Clinical Psychology Commons^™

Psychosocial Outcomes Of African American Traumatic Race-Based Stress, Zenith Lamb

Senior Theses

Most research into trauma-related mental health concerns has focused predominantly on European American participants, leading to many African American individuals receiving inaccurate diagnoses, if they are able to receive diagnoses at all. This project sought to help fill that gap by identifying clear definitions and examples of “racial trauma” and “race-based stress” - as defined during participation in a focus group interview by the collective experience-based responses of two undergraduate African American students at a predominantly White institution - and identifying symptoms of posttraumatic stress and dissociation - measured by an online survey distributed to the participants that included questions …

An Examination Of The Prevalence And Predictors Of Drugging Victimization And Drugging Perpetration In A National Sample, Amber Nicole Wallace

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The current study sought to expand the understanding of the nascent phenomenon of drugging, the administering of a drug or alcohol substance to an individual without their knowledge or consent (Swan et al., 2017). Specifically, in this paper, the lifestyle-routine activities theory (L-RAT) is used as a framework to examine what factors may contribute to the occurrence of drugging. Prevalence rates of drugging victimization and drugging perpetration are examined by participant characteristics including gender, sexual orientation, and race/ethnicity, and by risk behaviors including illicit drug use, marijuana use, and binge drinking. Trait sensation seeking, which has been shown to …

Moral Injury To Inform Analysis Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Amanda Julia Manea

Senior Theses

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that almost one out of ten veterans struggle with. Although the National Center for PTSD has made extensive progress in characterizing and developing new treatments for PTSD, most veterans still experience symptoms of PTSD following treatment. Novel avenues of investigation, such as developing algorithms to review electronic health record (EHR) data and better understanding moral injury, are being pursued to address the gap that still exists when it comes to treating veterans. Moral injury is the individual evaluation of exposure to a potentially morally injurious event (PMIE) and can lead to …

Trauma And Linguistic Markers For Symptom Severity In Prolonged Exposure For Primary Care, As Observed Through The Use Of Narrative Review, Robert Alexander Ryan

Theses and Dissertations

Traditional trauma therapies used in the primary care setting (e.g., hospital, medical clinic, etc.) have posed challenges to patient success because they are not designed for the shorter duration treatment that is typical in primary care settings. One alternative solution is the Prolonged-Exposure for Primary Care protocol (PE-PC) that utilizes prolonged exposure using a brief take home assignment and several journaling prompts that are processed using principles from Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). Still in its early stages of development, the PE-PC protocol can provide symptom relief in as little as four, 30-minute sessions and reflects one of the first trauma …

Exploring Generational Trauma, Delanie Patterson, Brooke Mann, Will Stutterheim

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Generational trauma is still a relatively new field of study that has gained immense popularity with various researchers and the rest of society. There are several contributing factors to generational trauma being explored and examined so researchers can reduce the effects on both parents and offspring. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] (2021) describes Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) as trauma or a significant stressor that occurs during childhood, and trauma in itself significantly impacts families and individual functioning. It is essential to continue the research on generational trauma to help families create a healthier living environment and a better …

Childhood-Onset Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Exacerbates Opioid Use Disorder Consequences: Mediation By Impulsive Phenotypes, Liam R. Browning, Ciara Cannoy, Tabitha E. H. Moses, Leslie H. Lundahl Phd, David M. Ledgerwood Phd, Mark K. Greenwald Phd

Medical Student Research Symposium

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is highly prevalent and associated with opioid use disorder (OUD). Yet, little is known about the mechanisms by which ADHD (which is a heterogeneous construct/diagnosis) might alter the trajectory of OUD outcomes.

Aim: This cross-sectional study examines relationships between childhood ADHD (inferred as predating substance use) and the extent to which the effects of ADHD on lifetime heroin-use consequences are mediated by foreshortened time perspective and drug-use impulsivity.

