Clinical Psychology Commons^™

The Impact Of Child And Parent Trauma Exposure On A School-Based Trauma-Focused Child Intervention, Andrea Donis

Master's Theses

National statistics demonstrate that vast majority of Latine youth living in low-income neighborhoods in the United States experience on-going trauma exposure throughout their life. However, most trauma-focused therapies were designed without considering the impact that experiencing new trauma exposure during treatment may have on treatment effectiveness, limiting our understanding of the potential attenuation caused by new traumatic experiences. In addition, most youth research has focused on the impact of child trauma exposure, with little attention given to the impact of parental trauma exposure on child treatment outcomes despite the salient role that parents play in child development. In particular, little …

An Examination Of Positive Risk-Taking: Testing The Effect Of Modeling, Allison M. Schuck

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Positive risk-taking is a common behavior which may be associated with favorable outcomes. However, there has been little theoretical and empirical investigation of potential predictors and pathways to this behavior. Both social/behavioral and psychological factors may play a role in engagement in positive risk-taking. Modeling, along with related factors (i.e., perceived similarity and perceived credibility of the model), may lead to engagement in positive risk-taking behavior and intentions. Further, internal psychological characteristics (i.e., autonomy, fear of negative evaluation, empathy, and previous positive risk-taking behavior) may also be associated with engagement in positive risk-taking behavior. As such, the present study sought …

Evaluating The Use Of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation In A Patient With Treatment Resistant Depression, Autism Spectrum Disorder, And Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Case Report, Luke Fritsch Ba, Mba, Msiv, Oluwafunke O. Ogunremi Bs, Msiv, Alexandra R. Job Bs, Msiv, James Hellekson Md

Aesculapius Journal (Health Sciences & Medicine)

Despite a wide array of therapeutic modalities, many patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) experience no significant improvement in symptoms with traditional treatment. Given the prevalence of Treatment Resistant Depression (TRD), other alternative therapeutic modalities for MDD are being researched. Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) is one modality that continues to show successful therapeutic outcomes for those with TRD. The aim of this study is to highlight a case of rTMS being used on a patient with TRD, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use.

Methods:

Our patient is a 53-year-old female who first presented to …

Introduction To Clinical Psychology Syllabus (Psych 347), Valentina Nikulina

Open Educational Resources

No abstract provided.

Effective Adapted Psychotherapy Approaches For Autistic Adults: Perspectives From Clinical Psychologists, Emily Morgan Hilton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Autistic adults face a high risk of co-occurring mental health challenges, yet standard psychotherapy often fails to meet their unique needs, raising concerns about treatment effectiveness. This qualitative study aimed to understand how clinical psychologists decide on therapeutic approaches and adaptations for their autistic adult clients through three research questions: RQ1: How do clinical psychologists decide on the appropriate therapeutic approach they use with their autistic adult clients? RQ2: How do clinical psychologists decide which adaptations are appropriate to implement in psychotherapy with their autistic adult clients? RQ3: Does the therapeutic approach affect how a clinical psychologist chooses appropriate adaptations …

Optimal Well Being Of Those Recovering From Alcohol Use Disorder: An Exploration Of Individual Difference Factors And Treatment Outcomes, Jared Davis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Harmful alcohol use has continued to be one of the largest negative impact factors of daily living worldwide. Despite the pervasive use of alcohol and negative impacts that it has on the individual and society there is large disagreement on how to know when someone has “recovered” from AUD (El-Guebaly, 2012), with much of the literature focused narrowly on negative indicators (e.g., return to heavy drinking, re-occurrence of AUD symptoms). Such views have not only restricted definitions of recovery but has also created public perception that those with AUD will continue to struggle even when cessation of drinking has occurred. …

Inhibitory Control: A Mediator Between Sensory Responsivity And Externalizing Behaviors In Children On The Autism Spectrum, Kaitlyn M. Drafton

