The Journey Back To Wholeness That Already Is, Jenna Dishy Wes

Journal of Conscious Evolution

Sunrise’s father had had lost his own, rather impactfully at the tender age of seven, just as he was transitioning into what Piaget called the Concrete Operations Period. “With this change, he (began) to behave in many ways much like an adult and, indeed, in terms of lines for the self and moral reasoning, many adults never grow past this stage” (Combs, 2009). And so would be the case for Sunrise’s father. Having never been given the tools or guidance to heal from such trauma, he resorted to substances that subdued what it was he could not face. Sunrise …

An Exploration Of Linguistic Relativity Theory For Consideration Of Terence Mckenna’S “Stoned Ape Theory” On The Origins Of Consciousness And Language: Implications For Language Pedagogy, Nicole Lopez

Journal of Conscious Evolution

The “linguistic turn” from the early 20^th century created a shift in the ontological underpinnings of various disciplines within the social sciences. Several key figures asserted that much of what we think of as reality is constructed based on a system of social institution that we call language. Language shifted to becoming a fundamental aspect of the ontological realities within a given discipline in the social sciences. Most significant to my understanding of the relationship between language, its origins, and the emergence of higher forms of human consciousness is Terence McKenna’s Stoned Ape Theory. In this article, …

The Structure, State, And Stream Of Mary Consciousness In The Quest For The Knowing Body, Christine Dennis

Journal of Conscious Evolution

The science of consciousness has traditionally situated knowledge creation in the mind, and thus, marginalizes the knowing body. Returning to the body requires a decolonization of consciousness in Euro-Western research paradigms and in our bodies. This research is grounded in the spirituality indigenous to my Latinx matrilineage known as Mary consciousness, which frames the body as an epistemic pillar of knowledge creation. A feminist fleshing of the knowing body displaces the centrality of the mind by elevating indigenous ways of knowing. Material feminist worldviews contribute by expressing the degree to which the body has been marginalized as a valid source …

A Whiteheadian Innervation Of The Soma: A New Vision For The Peripheral Nervous System, David Milliern

Journal of Conscious Evolution

This essay draws attention to two problems in neuroscience’s set of assumptions. These self-defeating assumptions include: 1) the assumption that what the nervous system, especially the brain, does is synthesize experience, while also assuming philosophical realism, and 2) the problem of biological signal transduction. In the latter, neuroscientists and philosophers of biology have left unaddressed the issue that the signal differences between the inside and outside of the organismic boundary are of distinct ontological types; and yet no concern has been expressed regarding how it is possible that an organism’s inner states could reflect the experiential content flowing from outside …

Psychological, Addictive, And Health Behavior Implications Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Michael J. Zvolensky, Lorra Garey, Andrew H. Rogers, Norman B. Schmidt, Anka .. Vujanovic, Eric A. Storch, Julia D. Buckner, Daniel J. Paulus, Candice Alfano, Jasper A. J. Smits, Connall O'Cleirigh

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Childhood Sexual Abuse On Adulthood Eating Disorders: When Healthy Eating Becomes Unhealthy, Audryn Andreoli

Theses and Dissertations

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC; 2020c) estimated that approximately 3.7 million children experience childhood sexual abuse (CSA) every year in the United States. CSA is a significant issue associated with negative psychosocial and health-related outcomes, including eating disorders (Afifi et al., 2017). While there has been substantial research completed regarding CSA and eating disorders, there is a significant gap in the literature regarding Orthorexia Nervosa (ON) and CSA. The present study sought to determine whether CSA is a risk factor ON and determine the relationship between frequency of occurrence of CSA, sex, race, previous eating disorder diagnosis, …

Higher Sense Of Control Predicts Long-Term Well-Being After Depression, Andrew R. Devendorf

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Excellent outcomes after major depression, including the possibility of optimal well-being (OWB), are understudied. In a previous investigation, nearly 10% of initially depressed adults met OWB criteria 10-years later, yet little is known about factors that explain OWB after depression. This study examined whether sense of control (SOC) beliefs and coping behaviors, specifically, reappraisal and seeking social support, predict OWB after depression. Secondary data analyses were conducted on Waves 1 and 2 of the Midlife Development in the United States (1995–1996; 2004–2006; MIDUS) study, which includes a nationally representative sample of middle-aged adults. Participants in the present analyses met DSM-III …

Alcohol Expectancy Associates As A Probe Of The Motivational Processes That Lead To Drinking, Daniel C. Faraci