Methods: Individuals who report heroin use (N=214) were screened using the Assessment of Hyperactivity and Attention (AHA), Impulsive Relapse Questionnaire (IRQ), Stanford Time Perception Inventory (STPI), …

Replacing Adjunctive Medications For Treatment-Resistant Depression Using Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation: Case Report, Anita Vaishampayan Bs, Bassem Saad Md, Daniel Amarasinghe Bs, Carly Brin Lmsw, Richard Balon Md, Nicholas Mischel Mdphd

Medical Student Research Symposium

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is an effective treatment for depression. As the left prefrontal cortex activity is linked to depression, rTMS induces blood flow in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). Long acting psychostimulants are sometimes prescribed as an adjunctive antidepressant treatment throughout rTMS therapy. We used rTMS to treat resistant depression in a middle-aged male patient over a twelve month period where a psychostimulant medication was also discontinued. He had been consistently taking duloxetine 60 mg BID, clonazepam 0.5 mg BID, and dextroamphetamine-amphetamine extended release 30 mg once daily prior to the onset of rTMS treatment. The patient …

Gender Differences In Personality Dysfunction And Aggression In A Sample Of At-Risk Youth, Chloe O'Dell

Master's Theses

Youth with antisocial and borderline traits in adolescence have been found more likely to commit violence and experience negative outcomes later in life. There is evidence for gender differences in the manifestations of dysfunctional personality features (antisocial and borderline traits) and functions of aggression, but little research has sought to assess unique gender differences that may help unravel the sequelae of personality dysfunction in youth. Accordingly, this exploratory study examines gender differences in associations between antisocial features, borderline features, and proactive and reactive functions of aggression in a sample of at-risk youth. Four hundred and sixty-four adolescents (M_age = …

Planning To Behave Impulsively To Feel Better: An Ema Study Of College Students' Nonsuicidal Self-Injury, Binge Eating, And Exercise Behaviors, Rose H. Miller

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Extensive research has demonstrated associations between impulsivity and maladaptive behaviors such as nonsuicidal self-injury and binge eating. Little attention has been paid to the planning that may occur prior to engagement in these behaviors, or to the role the planning might play in allowing individuals to regulate their emotions when they are not immediately able to engage in their chosen behaviors. Including another behavior that is typically considered to be non-impulsive (i.e., physical exercise) as a comparison, we sought to test the hypothesis that planning may serve an affect regulatory role for individuals who engage in so-called “impulsive” behaviors. We …

Self-Compassion And Experiential Avoidance: Potential Pathways To Posttraumatic Growth, Julia Sager

Dissertations

Social support has been identified as one of the most consistent predictors of posttraumatic growth (PTG). Although the role of social support in the process of PTG is informative, social support is intrinsically reliant on other people. Identifying internal, potentially malleable, factors that are associated with PTG is essential for developing preventative interventions to improve trauma-related outcomes and increase levels of PTG among trauma survivors. Internal processes such as self-compassion and experiential avoidance may promote, or interfere with, deliberate processing and the subsequent development of PTG; however, this has not yet been examined in the literature. Thus, the primary aims …

Radical Youth Work: A Community Based Approach To Working With Youth, Young Adults And Families, Weston J. Robins

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Eternal Strength Center for Radical Youth Work is a blended community center with customizable mental health therapeutic support for youth, young adults and families. Providing humanistic and person centered psychotherapy and counseling, alongside experiential therapies and community engagement we support families and youth struggling with anxiety, depression, substance abuse, self harm, suicidality and other challenges on their developmental growth journey.

Recruitment Of Young Black Men Into Trauma And Mental Health Services Research: Recommendations And Lessons Learned, Alexandria G. Bauer, Jannette Y. Berkley-Patton

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Young Black/African American men are more likely to experience repeated trauma that escalates throughout young adulthood, compared to young White men. Exposure to trauma has impacts on mental health outcomes, but young Black men face substantial barriers to mental health care. In order to begin to address these disparities, it is imperative to increase understanding of the needs, preferences, and priorities of young Black men for mental health care services following trauma. Yet, young Black men are often underrepresented in mental health services research. The purpose of the current study was to describe strategies for recruitment of young Black men …

Beliefs About Race Differences In Pain Vs. Actual Race Differences In Pain: An Experimental Investigation., Lauren E. Mehok, Samantha M. Meints, Megan M. Miller, Leslie Ashburn-Nardo, Adam Hirsh

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Objective: Race differences in pain are consistently reported, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. This study examined how beliefs about race differences in pain are related to actual differences in experimentally induced pain between Black and White individuals.