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Sensory differences are among the most commonly reported symptoms in children on the autism spectrum and have been linked to both externalizing behaviors and executive functioning challenges. However, few studies have explored the potential mechanisms that underlie these relationships. The present study examined whether inhibitory control mediates the relationship between sensory responsivity and externalizing behaviors in young autistic children, each rated via caregiver-report measures. Participants included 107 caregivers of autistic children between the ages of 5-10 years old. It was hypothesized that higher levels of sensory responsivity would predict greater difficulty with inhibition, which in turn would be associated with …

The Role Of Gender And Sexual Identity In Mental Health Outcomes For Asylum-Seeking Survivors Of Sexual Torture, Samantha A. M. Doerr

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Millions of people worldwide flee violent persecution each year, with more than 6.8 million estimated to have sought asylum in 2023 alone (United Nations High Commission on Refugees, 2025). Up to 40% of refugees and asylum-seekers are reported to be survivors of torture, with sexual torture one of the most commonly-reported means of torture, particularly among women and LGBTQ+ populations (Abu Suhaiban, 2019; Hopkinson et al., 2017; United Nations High Commission on Refugees, 2017). Sexual torture has been associated with severe impacts on mental health, including posttraumatic and depressive symptoms. Despite marked differences in sexual torture risk across gender and …

Reading Patients' Personalities The Sentence Completion Way, Stephen P. Joy, Lawrence Mccloskey, Wilson Mcdermut

Archives of Assessment Psychology

Previous research has shown that reliable, valid measures of major personality traits can be derived from a sentence completion test, the Rotter Incomplete Sentences Blank (RISB). However, all previous samples consisted of undergraduates. Here, we report findings for two clinical samples (N = 120) to whom a variety of self-report inventories and structured clinical interviews were also administered. RISB-based ratings of Extraversion and Neuroticism were consistently correlated with relevant variables in both samples and displayed convergent and discriminant validity vis a vis self-reported traits. RISB-based ratings of Psychoticism were clearly associated with relevant variables in one sample with mixed but …

The Clinical Utility Of Measuring Emotion Dysregulation In Autistic Youth, Monica S. Trevino

Dissertations

Autistic youth experience disproportionately high rates and severity of emotion dysregulation, which is linked to behavioral challenges, psychiatric comorbidities, familial stress, and increased emergency service and hospitalization use. Despite its clinical significance, emotion dysregulation in autistic youth remains relatively understudied and misunderstood, partly due to the lack of standardized assessment tools and limited research on its heterogeneity within autistic populations. In the present study, structural equation modeling was used to 1) validate the Emotion Dysregulation Inventory (EDI) and assess measurement invariance in a diverse sample and 2) explore associations among emotion dysregulation, autism symptoms, and related child and family characteristics, …

Secondary Medical Conditions In Pediatric Survivors Of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Role In Performance-Based Neurocognitive Functioning, Caregiver-Reported Outcomes, And Adaptive Functioning And Transition Readiness Intervention, Victoria Seghatol-Eslami

All ETDs from UAB

Survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are at risk of secondary medical conditions arising from disease and treatment effects. Secondary medical conditions are associated with adverse survivorship outcomes (e.g., neurocognitive, psychosocial, and adaptive functioning/healthcare transition) in adult survivors of childhood ALL. Little is known about secondary medical conditions in pediatric ALL survivors. Further, the relationship between secondary medical conditions and survivorship outcomes has not been explored in this younger population. This dissertation examined 1) the role of secondary medical conditions in performance-based and caregiver-reported neurocognitive, psychosocial, and adaptive functioning; and 2) the roles of secondary medical conditions and neurocognitive …

Balancing The Clinical Response To Sleep Disturbance In Adults 65 And Older, Katherine C. Ward

All ETDs from UAB

Older adults are more likely to have symptoms of insomnia than other age ranges. Ensuring an appropriate clinical response to insomnia in older adults is vital to their health and well-being. This paper addresses the assessment and treatment of insomnia symptoms in older adults in two separate studies analyzing data from the AMBulatoRy blOod preSsure In older Adults (AMBROSIA) study, which recruited older adults (≥65 years old) who had hypertension and were living in Southern California. The first study aimed to investigate the ability of the insomnia severity index (ISI), a standard self-report measure used to assess insomnia symptoms, to …