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Consistent with theory, within-person alcohol expectancies monitored across a day predicted alcohol consumption levels later that day. These correlational findings could have been a function of any number of "third variables" including social influences or temporal cycles in affective state. To strengthen the inference that changes in expectancies validly reflect changes in the motivation to drink, we experimentally manipulated expectancy activation and measured subsequent changes in expectancy reports. The evening before expectancy monitoring, participants were informed that later the next day—a Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday—they would be participating in a solitary taste-test of either alcohol or soft drinks. Alcohol expectancies …

Construcciones Estéticas: Una Experiencia A Partir De La Narrativa Biográfica En Un Club De Lectura De La Ciudad, Jolyn E. Castrillón Baquero, Andrés F. Palacio Pérez, Nicolás I. Uribe Aramburo

The Qualitative Report

La investigación estudia los procesos de construcción estética que devienen a partir de la experiencia lectora y escritural en un Club de Lectura de la ciudad de Medellín. A partir de una modalidad cualitativa-comprensiva y bajo un enfoque epistemológico próximo a los referentes de la fenomenología hermenéutica, se asume la estrategia metodológica del estudio de caso cualitativo, al apreciar El Club de Lectura como un fenómeno colectivo localizado, que singulariza un conocimiento social. En este sentido surgen analíticamente dos contextos: la biografía -obra literaria- y el lectobiógrafo, como las narrativas biográficas y las autobiográficas de las mujeres del Club. Como …

Socially Just Trauma-Informed Responses To Covid-19 With Undocumented Communities, Daniela Dominguez

Journal of Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Scholarship

No abstract provided.

The Occupational Depression Inventory: A New Tool For Clinicians And Epidemiologists, Renzo Bianchi, Irvin Sam Schonfeld

Publications and Research

Background: Depressive symptoms induced by insurmountable job stress and sick leave for mental health reasons have become a focal concern among occupational health specialists. The present study introduces the Occupational Depression Inventory (ODI), a measure designed to quantify the severity of work-attributed depressive symptoms and establish provisional diagnoses of job-ascribed depression. The ODI comprises nine symptom items and a subsidiary question assessing turnover intention. Methods: A total of 2254 employed individuals were recruited in the U.S., New Zealand, and France. We examined the psychometric and structural properties of the ODI as well as the nomological network of work-attributed depressive symptoms. …

Xenophobia And Racism Against Asian Americans During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Mental Health Implications, Hsiu-Lan Cheng

Journal of Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Loss, Grief, And Racial Health Disparities During Covid-19: Same Storm, Different Boats, Joyce Yang, Sierra Carter

Journal of Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Sleep Quality And The Prospective Pain-Fatigue Relationship Among Youth With Sickle Cell Disease, Julia D. Johnston

Theses and Dissertations

Youth with sickle cell disease (SCD) are at increased risk for poor psychosocial and functional outcomes due, in part, to disease effects like vaso-occlusive pain crises, fatigue, and poor sleep quality (Brown, 2006). A growing body of literature has examined temporal associations between pain, sleep quality, and mood using daily diary studies (Valrie, Gil, Redding-Lallinger, & Daeschner, 2007a; Valrie et al., 2019). These studies help to identify how symptoms are prospectively related to each other, but they are often limited to small sample sizes and may lack generalizability. Additionally, despite ubiquitous reports of fatigue among sickle cell patients, few studies …

Engaging Youth And Families Within The Context Of Evidence-Based Treatment (Ebt) Implementation: Examining Integrity Of Engagement Practices To Different Ebt Information Sources, Eleanor Wu

Theses and Dissertations

Promoting and maintaining client engagement has proven to be a significant challenge across community mental health settings, including within the context of implementing evidence-based treatments (EBTs) (De Haan et al., 2013). Few efforts have been made to equip providers with empirically-sourced engagement strategies outside of the limited set of engagement procedures covered in EBT protocols. To inform efforts for improving EBT accessibility, the current study characterizes the delivery of engagement practices from the literature within the context of EBT implementation, and examines provider integrity of engagement practice use according to two information sources (i.e., the provider’s EBT training history and …

Engaging Youth And Families Within The Context Of Evidence-Based Treatment (Ebt) Implementation: Examining Integrity Of Engagement Practices To Different Ebt Information Sources, Eleanor Wu

Theses and Dissertations

Promoting and maintaining client engagement has proven to be a significant challenge across community mental health settings, including within the context of implementing evidence-based treatments (EBTs) (De Haan et al., 2013). Few efforts have been made to equip providers with empirically-sourced engagement strategies outside of the limited set of engagement procedures covered in EBT protocols. To inform efforts for improving EBT accessibility, the current study characterizes the delivery of engagement practices from the literature within the context of EBT implementation, and examines provider integrity of engagement practice use according to two information sources (i.e., the provider’s EBT training history and …