Methods: Black and White participants completed questionnaires (demographics, pain-related beliefs, pain coping, and mood) and a cold pressor task (CPT) in the laboratory. Beliefs about race differences in pain were tested as potential moderators of the relationship between race and pain tolerance on a CPT.

Results: Participants reported beliefs that White people are more pain sensitive (i.e., less pain tolerant) …

The Relations Between Rumination, Thought Control, And Suicidal Thinking, Morgan Buerke

Master's Theses

Despite the far-reaching impact of suicide on our communities, we need more research to understand how suicidal thoughts develop, and what leads to their maintenance. As suggested by the depression distress-amplification model (Capron et al., 2013), emotion-regulation strategies such as rumination may cause or worsen suicidal ideation by amplifying the distress associated with negative thoughts. In addition, ruminative thoughts are often described as difficult to control, which may lead people to think about suicide as an escape from these uncontrollable thoughts. The current study examined the relationship between certain forms of rumination (i.e., brooding, reflection, anger rumination, and suicidal rumination) …

Predictors Of Probation Outcome And Recidivism Among Nonviolent Drug Offenders In Mandated Treatment, Kira Elisabeth Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Since the early 1990’s, the criminal justice system has been attempting to address the growing numbers of drug crimes and incarcerations resulting from policy decisions meant to discourage drug use and trade. To address resulting overcrowding in the prison system, drug courts and state mandated drug programs were devised to supervise and treat offenders in the community. Many factors have been identified that affect recidivism and related outcome measures for those mandated to drug treatment programs and probation terms, including age, gender, race, duration of treatment, and dosage of treatment. The current study found that age, gender, treatment duration, and …

Classifying Severe And Enduring Anorexia Nervosa: A Literature Review, Phoenix Black

University Honors Theses

Little focus is placed on the subsection of the eating disorder patient population who struggle chronically with their illness. This review synthesizes research on the topic to identify gaps in knowledge and reflect on implications for diagnosis and classification of severe and enduring anorexia nervosa. There was some variability between both clinicians and researchers who focused on this patient population, which is discussed based on different classifying criteria used to include or exclude an individual into the study. This review considers traditional methods used for classifying psychiatric diagnoses in relation to this disorder.

The Effects Of Introversion And Treatment Delivery Modality On Therapeutic Outcomes In A Community Mental Health Clinic, Maria Olga Consbruck

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The present study examines the effectiveness of teletherapy services for individuals with varying levels of introversion. This study also investigates the comparability of teletherapy to in-person services provided by clinicians in training. Introduction: Virtual platforms, such as teletherapy, have exponentially increased in use by clinicians and community members due to the Covid 19 pandemic. The pandemic has illuminated surprising secondary benefits of teletherapy. Research has shown that teletherapy results in greater accessibility, feasibility, and acceptability of treatment. Teletherapy platforms can reach remote and rural communities, and better address financial and time barriers. Current research indicates that teletherapy services are …

Perceptions Of Quality Of Healthcare Using A Trauma-Informed Care Perspective Among Trauma Survivors, Jane Axelle Komen

Theses and Dissertations

Trauma is an all-too-common occurrence with the potential for several farreaching, deleterious effects both mentally and physically. Several studies have found an association between exposure to trauma and cardiovascular, immune, and musculoskeletal system complications. It has also been linked to chronic pain, cancer, and obesity, in addition to several functional and structural neurological effects. Trauma survivors have also been found to utilize healthcare services at a higher rate than those who have not reported experiencing trauma. Trauma-informed care is a relatively novel concept that has been introduced to increase the sensitivity with which these individuals are treated when attending healthcare …

The Pandemic Anxiety Inventory: A Validation Study, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Tasmyn Prytherch, Mark Cropley, Renzo Bianchi