Intersectionality And Experiences With Mental Health Care: Transgender And Gender Diverse Autistic Adults, Megan Callahan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Current prevalence rates of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in transgender and gender diverse (TGD) populations range between 4 and 13% (Thrower et al., 2020). Studies into autistic TGD individuals’ experiences with healthcare have primarily collected qualitative data, identifying themes including barriers to healthcare, invalidation of both autistic and TGD identities, difficulty finding competent providers, limited support and resources, and refusal of care (Cooper et al., 2022; Maroney & Horne, 2022; Hall et al., 2020). N = 3094 self-identified TGD adults completed the 2017 TransLifeline Mental Health Survey, a collaborative effort between the National LGBTQ Task Force and the TransLifeline, which …

Functional And Cultural Values Of Shame: A Motivator To Seek Help For Suicidal Ideation, Yu-Chin Lin

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Suicide is a global issue with rates continuing to rise despite decades of research and prevention efforts. The role of shame in the development of suicidal ideation, especially within non-Western contexts, remains underexplored. This mixed-methods study explored the relationships among shame, suicidal ideation, and help-seeking intentions in a Taiwanese sample, focusing on four culturally distinct Mandarin terms for shame—diu lian, can kui, xiu kui, and xiu chi. A total of 101 participants who has experiences of suicide-related thoughts or behaviors responded to an online survey. Quantitative analyses revealed that all shame terms were strongly correlated …

Do Resiliency And Coping Skills Moderate The Relationship Between Mood Disorders And Parenting Styles Due To Parental Relationship Distress?, Tiffany Burks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Parental relationship dynamics such as intimate partner violence (IPV), interpersonal distress (IPD), and parental alienation (PA) can significantly affect both mental health and parenting practices. This study examined whether personal strengths, specifically resilience and problem-focused coping, could help buffer these negative outcomes. Correlational analyses showed that IPV, IPD, and PA were positively associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety. IPV and PA were also negatively associated with the use of an authoritative parenting style. In contrast, resilience and problem-focused coping were linked to fewer mood-related symptoms and greater use of authoritative parenting. Multiple regression analyses revealed that IPV significantly predicted …

Feasibility And Effectiveness Of A Mindfulness Stress Reduction Intervention, Diana Guadalupe Marin

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Health disparities in low-resource communities lead to poor physical and mental health outcomes. To reduce health disparities, the United States has looked to global health initiative and is starting to rely on lay health workers more consistently as a promising and sustainable force. Community Health Worker (CHWs) work alongside the local health care system to connect vulnerable populations to needed care. However, the demand of their role puts CHWs at risk for stress, burnout, and vicarious trauma. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a stress reduction intervention that has been empirically supported to reduce stress and burnout in numerous populations. To …

Religiosity And Mental Distress In U.S. Healthcare Workers During Covid-19, Jasmine Logan

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

A major impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is the global increased rates of mental distress and decreased levels of resilience in healthcare workers. The development of quick, effective interventions for healthcare workers are all the more needed to maintain job performance and increase well-being. Associations between religion and health have been clearly established, and evidence suggests religious coping as an effective strategy for mental wellbeing. The current study investigated whether religious coping could predict levels of mental distress and resilience in a U.S. cohort of healthcare workers. The sample consisted of 137 healthcare workers from a large healthcare institution who …

Navigating Emotional Transitions: A Study Of Self-Perception And Emotion In Bio-Childfree Women Entering A Blended Family, Janine Cednick

Dissertations

The transition to a blended family is an emotional and psychological adjustment for bio-childfree individuals. The present qualitative study investigated how self-concept and emotional adjustment of bio-childfree stepmothers change when they become members of their new family. With a phenomenological approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 female participants who were bio-childfree, in a committed relationship with a partner with children, and had cohabited for one year or more. The study aimed to find out how these women cope in their new role, their emotional adjustment to their transition, and the influences that impact their well-being. Thematic analysis of interviews …

