Counseling Psychology Commons^™

Autism Assessment Scale For Children (Aasc): The Development Of A Dsm-V Aiigned Questionnaire To Screen School-Aged Children For High Functioning Autism, Christine Hebert

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to analyze the latent factor structure underlying the Ellis Functional Assessment (EFA) for children with high-functioning autism (HFA), to compare the latent factor structures for under-identified subgroups of children (older children, gifted children, female children), and to design a pre-screening assessment for HFA based on those results. The scope of the study is limited to children who have been identified as having HFA and whose parents completed the EFA while patients of a mid-Atlantic clinical practice specializing in autism spectrum disorders. The methodology uses preliminary factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis to both analyze …

Just Love: A Collaborative Evaluation Of A Faith-Based School-Family-Community Partnership Through The Voices Of The Children, Lynette M. Henry

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Faith-based school-family-community partnerships have been a federal mandate over the past decade, yet little has been written about the outcomes of these faith-based partnerships. A need exists to understand if the potential in these faith-based partnerships is indeed realized in positive outcomes for students and schools. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a faith-based school-family-community partnership, Just Love. Just Love is a faith-based school-family-community partnership between a large suburban church and a Title 1, urban elementary school, Charisma Elementary School (Charisma ES; pseudonym). It was implemented in what is considered a "failing school". Just Love's purpose was …

Paraeducators: Gatekeepers To Youth Suicide Prevention, Danielle Ann Cannon

Theses and Dissertations

For youth between the ages of 10 and 24, suicide is the third leading cause of death. School-aged youth that struggle with suicidal thoughts often express their feelings to peers and some trusted adults. Generally, these trusted adults work in school settings. Potentially, teachers and staff can serve as vital gatekeepers to identify and support students who struggle with suicide ideation. In particular, paraeducators, who are often seen as less of an authority figure, become easier to approach due to the personal relationships created in small groups and one-on-one interactions with students. If trained in suicide prevention, paraeducators, who work …

Attachment Changes Post-Conversion In Committed Converts Tothe Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints, Laura Jane Page

Theses and Dissertations

Religious conversion has been described as a “spiritual transformation” where converts experience an “intimate ‘union’ . . . [with] divine presence” (Sandage & Shults, 2007). To better understand motivators of conversion, several studies have examined how attachment patterns affect the likelihood, and speed of religious conversion (e.g., Granqvist & Hagekull, 1999; Granqvist & Kirkpatrick, 2004; Kirkpatrck, 1998; Kirkpatrick & Shaver, 1990; Schnitker, Porter, Emmons, & Barrett, 2012). Converts' changes in personality, self-definition, and meaningfulness following conversion have been noted (Halama and Lačná, 2011; Paloutzian, Richardson, & Rambo, 1999). However, little, if any research has been conducted examining changes in attachment …

The Relationship Between Implementation Of The American School Counselor Association National Model And Professional Secondary School Counselor Burnout, Kellie Giorgio Camelford

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between demographic and occupational variables, the implementation of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model, and burnout in professional secondary school counselors. Participants in this study were professional secondary school counselors who were members of ASCA (n=494). All participants completed the Secondary School Counselor Demographic, Implementation of the ASCA National Model, and Burnout Survey that was designed to assess counselors’ perceptions and practices related to the level of implementation of the ASCA National Model and the degree of burnout. The instrument combined a researcher-developed questionnaire with the School Counseling …

Responding To Trauma: Help-Seeking Behavior And Posttraumatic Growth In A College Sample, Aaron J. Burrick

Honors Scholar Theses

Research indicates that traumatic experiences can impact college students’ mental health, academic abilities, and relationships with peers. Trauma and associated symptoms of PTSD can lower students’ well-being and increase the risk of withdrawing from the university. Research also emphasizes the importance of psychological help-seeking as a way to experience posttraumatic growth. This study examines traumatic experiences, help-seeking attitudes, barriers, and behaviors, and posttraumatic growth in a sample of 168 undergraduate college students. Results indicated an overwhelming preference for informal help-seeking resources and the importance of traumatic severity in the decision to seek help. Additionally, female participants reported greater traumatic severity …