Publications and Research

The Pandemic Anxiety Inventory (PAI) assesses anxiety symptoms individuals attribute to the presence of a pandemic. We conducted this study of 379 British adults during the COVID-19 pandemic and found that the PAI exhibited excellent reliability and solid criterion validity. Pandemic anxiety was associated with reduced social support, anticipated life changes, financial strain, job loss, economic insecurity, and the hospitalization or death of a close friend or relative. Using correlational and bifactor analyses, we found that the PAI demonstrated solid convergent and discriminant validity. The findings suggest that the PAI can be used in research and clinical practice.

The Pandemic Anxiety Inventory: A Validation Study, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Tasmyn Prytherch, Mark Cropley, Renzo Bianchi

Publications and Research

The Pandemic Anxiety Inventory (PAI) assesses anxiety symptoms individuals attribute to the presence of a pandemic. We conducted this study of 379 British adults during the COVID-19 pandemic and found that the PAI exhibited excellent reliability and solid criterion validity. Pandemic anxiety was associated with reduced social support, anticipated life changes, financial strain, job loss, economic insecurity, and the hospitalization or death of a close friend or relative. Using correlational and bifactor analyses, we found that the PAI demonstrated solid convergent and discriminant validity. The findings suggest that the PAI can be used in research and clinical practice.

Enhancing Emotional Safety In A Graduate School Setting, Jacob J. Ambrose, Tysheann S. Grant, Renee A. Joseph, Catherine E. Beer, Kenneth J. Thompson, Kristina R. Johnson, Constance J. Dalenberg

Journal of Graduate Education Research

In the United States, racial disparities in education can be seen in rates of graduation from high school through doctoral programs, with People of Color reporting rates that are significantly lower than their White peers. Academic success has been significantly predicted in prior research by the support of teaching staff. Our Safety in the Classroom (SITC) program was developed to close the support gap for several different, often-marginalized groups within graduate school classes at a university in southern California. Students within racial, religious, and sexual orientation groups reported stronger perceptions of prejudice when compared to their peers. The SITC program …

Gottman Processes And Couple Outcomes While Navigating Infertility, Clayton Brigance

Dissertations

Infertility remains one of the most difficult relational contexts for couples. However, some research suggests that some couples actually increase their overall satisfaction in their relationship through infertility due to a deeply shared emotional experience. To the knowledge of the author of this dissertation, no studies exist which explain how couples arrive at their relational outcomes through the experience of infertility. These studies within this dissertation add to the present literature by explaining how couples may arrive at their relational outcome through the lens of Gottman Method Couple Therapy (GMCT). For both studies presented here, 902 participants were recruited through …

Precision Medicine Approaches To Alcohol Use Disorder For American Indians: Assessment And Phenotypic Differentiation Of Reward And Relief Drinking, Hanna M. Hebden

Psychology ETDs

American Indian (AI) communities endorse high rates of abstinence from alcohol and substance use, yet experience disparate rates of alcohol and substance-related consequences. Alcohol and substance use is conceptualized as interwoven with unique AI contextual factors, which are often not incorporated into examination of related constructs. Current knowledge gaps exist in study of precision medicine approaches to treatment for reward and relief drinking in AI. This study aimed to understand reward and relief substance use phenotypes in AI. We described a contextually-informed model of relief assessment and to compare this assessment to the original reward and relief models using latent …

How Did The Tamagotchi Become A Worldwide Phenomenon, Gianna V. Bona

CAFE Symposium 2023

The Tamagotchi is a popular Japanese toy by Bandai Co that pioneered virtual pets and led other companies to develop virtual toys and games that changed how children and consumers interacted with toys.