Chronic Disease And Its Relationship With Elder Mistreatment, Ryan Wong

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The relationship between chronic disease and elder mistreatment was investigated using a meta-analytic approach, where 48 studies were utilized for the random effects analysis of 178 effect size data. Twelve risk markers were combined into four categories: endocrine disease, heart disease, neurological disease, and other chronic diseases for comparative analysis of elder mistreatment. Neurological disease (OR = 1.51) was found to have a significantly stronger association with elder mistreatment when compared to the heart disease category (OR = 1.17) and the other chronic disease category (OR = 1.26). When specifically investigating emotional abuse, there was a significantly stronger association with …

Development And Initial Validation Of The Adult Coping Inventory, Kristen Hollas

LSU Master's Theses

There are few psychometrically sound measures for assessing coping in adults. For example, a widely used measure of coping, the COPE, has highly unstable sub-scale analyses (Lyne & Roger, 2000). The scarcity of instruments developed using evidence based “best practice” is concerning as coping skills are linked to a variety of positive and negative outcomes. For example, positive coping skills have been linked to better health outcomes among various populations (Garnefski & Kraaij, 2006; Littleton, Horsley, John & Nelson, 2007). This study aimed to address the lack of psychometrically sound measures of coping for an adult population. The current study …

Introduction To The Issue: Evaluating The Psychological Impact Of Covid 19, Saera R. Khan, Christine J. Yeh

Journal of Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Scholarship

Evaluating COVID 19 in its entirety is an enormous undertaking--one which will take many years and many scholars from every academic discipline to fully convey the impact of this disaster. In this three-part Special Issue of the Journal of Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Scholarship, we present current understandings of the immediate impact of COVID 19. The authors of these contributions participated in a webinar series produced by the University of San Francisco’s Center for Teaching Excellence and Center for Research, Artistic, and Scholarly Excellence in March through May 2020. Scholars from various academic sub-disciplines were invited to discuss the impact of …

The Roles Of Social Support And Personal Mastery In The Health Behaviors Of Adults With Cancer: A Survey Study, Kristen Marie Pasko

Theses and Dissertations

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death in the United States. The majority of individuals struggle to adhere to recommended dietary and physical activity guidelines. Specifically, older adults with cancer struggle to meet health behavior recommendations, and tend to have additional risk factors, such as poor social support. Following the Transactional Theory of Stress and Coping, an individual's response to a stressful situation (cancer diagnosis) would be influenced by the interaction between their internal resources (personal mastery) and external resources (social support). Using archival data from the New Jersey Institute for Successful Aging, 725 older adults were surveyed …

Traumatic Experiences And Mental Health In College Students, Samantha Sanchez

2020 McNair Scholar Collection

Because most college students have experienced one or more traumatic experiences before reaching college, they may be at increased risk of experiencing a mental health disorder, such as depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The current study examined the relationship between a history of traumatic events and mental health disorders among college students. There were direct correlations between traumatic experiences and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and PTSD. In addition, after dividing respondents into “low,” “middle,” and “high” levels of trauma, the high group scored significantly higher on symptoms of anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Women reported more symptoms of anxiety …

Assessing A Cognitive Model Of Trauma-Related Sleep Disturbance, Rebecca Chesher

Dissertations

Sleep disturbance is a symptom of many mental health disorders that may negatively affect cognition and mood. Trauma-related sleep disturbance is a core reaction of traumatic stress and PTSD, similar to symptoms experienced by individuals with insomnia or other sleep-wake disorders. Although the cause and symptom progression of trauma-related sleep disturbance may be very different, research and clinical practice assess and treat it with measures and interventions designed for general insomnia. Using a cognitive model of insomnia modified for trauma-related sleep disturbance, the current study assessed the relations between select trauma and sleep variables within the proposed constructs of: 1) …

A Task Analytic Model Of Tenderness In Emotion-Focused Therapy For Couples: The Discovery Phase, Corie Mcnally

Dissertations

The focus in the present study was to develop a refined model of tenderness events in emotion-focused couples therapy. The model was created in the discovery phase of a task analytic research study through a rational-empirical method. The study was designed to combine empirical and rational data on the expression of tenderness and the display of a tenderness expression within the context of therapy. The rational model was derived from a review of the literature on emotions, couples therapy, and tenderness as an emotion. Empirical data were observed and recorded through reviews of videotapes and transcripts obtained during the York …