An Examination Of The Role Of Social Support, Coping Strategies, And Individual Characteristics In Students’ Adaptation To College, Arleen Bejerano

Department of Communication Studies: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Adaptation, or adjustment, is a psycho-social process that occurs when an individual accepts and integrates into his or her life a transition from one situation to another situation (Schlossberg, 1981). Many individuals struggle with transitions because transitions involve changes in the environment, roles, routines, and/or ways of looking at the world. The present investigation examines the transition from high school to college, and explores the interpersonal and individual ways that students manage the changes accompanying this transition. Using Transition Theory as a framework, students’ social support networks, coping strategies, self-esteem, and depression are posited to influence students’ adaptation to college …

Knitting As A Therapeutic Group Technique With 4th Grade Elementary School Students, Cassandra Marie Dominick

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of the current study was to explore the use of knitting as an expressive arts technique. Knitting groups were conducted with 4th grade elementary school students. Each group met for 8 sessions on a weekly basis. Participants were randomly assigned to either the experimental group or control group. The experimental group received knitting instructions in the group format first. Prior to beginning the group, all participants, their teachers, and their parents completed the Social Skills Improvement System assessment (Gresham & Elliot, 2008). This measure was repeated following the end of the experimental group and again approximately 8 …

Are Therapists Using Outcome Measures And Does It Matter?A Naturalistic Usage Study, Jared S. Klundt

Theses and Dissertations

Outcome measurement has been demonstrated to be beneficial when used as a routine part of psychological practice (Lambert et al., 2002), improving both treatment time and outcome of patients, and helping therapists determine which of their patients are not responding to their current treatments (Hannan et al., 2005; Whipple et al., 2003). Despite these proven benefits, many therapists are reluctant to implement and use outcome measures in their routine practice (Hatfield & Ogles, 2007). In addition, the research demonstrating the benefits of these outcome measures has used randomized experimental design to examine the effects of outcome feedback to therapists. The …

Role Ambiguity Of Counseling Supervisors, Aaron Gabriel Shames

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Supervisors often find themselves in the midst of ambiguity seeking clarity of their role and professional identity within the counseling field. Supervisors wear many hats, the most prominent ones being educator, counselor, and gatekeeper for the profession. Counseling supervisors are expected to establish and maintain a complex blend of professional, educational, and therapeutic relationships with their supervisees. This process involving multiple roles often presents conflicts. One such conflict experienced by supervisors has been termed role ambiguity. The purpose of this phenomenological inquiry was to explore what experiences counseling supervisors have with role ambiguity and how they experience role ambiguity. Themes …

Counseling College Seniors Through The Transition Out Of College: Applying Theory And Research To Practice, Joel A. Lane, Dena Elghoroury

Counselor Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

The senior year of college represents a significant transition, during which individuals prepare to leave behind the freedom of the college experience and to assume ownership of adult roles. Recent research suggests that many of today’s college seniors are experiencing distress and reduced well-being regarding their ability to transition into career life, develop new support networks, and leave behind the freedom of the student lifestyle. This presentation will focus on the psychological implications of the graduation transition. The presenter will utilize his own research and clinical experience to provide attendees with a framework for understanding and working with seniors to …

Parenting Styles And Adjustment Outcomes Among College Students, Keisha M. Love, Deneia M. Thomas

Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications

Research has demonstrated that parenting styles partially explain college students’ academic adjustment. However, to account for academic adjustment more fully, additional contributors should be identified and tested. We examined the fit of a hypothesized model consisting of parenting styles, indicators of well-being, and academic adjustment among 315 college students. The model demonstrated a close fit to the data and contained several significant paths.

