Clinical Psychology Commons^™

Evaluation Of Neuroplastic Changes In Psychological Intervention And Contemporary Treatments Of Depression, Taylor Severance

Dissertations

Major depressive disorder is one of the most prevalent mental health disorders worldwide. There is a vast range of treatment options for depression, with varying levels of effectiveness. Recent treatments for depression have expanded, increasing alternative treatments, and it is unknown which treatments have the largest impact on depression. This research was designed to examine the treatments of depression, with a focus on psychotherapy and contemporary treatments such as ketamine, psilocybin, and transcranial magnetic stimulation. A literature review was conducted to assess treatment outcomes and neuroplastic changes in these interventions, as well as combinations of the interventions. Data were evaluated …

Therapist Self-Disclosure And Therapeutic Alliance: A Survey Of Psychologists, Miriam Smith M.S.

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Of the various forms of therapist self-disclosure, immediate self-disclosure (ISD) refers to the therapist’s sharing of immediate thoughts, feelings, and reactions with the patient in real time. In previous research, ISD has been positively associated with the therapeutic alliance. The therapeutic alliance has been conceptualized as agreement on goals, agreement on assignment of tasks or a series of tasks to achieve those goals, and the quality of the emotional bond. Non-immediate self-disclosure (NISD) is defined as the therapist divulging personal or biographical information about themselves or their life outside treatment. NISD has been found to be risky and potentially harmful …

"Why Don't I Talk To A Therapist?": Motivations And Reflections Of Female-Identifying Chinese Immigrants Seeking Psychotherapy For Depression, Qiuyi Wei

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of Chinese immigrants and temporary residents struggling with depressive symptoms and their process of seeking and accepting psychotherapy support. The study aimed to describe the factors that motivated participants to enter therapy for depression while also addressing their internal concerns about treatment. Nine female-identified Chinese immigrant adults with such experiences were recruited. Participants’ perceptions of their depressive symptoms and the factors contributing to their decision to seek professional therapy were explored through in-depth, semi-structured qualitative interviews conducted in Mandarin. The interview transcripts were analyzed in Mandarin using interpretative phenomenological analysis, through which four …

Development And Validation Of The Liebelt Attitudes, Knowledge, And Engagement Scale (Lakes) Among Rural Adults, Anna Morrison

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Adults living in rural regions experience mental illness at rates comparable to those in urban areas yet utilize mental health services significantly less. Underutilization of psychotherapy in rural populations has been attributed to structural barriers (e.g., geographic inaccessibility, limited provider availability, reduced anonymity) and sociocultural factors such as stigma. However, rural adults may remain reluctant to initiate treatment due to attitudes toward psychotherapy, limited help-seeking engagement, or inaccurate knowledge about psychotherapy. The present study developed and examined the psychometric properties of the Liebelt Attitudes, Knowledge, and Engagement Scale (LAKES), a self-report measure designed to assess psychotherapy-related attitudes, knowledge, and engagement …

Dancing With The Void: A Cultural Exploration Of Nihilistic Musical Identities And Their Experience In Psychotherapy, Zachary Marciano

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation examines the profound existential paradox faced by individuals who have identified with nihilistic beliefs and ideas while attempting to seek meaning through therapy. Nihilism, characterized by the belief in the inherent meaninglessness of existence, poses a significant challenge to the traditional therapeutic framework, which often centers on the pursuit of meaning and purpose. This dichotomy poses a unique conundrum for individuals who embrace nihilistic perspectives shaped by identification with nihilistic lyrics and themes in alternative music genres such as metal, goth, grunge, and punk. Alternative music culture often serves as a vehicle for expressing and internalizing nihilistic beliefs, …

Improving Clinical Decision-Making: Reducing The Affect Heuristic In Substance Use Treatment, Corey M. Monley

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Therapists are at risk for engaging in the affect heuristic, which occurs when automatic emotional reactions influence clinical decision-making more than objective data about clients. Emotional reactions are common when treating clients using substances (CUS), but the influence of the affect heuristic on therapists’ clinical decision-making with CUS has yet to be quantified. This study investigated (1) the extent to which therapist trainees engage in the affect heuristic with CUS and (2) whether it can be reduced through brief cognitive science training. Graduate-level therapists (n = 130) were randomized to one of two conditions: brief online training involving …