Accurately Diagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorder Among A Comorbid Population, Michelle Okolita

Dissertations

Two of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), are diagnosed in early childhood. The two disorders share similar impairments across domains, are highly comorbid, and have many overlapping symptoms. Studies have shown that among this comorbid population, children receive an ASD diagnosis a few years after their initial ADHD diagnosis, which leads to many negative consequences, including a delay in treatment. The focus in this study was on the early indicators of ASD that are present prior to the age of 3 years in order to educate others on these symptoms. In an …

Exploration Of The Link Between Migration And Acculturation Related-Stress, Attachment Style, And Psychological Distress In Arab Immigrants, Refugees, And Asylees, Hayat Nadar Psy.D.

Dissertations

Abstract

The migration process is fraught with experiences of ethnic discrimination and has been linked to heightened levels of psychological and acculturative stress. Interestingly, earlier research revealed a higher prevalence of insecure attachment in migrant compared to non-migrant populations. Attachment style may be influenced by sociocultural and sociopolitical forces and the associated prejudice and discrimination experienced by a particular migrant population. The current study was conducted to explore whether higher levels of sociocultural adversity were associated with increased psychological distress and attachment insecurity and to test attachment as a mediator between sociocultural adversity and psychological distress. Using a cross-sectional design, …

Program Evaluation On The Kids First Program, Katherine E. Yamauchi

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This study is a program evaluation of the Kids First program, an eight-week psychoeducation program, on parents and children who have experienced a divorce and/or separation. This study was conducted to assess the usefulness of specific program interventions as it relates to parental insight, co-parenting, and child adjustment. A descriptive analysis was conducted to examine results of the evaluations. Results indicated over 85% of the sample rated program satisfaction as moderately or very valuable, suggesting parents gained some knowledge and saw value in the program. Results also endorsed 95% of parents moderately or highly valued the effectiveness of the program’s …

Neurodevelopmental Mechanisms Of Adverse Trauma Outcomes In Emerging Adulthood, Olena Kleshchova

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Background: Exposure to traumatic stress and adversity during the formative years of development can have adverse effects on mental health, neuroendocrine stress system function, and the brain, that persist into adulthood. One candidate mechanism that might confer vulnerability to enduring adverse outcomes of early life trauma is disruption of normal brain maturation. As the brain matures, functional interactions among brain regions change until the functional brain architecture (i.e., the functional connectome) reaches a mature state in adulthood. Given that different neural circuits have distinct developmental trajectories and sensitive periods, traumatic stress at a given point in development might have …

The Contribution Of Trait Emotional Intelligence To The Relationship Between Childhood Adversity And Pscyhiatric Symptoms In Adulthood, Aura-Maria Morales

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Trait emotional intelligence (TEI) has been found to be an important predictor of and protective factor against psychopathology, including psychopathology in the context of trauma (Hofman et al., 2016; Rudenstine & Espinosa, 2018). The long-established empirical investigation of the relationship between trauma and psychopathology has brought attention to the significance of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Similarly, recent literature has honed in on how important aspects of a person’s development such as their attachment style and the culture within which their development is embedded, can mutually inform their development of TEI. This dissertation is an attempt to derive a greater understanding …

The Development Of A Therapeutic Alliance Focused Intervention, Amanda L. Mendez

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The therapeutic working alliance is defined as the collaborative relationship between the therapist and the patient. This relationship largely determines whether the patient experiences therapy as helpful or unhelpful in reaching their agreed upon goals. The relationship between the therapeutic alliance and psychotherapy outcome has been well documented in the literature. The therapeutic alliance is considered a “main curative component” in the interpersonal process of therapy, and is the foundation necessary for successful therapy outcomes across various orientations of psychotherapy. Still, far less research has examined the relationship between specific therapist personality characteristics and the quality of the therapeutic alliance. …

Exploring Gender Differences Between Bipolar Disorder And Borderline Personality Disorder In Responses On The Personality Assessment Inventory (Pai), Stephanie M. Green

Dissertations

Bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder are two diagnoses that are often difficult to differentiate. Current literature supports this challenge and reveals a high rate of misdiagnosis between the two, as well as a high prevalence of borderline personality disorder diagnoses in women. Diagnostic accuracy remains a vital skill for clinicians to effectively address the needs of clients, and diagnostic assessment tools are often used to aid in this endeavor. The focus in this study was to explore gender discrepancies in responses across the main features of borderline personality disorder (i.e., affective instability, identity problems, negative relationships, and self-harm) and …