The Effects Of Peer Tutoring On Junior High General Education Students' Attitudes Toward Students With Severe Disabilities, Amanda Kim Hunsaker

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to determine if and how the perceptions of general education students toward their peers with severe disabilities changes when they participate in a peer tutoring program. The study was conducted in a suburban/rural district in Utah and included 102 participants in treatment and control groups over three junior high schools. The data found mixed results. One of the three schools had a significant difference in the attitudes of the treatment group after being part of a peer tutoring program. The study shows that being part of a peer tutoring program can have a …

Mexican American Adolescents’ Gender Role Attitude Development: The Role Of Adolescents’ Gender And Nativity And Parents’ Gender Role Attitudes, Kimberly A. Updegraff, Susan M. Mchale, Katharine H. Zeiders, Adriana J. Umana-Taylor, Norma J. Perez-Brena, Lorey A. Wheeler, Sue A. Rodriguez De Jesus

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Faculty Publications

Gender development has long term implications for education and career endeavors and family formation behaviors, but we know very little about the role of sociocultural factors in developmental and individual differences. In this study, we investigated one domain of gender development, gender role attitudes, in Mexican American adolescents (N = 246; 51% female), using four phases of longitudinal data across eight years. Data were collected when adolescents averaged 12.51 years (SD = 0.58), 14.64 years (SD = 0.59), 17.72 years (SD = 0.57), and 19.60 years of age (SD = 0.66). Mothers’ and fathers’ gender …

A Young Child's Anxiety And Math Performance: Enhancing Cognitive Behavioral Intervention With Conjoint Behavioral Consultation, Kirsten L. Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Partnering with families, school personnel, and community resources is an important step to supporting the child and family, especially when children might suffer from debilitating anxiety concerns. However, little research examines the impact of anxiety on math performance for young children participating in school-based interventions enhanced by family components. The following research questions were addressed in the study: 1a) Will a young child with elevated levels of anxiety show a decrease in anxiety symptoms with a Cognitive Behavioral framework intervention program for children? 1b) Will anxiety be reduced with the addition of a Conjoint Behavioral Consultation with the family and …

The Effects Of A Career-Planning Course On Community College Students' Career Self-Efficacy And Career Indecisiveness, Jefferey Samuel Lip

Wayne State University Dissertations

The principal aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a career-planning course for college students who were undecided on a major or want to change or confirm their major at community college. The career-planning course was designed to assist students in becoming more aware of themselves and career options. From this study, the career-planning course assisted students in improving their career decision-making self-efficacy. A reduction in career decision-making difficulties for students was seen in this study. A quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group research design was used for this study. To determine if the experimental and control group were …

Mexican-Origin Parents’ Latent Occupational Profiles: Associations With Parent-Youth Relationships And Youth Aspirations, Lorey A. Wheeler, Kimberly A. Updegraff, Adriana Umana-Taylor, Jenn-Yun Tein

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Faculty Publications

This study utilized an ecological, person-centered approach to identify subgroups of families who had similar profiles across multiple dimensions of Mexican-origin mothers’ and fathers’ occupational characteristics (i.e., self-direction, hazardous conditions, physical activity) and to relate these subgroups to families’ sociocultural characteristics and youth adjustment. The study included 160 dual-earner Mexican-origin families from the urban Southwest. Mothers’ and fathers’ objective work characteristics and families’ sociocultural characteristics were assessed when youth were in early to middle adolescence; adjustment was assessed during late adolescence and early adulthood for two offspring in each family. A latent profile analysis identified 3 profiles that evidenced distinct …

Predictors Of Academic Success Among African American College Students, La Toya Bianca Smith

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

African American students are graduating from high school and enrolling in higher educational institutions at greater rates than in previous years (U.S. Department of Education, 2009). Yet, they have not achieved the same level of academic success as their racial counterparts (American Council on Education, 2010; Ross, 2012). Ultimately, this disparity has resulted in only 17.7% of the African American population 25 years of age and older having at least a Bachelor’s degree (U.S. Department of Commerce, 2012). Many researchers have employed comparative study designs to explore this disparity. Additionally, researchers commonly study academic success through the exploration of intrapsychic …