Religion's Role In Shaping Psychopathological Narratives, Andrea Gonzalez Mendoza

The Graduate Review

Understanding the interplay between religion and psychopathology is essential for clinicians navigating the complexities of mental health diagnosis and treatment. This paper explores the nuanced relationship between belief systems and diagnostic frameworks, shedding light on how religious beliefs influence the perception, assessment, and treatment of mental disorders. Drawing upon historical and current-day research, this paper examines how religious interpretations shape the presentation and understanding of psychopathological symptoms. In doing so, this paper argues that psychopathology cannot be understood without considering the influence of religion on its conceptualization. The latter is illustrated by looking at historical diagnostic patterns and how they …

Examining Associations Between Sleep Variability And Treatment Outcomes In A Clinical Sample Receiving Psychotherapy Treatment For Alcohol Use Disorder, Charles A. Manzler

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Sleep disturbances are highly prevalent among individuals with AUD. Sleep and alcohol have a bidirectional relationship such that alcohol damages sleep-promoting brain regions, and impaired sleep exacerbates cognitive and emotional deficits that can promote alcohol use. Despite the evidence that sleep improves across treatment for AUD, these improvements have had inconsistent associations with treatment outcomes. This may result from previous research focusing solely on mean values of sleep parameters rather than daily within-person variability. Sleep variability is emerging as an important correlate of physiological dysregulation and is connected to a range of negative symptoms that may promote alcohol use. The …

A Qualitative Meta-Analysis Of The Experiences Of Clients In Psychotherapy For Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: An Empirically Based Process-Oriented Staged Model, Nicholas A. Pierorazio

Graduate Masters Theses

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is prevalent and can be highly complex. Guidance for the treatment of PTSD has typically been based on quantitative meta-analyses of randomized controlled trial findings and has focused on the comparative efficacy of specific treatments, rather than how to deliver treatment. There is a need for clinical guidance that highlights moment-to-moment, in-session psychotherapy processes for psychotherapists working with clients with PTSD. In the current study, I conducted a qualitative meta-analysis, focusing on the qualitative literature investigating clients’ perspectives in order to develop an understanding of the preferences, values, and experiences of clients in individual psychotherapy for …

The Roles Of Regulated Body Awareness And Empathy In Psychotherapist Empathic Attunement, Abby Fraade

Selected Full-Text Dissertations 2020-

Psychotherapist empathic attunement has been shown to contribute significantly to treatment outcomes (Bohart et al., 2002; Elliott et al., 2018), but psychotherapist factors that contribute to increased attunement have not been extensively studied. The present study’s model, based on Erskine’s (1998) model of attunement, examined the impact of therapist body awareness, embodied regulation, and personal distress empathy on attunement. Participants were N = 180 therapist trainees from various clinical fields who completed an online protocol. Results indicated that, as predicted, embodied regulation moderated the relationship between body awareness and empathic attunement, such that the relationship was significant and positive only …

The Professional Impact Of Personal Therapy For Graduate Level Clinicians: A Pilot Study, Rebecca L. Butler

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Graduate students in clinical and counseling psychology programs face an inordinate amount of stress: coursework, learning a new job, emotional challenges inherent to providing therapeutic services, and general life stressors. Some trainees seek personal therapy and usually describe their experience as positive for both personal and professional reasons. Psychologists working as researchers and clinicians generally advocate for therapists to engage in personal therapy. However, research into the impact of personal therapy on professional functioning remains scarce. The extant literature includes numerous critiques of the methodologies used to investigate the impact of personal therapy, such as small sample sizes, unclear methods, …

The Efficacy Of The G.R.A.C.E Matrix® In Ptsd Treatment”, Maria Grace G. Wolk, Lindsay Gietzen