Effective And Empowering Psychotherapy For Black Women: A Culturally Adapted Proposed Model, Kaylla A. Jackson

Dissertations

Black women in the United States are a minoritized group that has experienced oppression and suffering explicitly targeting their intersectional and minority identities. The intensity and frequency of stressors result in a negative impact on Black women that prompts a need to cope. Rather than relying on professional mental health care, many Black women rely on their religious and spiritual communities and other cultural and historical methods to cope with stressors. As a field and profession, clinical psychology has been overwhelmingly dominated by White individuals. The profession has a rich history of developing and perpetuating oppressive systems that have ignored …

The Premature Loss Of The Black Male And Its Implications On The Black Family System And Community: A Proposed 12-Step Grief Support Group Model, Alicia Smith

Dissertations

Premature deaths, ages 15–44, and loss of Black males through homicide, along with suicide and systemic violence, and incarceration, create lifelong emotional and psychological trauma for those who remain behind in Black family settings and society. U.S. social injustices against Black communities and multigenerational losses and racial harm create specific population-based challenges, such as questioning care, lack of accessibility to competent resources, and Black identity issues, which traditional grief recovery programs struggle to help adequately. Even though approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, complicated grief treatment, present-centered therapy, trauma-focused therapy, including eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, and forgiveness therapy …

The Correlation Between Depression And Gendered Racism Among Black Women, Charmagne M. King

Dissertations

Black women face unique challenges related to intersecting racial and gender-based discrimination, often referred to as gendered racism. Previous research has indicated this form of oppression may significantly affect mental health, particularly depression. However, few studies have examined how gendered racism interacts with racial identity and demographic factors (e.g., age, marital status, geographical location) to predict depressive symptoms. Using a sample of 164 self-identified Black women, this study investigated the correlational relationship between gendered racism and depression among Black women and examined how gendered racism, racial identity, and key covariates (age, marital status, and geographical location) predict depressive symptomatology. The …

Punitive Desire, Belief In Redeemability, And Support For Rehabilitation: A Comparison Of Victimized And Non-Victimized Individuals' Attitudes Toward Criminal Offenders, Caleb Linder

Student Theses

This study examined the attitudes of victimized and non-victimized individuals toward criminal offenders, investigating whether the supportive attitudes observed in Spoo et al. (2018) extend beyond sexual offenses to other types of crime. The study also explored how the perpetrator’s relationship to the victim (family member vs. stranger) and participants’ previous exposure to the justice system influenced their perceptions of offenders. Contrary to our hypothesis, punitive attitudes did not differ between participants with a history of victimization and those without. Additionally, there was no significant difference in punitive attitudes toward stranger offenders compared to offenders known to the victim. Furthermore, …

Bridging The Gap: Exploring The Intersection Of Formal Mental Health Services And Informal Social Supports In Bipoc Communities, Patrice D. Patton-Campbell

Dissertations

Despite growing awareness of mental health disparities, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities continue to face significant barriers in accessing culturally responsive mental health care. This dissertation explores the intersection between formal mental health services and informal social supports such as family, religious institutions, and community networks to understand which systems are more trusted, accessible, and effective for BIPOC individuals. Grounded in Urban Liberation Psychology and guided by decolonial and culturally responsive care frameworks, this qualitative study draws from focus groups and interviews with 33 participants, including both community members and service providers from the Chicagoland area and …

Mindfulness As A Buffer Against Death Anxiety: Implications For End-Of-Life Care, Chad Alexander

University Honors Theses

Death anxiety, defined as the distress associated with the awareness of mortality, has profound psychological and cultural impacts. Western societies often respond to death salience through avoidance and medicalization, reinforcing defensive strategies described by Terror Management Theory. This project aimed to investigate whether mindfulness can serve as a buffer against death anxiety. A structured literature review was conducted using PsycINFO, PubMed, the Portland State University Library, and Google Scholar between January 2025 and April 2025. One study found that mindfulness moderated the effects of death anxiety on health-related quality of life in people living with HIV. Two experiments linked mindfulness …

The Relationship Between Perceived Stress, Psychological Distress And Thwarted Belongingness Among Military Service Members, Isaac Greenblatt