The Mediating Effect Of Self-Awareness In The Relations Of Self-Compassion And Training Variables To Therapist Self-Efficacy, I-Ching Grace Hung

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Therapist self-awareness is widely regarded by educators and clinicians as an essential factor that allows psychotherapists to treat clients effectively (Ridley, Mollen, & Kelly, 2011b). Accordingly, a central goal of therapist training is to increase self-awareness, which is believed to lead to important training outcomes, such as stronger trainee self-efficacy in clinical abilities (e.g., Barnes, 2004; Daniel, Roysircar, Abeles, & Boyd, 2004). Despite this common belief, there is a scarcity of theory and research on the role of self-awareness in affecting therapist training outcomes (Pieterse, Lee, Ritmeester, & Collins, 2013). Using a Social Cognitive Model of Counselor Training (SCMCT; Larson, …

An Analysis Of School-Based Suicide Postvention Protocols, Emily Catherine Owens

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The purpose of this study was to generate a base of literature pertaining to school based suicide postvention plans. In order to do this, New York State crisis plans were examined to determine the proportion of plans that address suicide postvention as well as the extent to which postvention protocols are aligned with recommended practices. A coding scheme was developed in order to evaluate the comprehensiveness of the crisis plans and all New York State public schools serving at least two high school grades were invited to share their crisis plan as well as any other documents pertaining to response …

Attachment, Well-Being, And College Senior Concerns About The Transition Out Of College, Joel A. Lane

Counselor Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study examined the relationships among attachment, psychological well-being (PWB), life satisfaction, and concerns about the transition out of college among a sample of college seniors. A path analysis was conducted predicting that PWB and life satisfaction would mediate the relationships between attachment and three types of graduation transition concerns: career, change and loss, and support. Significant mediation effects impacting career concerns and change and loss concerns were discovered. Implications for college counseling are discussed. Keywords: attachment, college graduation, transition.

Process Group Vs. Skills Group Modalities In The Treatment Of Individuals Diagnosed With Major Depressive Disorder, Kirk David Duncan

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

PROCESS GROUP

VS.

SKILLS GROUP MODALITIES

IN THE TREATMENT OF INDIVIDUALS DIAGNOSED WITH MAJOR

DEPRESSIVE DISORDER

by

KIRK DAVID DUNCAN

August 2014

Advisor: Dr. George Parris

Major: Counseling

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

The goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of a process group vs. a cognitive behavioral skills group modality on depression while investigating the effects of facilitator bond on outcomes. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was conducted on the BDI-II posttest scores, and pretest scores served as the covariate and the group membership as the independent variable. When observing Figure 1 there was a visual desired …

Teacher Support Mediates Concurrent And Longitudinal Associations Between Temperament And Mild Depressive Symptoms In Sixth Grade, Kathleen Moritz Rudasill, Patrick Pössel, Stephanie Winkeljohn Black, Kate Niehaus

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

The combination of changes occurring at the transition to middle school may be a catalyst for the onset of depressive symptoms, yet teacher support at this transition is protective. Research points to certain temperamental traits as risk factors for developing depressive symptoms. This study examines student reports of teacher support and teacher reports of student–teacher relationship (STR) quality as mediators of associations between child temperament (i.e. negative emotionality at age 4½ : and emotional reactivity in elementary grades) and depressive symptoms in sixth grade. Results indicate (a) negative emotionality predicted emotional reactivity and depressive symptoms; (b) emotional reactivity predicted depressive …

Awareness Of Privilege And Oppression Scale-2: Construction And Initial Validation, Michael J. Mcclellan

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

The purpose of this study was to revise the Awareness of Privilege and Oppression Scale (Montross, 2003) and to improve upon the psychometric properties of the original instrument. The APOS-2 is a diversity training outcome measure that is designed to measure the social justice-related construct awareness of privilege and oppression. I retained 26 items from the original APOS (Montross, 2003) and utilized an expert focus group to generate new test items for the APOS-2. Feedback from an expert rater group was solicited and then incorporated into the APOS-2 to help reduce the number of items, improve item content, and evaluate …