Pacific Journal of Health

The purpose of this study is to explore the efficacy of the G.R.A.C.E Matrix®, a step-by-step technique of treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study uses case studies that serve as portrayals of adults who struggle with PTSD. The three cases, referred to as "Jamal," "Isabel," and "Joel," are based on disguised aspects of real psychotherapy patients from a psychotherapy clinic. By detailing the treatment courses of these patients, the study highlights critical clinical issues in engaging patients with evidence-based therapy. The cases illustrate how the G.R.A.C.E Matrix® treatment, beginning with written assessments and culminating in trauma-informed interventions, has …

An Exploration Of The Potential Impacts Of Philosophical Idealism On Psychotherapeutic Practice, Ian Richard

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

This study presents a review of the modern ontologies available regarding the nature of the universe and identifies Bernardo Kastrup’s formulation of idealism as a leading model. Idealism theorizes that consciousness is the basis of reality, as opposed to physical objects. The implications of Kastrup’s idealism on psychotherapeutic practice are considered, including conflicts with the medical model, synergies with the contextual model, and suggestions for approaches that align with the findings of idealism.

The Implications, Magnitude, And Development Of Traumatic Brain Injury For Individuals Undergoing Treatment For Opioid Use Disorder, Hannah G. Mitchell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is an established bidirectional relation between substance use and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Despite the high rate of prescribing opioids for pain management following a TBI and the epidemic of opioid use disorder (OUD) in the United States, scarce research has specifically analyzed the association between TBI and OUD. In a series of three interrelated manuscripts, the present study will first examine the prevalence and features of TBIs among persons seeking treatment for OUD. Next, the present study will evaluate the association between TBI and indicators of risky health behaviors and OUD severity, including the risk of overdose and …

Psilocybin With Acceptance And Commitment Therapy (Act) For The Treatment Of Social Anxiety Disorder (Sad), Aspen E. Allred

University Honors Theses

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is a debilitating mental health condition characterized by an overwhelming fear and anxiety of social rejection that can lead to chronic patterns of social behavioral avoidance. Despite the existence of traditional efficacious treatments, a significant number of individuals either do not respond to treatment or experience a recurrence of symptoms over extended periods, spanning 10-12 years. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a form of acceptance-based behavioral therapy considered part of the "third wave" of cognitive behavioral therapies, has shown promising results in early studies, comparable to those of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) that is considered the …

Religion And Gender-Based Preferences In Therapist Selection Among Orthodox Jews, Yehuda L. Rosen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The preferences of Orthodox Jews when choosing a therapist are important to understand, as they can inform practice for individuals, clinics, and referral agencies. The purpose of this study was to determine the preferences for gender-matched therapists, Orthodox Jewish therapists, and specific therapist characteristics among Orthodox Jews. The study was based on Bordin’s working alliance model of psychotherapy, which contends that a strong working alliance is necessary for effective psychotherapy. The research questions were used to explore whether Orthodox Jewish men and women differed in their preferences for gender-matched or Orthodox Jewish therapists, whether religiosity predicted a preference for gender-matched …

The Effects Of Cultural Responsiveness And Therapy Duration On Black Americans’ Therapy Preference, Katilyn M. Ashley Treem

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Marginalized groups are less likely to seek out mental health services than non-marginalized groups. There are various reasons why marginalized groups, such as Black Americans, are less likely to seek out mental health services, one of which is the cultural barriers between a clinician and client. Research suggests that Black Americans feel that clinicians struggle to overcome these cultural barriers. Therefore, it is important for clinicians to actively receive training on how to serve clients with diverse backgrounds. Cultural responsiveness, an extension from cultural competence, is the active application of the knowledge and skills obtained in training. Examining people’s therapy …

Psychotherapist Awareness And Competence Managing Social Media Concerns, Jing Wen Ong

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Social media use increased substantially in recent years, spurring the growth of research focused on its association with mental health. Previous research examined the relationship between positive and negative aspects of mental health and social media use. Other studies explored the relevance of social media to professional practice of psychologists including the use of social media to reach populations with limited access to mental health services and ethical dilemmas arising from social media use; however, there is limited understanding of the pertinence of social media to concerns that clients discuss in therapy and therapist competence in handling these discussions. The …

The Menstrual Cycle In Psychotherapy: Interventions, Therapist Engagement, And Blind Spots, Rozita Alaluf

Dissertations and Theses

There is a dearth of literature on psychotherapy and menstruation, except for the treatment and diagnosis of issues associated with premenstrual distress. This study aimed to bridge this gap by investigating the frequency and context of discussions about the menstrual cycle, the factors influencing therapists’ engagement with this topic, and the therapeutic approaches utilized to address the menstrual cycle within psychotherapy.