Effects Of Neighborhood Disadvantage And Peer Deviance On Conduct Problems: Interactions With Age Of Onset, Courtney Marie Goetz

LSU Master's Theses

Youth with conduct problems (CP) generally fall into two developmental classifications, child-onset and adolescent-onset, which exhibit different causal processes and life course trajectories. Research suggests that child-onset CP is more likely to be related to individual predispositions, while adolescent-onset CP is more associated with social factors, such as peer delinquency. Living in impoverished and disorganized neighborhoods increases the risk for associating with deviant peers. Thus, the current study tested the hypothesis that neighborhood factors would be more strongly associated with adolescent-onset CP than child-onset CP, which would be explained by a greater association with deviant peers. Linear and negative binomial …

Understanding Resilience: Investigating The Relationship Between Risk Factors, Resilience, And Psychological Well-Being, Paulyna Schulz, Jisook Park

Academic Leadership Journal in Student Research

Adversity in life is rarely considered positive. Adverse events can increase stress levels and decrease psychological well-being. However, experience of overcoming hardship can be the start of developing psychological resilience in life. Resilience is known to help regulate negative emotions and provides protection to one’s psychological well-being. The current study focused on contributing to present literature by further investigating the role of resilience on mitigating the negative impact of stress on psychological well-being. In the current study, resilience is expected to positively influence the relationship between perceived stress and psychological well-being by negating the direct negative effect of stress on …

Emotional Support Animal Partnerships: Behavior, Welfare, And Clinical Involvement, Jillian Ferrell, Susan L. Crowley

Psychology Student Research

The present study gathered information about the characteristics of individuals and dogs in Emotional Support Animal (ESA) partnerships, instances of service-animal misrepresentation, animal welfare and behavior, dimensions of bond quality, and health professional involvement. Seventy-seven adults (53 female, 24 male) with a canine ESA were surveyed via Qualtrics panel services. Data were analyzed for descriptive data, as well as correlational analyses among variables. Participants reported high frequencies of misrepresentation of emotional support animals, access law violations, and problematic instances including ESAs with a history of aggression and times when participants were unable to care for their dog. The majority of …

Trauma Presentation Among Latinx/Hispanic Subgroups, Ana Paula Leao De Camargo

Theses and Dissertations

Hispanics/Latinos are the fastest-growing minority group in the United States and are estimated to compose half of the American population by 2060 if growing trends follow current levels. It has been suggested that Latinx/Hispanics perceive and react to adverse experiences with somatization, which is highly comorbid with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms (van der Kolk, et al 1996). This study surveyed 451 participants from which 88% identified as being Hispanic or Latinas, 2.7% identified as being Black Hispanic/Black Latina, and 9.3% identified as having mixed ethnicities including Hispanic/Latina. Regarding place of birth, 431 respondents (95.6%) identified being born in Continental …

From Exploration Of Classism To Anticlassist Counseling: Implications For Counselors And Counselor Educators, Lucy Parker-Barnes, Suzanne Degges-White, David A. Walker, Scott Wickman, Bellamy Linneman, Courtney Rowley, Robert Giansante, Noel Mckillip

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Classism is a recently studied, but historically present, form of oppression. Despite much attention to inclusion of underrepresented clients in counseling literature, there has been little focus on the presence of classism in academic settings. In an effort to close this gap, a study of 202 individuals, aged 18 to 38, was conducted to explore the relationships among perceived classism, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Only 4.5% of the participants had never experienced any incidents of classism. African American individuals were more likely to experience interpersonal classism and working class/poor individuals were more likely to experience interpersonal and systemic classism. Recommendations …

The Influence Of Covid-19 On Tobacco Racial Health Disparities: Testing The Differential Effects Of Covid-19 On Smoking Motivation Variables Across Black And White Smokers, Patricia F. Calixte-Civil

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic has illuminated persistent racial differences in access and quality of healthcare resources that result in disproportionately poor health outcomes for Black and African Americans, relative to Whites. Given COVID-19’s influence on racial health disparities broadly, examination is warranted on whether the pandemic has more specificallyinfluenced smoking motivation and, subsequently, tobacco-related health disparities. The goal of this study was to test whether COVID-19 related video content differentially primed smoking motivation (cravings, cessation self-efficacy, and motivation to quit) among Black and White smokers. I used an online research platform to host an experiment with a 2x3 between-subjects factorial design …