An Evaluation Of The Penn Resiliency Program For Disruptive Preadolescents In An Elementary School Setting, Mildred Howard

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Penn Resiliency Program in decreasing disruptive behavior, modifying negative automatic thoughts and improving academic achievement. Forty-eight students from two Title I schools in Georgia participated in this study. The Behavior Assessment Scale for Children, Second Edition, Progress Monitor, The Children's Automatic Thoughts Scale and report card grades were used to evaluate program effectiveness. Research results suggest the program effectively reduced negative automatic thoughts and improved academic performance.

Effects Of A Cross-Age Peer Tutoring Program On Reading Performance Of Hispanic Title I Second And Third Grade Students, Ana Isabel Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

Hispanic students are falling behind their peers in reading fluency and are struggling to close the gap. This study examined the reading fluency influence on 73 Hispanic second and third grade students while receiving reading fluency support from middle school Hispanic tutors. These students were compared to Hispanic second and third grade students not receiving tutoring reading support. All students were assessed before the tutors gave reading support, mid-year and after the reading support finished using a school district fluency measurement. Findings found that students made rapid growth in reading fluency from the beginning of the tutoring support to mid-year. …

The Effects Of Professional Development On High School Teachers' Implementation Of The Problem-Solving Process, Brandon Y. Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

The majority of schools use punitive and reactive strategies to deal with maladaptive behaviors. This descriptive study was a replication of Wilmott (2012) and occurred in a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) high school. Professional development was provided to 22 teachers from a high school located in the western United States. This included 61% males and 39% females. Measures included the frequency of praise notes and ODRs, the quality of praise notes based on a praise note rubric, and a social validity questionnaire. The ODR and praise note frequencies were compared using the Spearman correlational coefficient that resulted in a …

The Effects Of Video Prompting Via An Ipad On Vocational Skill Development Of Secondary Students With Developmental Disabilities, Patricia D. Lund

Theses and Dissertations

Current laws stress the importance of using research-based practices to teach transition and vocational skills to students with disabilities. Some of the evidence-based practices include the use of videos to prompt students through a task. Much research has been done concerning the effectiveness of video prompts to teach daily living skills, academic skills and social skills. Transitional skills that have been taught often include simple, entry level skills such as watering plants, cooking soup in the microwave or setting a table. To date, there is little research regarding the use of video prompts to teach complex employment skills that can …

Involvement Of Principals In Hiring, Professional Development, And Evaluation Of Paraeducators, Jordan T. Hix

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has found paraeducators do not receive adequate training (Giangreco,Broer, & Edelman, 2002), and are often infrequently evaluated –yearly or less often (Mueller, 2002; Morgan, Ashbaker, & Young, 2001). Little is known about principals' practices relative to paraeducator training, and evaluation. To investigate these topics, a survey was distributed to principals that worked in a large suburban/rural school district in the western United States. Fifty-eight participants completed surveys at a district principals meeting. The results of the study indicated a large majority of principals (78.95% for Title 1 paraeducators, 86.21% for special education paraeducators, and 75.86 for others) hired …

The Impact Of Counselor Level Of Spiritual Well-Being On The Morale, Global Symptoms, And Global Impairment Of Adolescents Receiving Treatment For Substance Use And/Or Other Mental Health Disorders: A Pilot Study, Michael William Holland

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In recent years there has been a movement towards a holistic perspective of human nature in the counseling leading to increased interest in the nature and role of spirituality in counseling and the counseling process. In the present study multiple regression analysis is used to determine whether Counselor Level of Spiritual Well-Being, or aspects thereof, namely, Counselor Level of Existential Well-Being and/or Counselor Level of Religious Well-Being, as measured by the Spiritual Well-Being Scale significantly impacts client outcomes, namely, Morale, Global Symptoms, and Global Impairment as measured by the Health Dynamics Inventory for adolescents receiving treatment for substance use and/or …