University Honors Theses

Suicide remains a leading cause of death among members of the military, with psychological distress, perceived stress and thwarted belongingness emerging as key variables which impact this behavior. This thesis aimed to investigate the relationship between perceived stress, psychological distress and thwarted belongingness in a population of Active Duty Army Service Members (ADASM) at baseline and longitudinally. The Resilience-Supportive Leadership Training (RESULT) dataset was originally collected to assess the effectiveness of an intervention in the military. However, this thesis is a secondary data analysis of this dataset, including 273 ADASM participants. The K6 psychological distress test was used to measure …

Misinformation Mayhem: The Effects Of Tiktok Content On Adhd Knowledge, Stigma, And Treatment-Seeking Intentions, Ashley Schiros, Nicholas Bowman, Kevin Antshel

Media Studies - All Scholarship

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) content on TikTok is popular among college students, yet ADHD misinformation is prevalent on TikTok. This study aims to experimentally investigate the effects of TikTok ADHD misinformation content on ADHD knowledge, stigma, and treatment-seeking intentions. An experimental design assessed the impact of ADHD (mis)information among treatment-naïve college students. A pilot phase was completed to develop TikTok stimuli, using a systematic content analysis, and provide initial evidence of feasibility. In the main study, participants (N = 490) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions (accurate ADHD information, ADHD misinformation, control) to view TikTok content. A …

Impact Of Social Motivation And Communication On Friendship And Loneliness In Autism, Rachael Roizer

Honors Scholar Theses

Friendships and loneliness are both major contributors to happiness and life satisfaction. This study probes group differences in friendship and loneliness in autism, and their links to social motivation and social communication skills. This study includes participants with autism (n = 28), loss of autism diagnosis (n = 29), and neurotypical developmental histories (n = 36). Participants completed an online survey including measures of social motivation, social communication, friendship, and loneliness. Findings indicated group differences in social communication, friendship, and loneliness, but not social motivation. There were significant associations between social motivation and friendship, social communication and …

Of Dolls And Jewels : Keeping As A Strategy Of Care And Belonging, Yuqi Fan

Masters Theses

In this thesis, I will discuss the psychology behind object attachment in the doll-keeping subculture by integrating doll language into contemporary jewelry. I researched the Chinese term “Pi” as an accurate way of explaining how doll-keepers are attached to their dolls. In this 21st century, the widespread use of social media and AI technologies have deepened people's reliance on virtual spaces, leading to emotional detachment in our society. Adopting the concept of “Pi” into contemporary jewelry, which encourages a shift in focus towards external objects, the practice of doll-keeping becomes a form of self-care that compensates for our current loneliness …

Avoidance Of Mental Health Utilization And Reporting Of Symptoms Among U.S. Air Force Active-Duty Service Members In Civilian-Equivalent Career Fields, Nadja Bright, Patricia Hopkins-Smith, Jesma Revering, Marcia Bennett, Jim Theisen

Theses and Graduate Projects

The high suicide rate among U.S. active-duty military personnel and veterans is a significant public health concern. Despite the high prevalence rate of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) among this population, service members are less likely to seek mental health services compared to the civilian population. Factors such as fear of career harm, stigma, and barriers to care contribute to this avoidance. This study aimed to investigate if service members in civilian-equivalent (non-combat) jobs are less likely to disclose psychological symptoms compared to those in combat-related career fields and to assess the impact of perceived importance …

Exploring The Benefits Of A Virtual Reality Positive Psychological Intervention For Older Adults In Senior Living Communities, Christopher Reed

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The majority of psychological research has followed a disease model focusing on how we reduce factors associated with psychopathology. In the last few decades there has been a push to explore positive psychological traits as an avenue for intervention by fostering traits we already possess. Most of these interventions have targeted mental health across the life span with fewer examining their efficacy on cognitive change with even fewer utilizing immersive technologies like virtual reality. By 2050 over 20% of the world’s population will be over the age of 60 and with this aging population rates of neurocognitive disorders will increase. …