In phase 1, 118 psychotherapists from various theoretical backgrounds completed a survey on menstruation in clinical practice. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. In phase 2, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 7 psychotherapists, primarily identifying their theoretical orientation …

A Qualitative Exploration Of Psychodynamic Therapist's Experiences When Working With Parents In Child And Adolescent Psychotherapy, Marie-Clair Siegman

Dissertations and Theses

A Qualitative Exploration of Psychodynamic Therapist's Experiences of Working with Parents in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy.

By

Clair Siegman, MA

Advisor: Steve Tuber, PhD

The aim of this study was to identify how therapists incorporate parent-work into their practices and explore the experiences related to this. The literature on engaging parents during child treatment suggests that it is a central to improving outcomes. Research about the treatment alliance that develops between the therapist and parent is limited, especially when considering the therapist perspective. Literature within the psychodynamic and psychoanalytic fields, suggests therapists have a hesitance to working with parents either …

What's Your Type? The Relationship Between Enneagram Personality Style And Psychiatric Diagnosis, Danielle Augusta Huber

Theses and Dissertations

Despite its long history and ever-growing popularity amongst mental health providers and laypeople, the Enneagram model of personality has seen limited empirical support regarding its clinical relevance and efficacy. The present study sought to contribute to the literature supporting the Enneagram’s use in psychotherapy. As a majority of therapeutic services aim for the reduction and/or resolution of psychopathology, often in terms of one or more diagnoses, and as previous research has theorized how the Enneagram model and psychiatric diagnoses might be related (Palmer, 1988), it was the researchers’ intention to analyze whether these theoretical associations could be statistically supported. This …

Exploring Predictors Of Healing From An Expressive Writing Intervention About Heterosexism And Why Lgbtq+ Clients Might Withhold From Their Therapists, Ally B. Hand

Graduate Masters Theses

Heterosexism is a cultural system that impacts LGBTQ+ individuals internally, interpersonally, institutionally, and structurally. Exposure to these different levels of heterosexism, whether enacted overtly, covertly, intentionally, or unintentionally, contributes to the well-documented and disproportionate negative mental health outcomes experienced by the LGBTQ+ community (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine [NASEM], 2020). Subsequently, LGBTQ+ individuals seek out professional mental health services at higher rates than cisgender and heterosexual populations, though access to therapeutic care that addresses sexual minority specific stressors, such as experiencing heterosexism directly, is limited (Williams & Fish, 2020). The current study is a secondary analysis of a …

When Do Therapist Characteristics Matter Or Do They?, Han Lim Kim

Theses and Dissertations

This research aims to establish that considerable differences exist between therapists on how much their clients improve in treatment and understand the factors that contribute to such variability. Therapists’ sex, personality, and similarity of their personality with their clients’ personality were examined as moderators of change in treatment outcome. Findings must be interpreted with caution due to limitations of the dataset which make therapists effects hard to separate from client effects. There is variation around the amount of change therapists produce in their clients; however, this variation is much smaller compared to the variance among clients. Female therapists consistently had …

Acceptability And Feasibility Of Arfid-Ptp : A Brief, Virtual, Parent-Training Intervention For Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder In Children, Courtney Elizabeth Breiner

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Introduction. Avoidant/restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is a relatively novel feeding and eating disorder diagnosis with limited evidence-based treatment approaches. Current treatment approaches have been adapted from treatments for other restrictive eating disorders, however eating disorder treatment is notoriously inaccessible due to geographic, financial, and/or time constraints. The present study aims to establish the acceptability and feasibility of a two-session, parent-training approach, “ARFID-PTP,” for the treatment of ARFID disseminated via telehealth. ARFID-PTP was adapted into a brief, virtual format from other evidence-based treatment approaches. Methods. Participants (n=27) included children ages five to 12, inclusive who meet criteria for ARFID and …

