performance. The study held no restrictions on location or ethnicity. 12 studies were chosen, consisting of 31,844 total participants. Ethnicity, research design, and screen type were found to moderate the effect of screen time on academic performance. Theoretical implications and future research is also discussed in this study.

Underlying Dimensions Of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms Pre And Post-Treatment In Women With Co-Occurring Substance Use Disorder, Emy Willis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

A considerable proportion of women worldwide have experienced various manner of abuse in their lifetime (Devries et al., 2011). Women are more at risk of exposure to physical and sexual violence (Hedtke et al., 2008), and women who have experienced interpersonal violence are at heightened risk of developing several mental health conditions including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use disorders (SUDs; Acierno et al., 1999; McGruder-Johnson et al., 2000; Messman-Moore & Bhuptani, 2017). Treatment outcomes for individuals with co-occurring PTSD and SUDs tend to be worse than for those diagnosed with PTSD alone (Schäfer & Najavits, 2007), and outcome …

Correlation Of Meaning Making And Complex Trauma In Women Trafficked For Sex, Brenda Louise Tracey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe trafficking of women and girls into the sex industry is one of the world’s fastest growing crimes against humanity. The psychological impact of human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation on survivors has not been widely studied, creating a gap in the literature that merits further research to understand the processes of survivor rehabilitation and community. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between complex posttraumatic stress disorder and having purpose in life among U.S. female citizens who were trafficked into the sex industry. Frankl’s theory of finding meaning was paired with Park’s theory of …

A Phenomenological Study Of Mental Health Providers' Cultural Sensitivity Towards Latinx Clients, Nohemi Vasquez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThis hermeneutic phenomenological study explored the lived professional experiences involving mental health providers’ cultural sensitivity towards Latinx clients in the context of mental health service delivery. Pedersen and Essadoh’s multiculturalism framework, known as the “fourth force” of psychology, was used as a guiding framework. Fifteen mental health providers were recruited. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews via Skype, in-person, or phone interviews with participants who had from two to over thirteen years of working experience with Latinx populations. Interviews were examined using an interpretive phenomenological analysis. Four themes emerged from participant responses. Findings revealed that cultural competence and cultural awareness …

Evaluation Of A Public School District Nutrition Education Program In Southern California’S San Diego County, Donielle Cohen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents has markedly increased in several developed countries in recent years. Researchers have examined different factors that contribute to overweight and obesity in children and adolescents but have not fully explored the psychological impact of obesity on this population. The effectiveness of nutrition education programs in addressing the effects of obesity is also understudied. The primary purpose of this evaluative case study was to examine the impact of the Harvest of the Month nutritional educational program, which was adopted by San Diego County public schools in 2005, on the nutritional habits and psychosocial …

Educational Level As A Moderator Between Stress And Suicidal Ideation Among Law Enforcement Officers, Sittipong Permsookjit

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Law enforcement officers are exposed to occupation-related stress at a level greater than any other occupation, save war combatants, such stress can lead to suicidal ideation. There is a growing trend of suicidal ideation among law enforcement officers. This trend will threaten the stability of society if it is allowed to continue. Educational level has been shown to improve quality of life and is considered a quantitative resource. Using the theoretical framework of appraisal theory, this study’s purpose was to examine the moderating effects of educational level on stress and suicidal ideation among law enforcement officers. A total of 72 …

The Role Of Childhood Abuse In Subsequent Event-Level Risky Sexual Behavior And Substance Use, Megan C. Kennedy

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Childhood abuse is widespread and associated with negative consequences including mental illness, revictimization, substance use, and impaired functioning. Emotion dysregulation is a possible explanation for the relationship between childhood abuse and subsequent outcomes. Potential pathways between childhood abuse history, risky sexual behavior, and substance use have been explored, with evidence for use of sex and substances to avoid negative affectivity associated with greater risky sexual behavior and substance use. Risky sexual behavior (RSB) is defined as any behavior that places individuals at greater risk for negative outcomes and often include condomless sex, substance use prior to or during sex, and …

Satanists’ Sexual Self-Concept, Samuel Danielson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The present study examines sexuality within an international sample (n = 908) of modern Satanists. Sociodemographic and religious data from this sample are provided. Frequencies of Satanists’ engagement in different sexual behaviors are also explored. Furthermore, two aspects of Satanists’ sexual self-concept, sexual self-esteem and sexual anxiety, are assessed along with these variables’ relationships with the strength of Satanists’ group identity and the length of time identifying as a Satanist. Results indicate that the strength of Satanists’ identity impacts both their sexual self-esteem and sexual anxiety. Limitations and directions for future research on Satanism and sexuality are discussed.

Examining The Effects Of An Online Group Social Skills Program On Emotion Regulation Skills For Adolescents And Young Adults With An Autism Spectrum Disorder, Breanna Perron

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Difficulties with emotion regulation and social skills have been identified as core deficits for individuals with an autism spectrum disorder (Turcotte et al., 2016). These deficits have been shown to lead to a multitude of social consequences and difficulties across the lifespan when unaddressed (Shattuck et al., 2011). Therefore, it is vital to establish effective interventions to teach the skills necessary to combat those deficits. The present study uses a behavioral skills training model to teach emotion regulation online using video modeling. The results provide potential support for increasing emotion regulation through the teaching of social skills. There were also …

Investigation On How Access To Insurance And Different Mental Health Services Impact Stigmatized Beliefs On Mental Health, Ashley Rossi, Barbie Hubner, Jordan Sferrazza

The Graduate Review

The current study aimed to investigate how access to insurance impacts mental health-related stigma and help-seeking attitudes, along with public and self-stigmatized views on seeking professional mental health services. Participants (N = 192) were recruited via Bridgewater State University Student Announcements and through convenience sampling. Individuals completed a survey consisting of five self-created questions and three different scales related to insurance coverage, mental health services, stigma, and help-seeking attitudes. We expected to find those with public insurance coverage would have higher self-stigmatized beliefs and lower help-seeking attitudes, but this hypothesis was not supported. We also expected that those with …

Observing The Relationship Between Health Locus Of Control And Help-Seeking Attitudes: A Multicultural Perspective, Jaymmy Cruz Matias, Erica A. English, Alan J. Stamper

The Graduate Review

Prior research has suggested that race/ethnicity and health locus of control (LOC) have an impact on mental health help-seeking attitudes. We investigated the relationship between these variables by administering a survey to 197 participants. We also explored the relationship between passive or active spiritual LOC and help-seeking attitudes. We found that White participants were more likely to seek out psychological help from primary care physicians, psychiatrists, and other mental health professionals compared to all other ethnic groups, which supported our second hypothesis. Also, all other ethnic groups were more likely to seek out spiritual help for psychological issues compared to …