Internalized Homonegativity And The Mental Health Of Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Individuals: An Integrative Treatment Approach, David Kearby

DSW Capstone Projects

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals (LGBI) have a higher rate of mental health disorders than the general population. The mental health disparities experienced by LGBI are positively correlated with higher internalized homonegativity (IH) levels, which impacts their functioning at the unconscious, cognitive, and interpersonal levels. Thus, effective interventions targeting the mental health of LGBI must consider IH's intrapsychic, cognitive, and interpersonal nature. An integrative psychotherapy approach addressing the mental health and IH of LGBI is needed to address the intrapsychic, cognitive, and interpersonal factors at play.

Product one of this capstone is a systematic literature review that identified psychotherapeutic interventions …

Social Exclusion And Negative Affect: The Impact Of Mentalized Affectivity, Anna Voicu

Honors Program Theses

Social exclusion has been widely associated with feelings of anxiety, depressed mood, anger, and hostility. Previous literature indicates that mentalized affectivity (MA), a sophisticated form of emotional regulation, may be effective in mitigating emotional experience after social exclusion. In light of this research, our study sought to examine the predictive value of mentalized affectivity and inclusion/exclusion on emotion. Participants (N = 170) completed measures of mentalized affectivity and positive and negative affect, in addition to playing a virtual ball-tossing game that would randomly assign them to an inclusion or exclusion condition. Multiple regression analyses revealed that mentalized affectivity predicted both …

Therapists’ Demonstrated Multicultural Competence In Treating Latinx Immigrants, Dulce Diaz Benitez

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Studies suggest that health disparities occur when people from marginalized communities receive care that is inadequate based on their cultural needs (USDHHS, 2011). Multicultural competence (MCC) models have been proposed to provide a framework of the competencies that therapists should develop to work with multicultural populations (Sue et al., 1992). Researchers have questioned the validity of measures, which are mostly based on therapist self-report (Cartwright, 2008). The multicultural case conceptualization ability task has been used in previous studies as a measure of demonstrated cultural competence using a vignette to assess case conceptualization abilities (Ladany et al., 1997). However, it has …

The Impossible Situation? Impasse As Psychotherapeutic Paralysis, Possibility, And Progress, Leo Cancelmo

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Psychotherapeutic impasse has long been understood in the clinical literature as treatment stagnation and even failure, both from one-person and two-person psychodynamic perspectives. However, there is a dearth of empirical research that delves deeper to understand this complex and rich phenomenon. Using semi-structured interviews with nine psychodynamic therapists speaking about individual adult patients, this study examined experiences of impasse to better understand treatments that become embroiled in a kind of paralysis. Qualitative analyses revealed dyads where patients were conceptualized as struggling chronically with negative feelings about themselves and others, and who experienced traumatic personal histories. Impasse in and of itself …

The Relationship Between The Quantum Consciousness And Depression, Yarone Grabiner

Dissertations

Depression is a prominent issue in mental health. This research will attempt to improve the quality of available therapies by offering additional helping options and introducing a new perception of depression. Different fields (psychology, quantum mechanics, and Kabbalah) have been integrated with data collection through personal interviews to support the research hypothesis. The subject sample consisted of five people with Kollel experience or similar educational experience in the present or in the past. All participants were orthodox Jewish men, 30 years old or older, married with children, with a high level of education. Participants presented attitudes, life conduct, and perceptions …

Therapist Facilitative Interpersonal Skills In Simulated Text-Based Telepsychotherapy With Cultural Minority Clients, Carly Max Schwartzman

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Objective: The prevalence of mental health difficulties has increased, yet the availability and use of mental health services remains low, particularly in traditionally underserved groups. Telepsychotherapy via videoconferencing has been advertised as a means of mitigating barriers to accessing mental healthcare for these populations, though less attention has focused on text-based approaches. Indeed, although text-based telepsychotherapy is currently widely available, its efficacy in treating folx from cultural minority identities is unknown. Additionally, no research to date has studied the adaptation of multiculturally competent psychotherapy practice to a text-based platform. Thus, this project aimed to examine therapist facilitative interpersonal skills via …