Counseling Psychology Commons^™

Racial Prejudice, Homophobia, And Sexism As A Function Of Right-Wing Authoritarianism, Religious Values, Religious Pressures, And Religious Orientation, Dixie Turner

Doctoral Dissertations

Past literature is ambiguous regarding relationships among different religious variables and prejudice. The purpose of this study was to clarify complicated relationships among religious pressures, religious fundamentalism, Christian orthodoxy, intrinsic and extrinsic religious orientation, quest orientation, right-wing authoritarianism, and the outcome variables of racial prejudice, homophobia, and sexism. Two models, a developmental model and social learning model, were proposed in this study and were tested using structural-equation modeling. Participants were 310 self-identified Christian students. Several predicted paths were deleted in both models because they did not contribute to good fit. Three predictor variables: Christian orthodoxy, extrinsic religious orientation, and religious …

The Effectiveness Of A Substance Abuse Treatment Group For At Risk College Students, Melissa D. Simundson

Doctoral Dissertations

There has been limited research in the area of treatment effectiveness for college students who abuse substances (e.g., alcohol, marijuana). There is no published research to date that addresses the effectiveness of college students' substance abuse counseling groups utilizing therapeutic reactance as a covariate. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of motivational interviewing and cognitive therapy techniques with a university counseling center substance abuse group and the extent to which group members' levels of reactance influence the treatment outcome. There were 35 college students approximately 18-25 years of age in six groups with an average of …

The Influence Of The Character Strengths Of Gratitude And Kindness On Subjective Well-Being, Tracy Harper Dossett

Doctoral Dissertations

The relationship between the character strengths of gratitude, kindness and factors of subjective well-being was explored, and the influence of personality factors on this relationship was examined. In this research, participants were assigned to an experimental or control group and completed the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SLS), Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS), Positive Affectivity and Negative Affectivity Scale (PANAS), International Personality Item Pool Values in Action Gratitude and Kindness Scales (VIA-Gratitude, and VIA Kindness), Mini-International Personality Item Pool (IPIP), and Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale, Form C. For two weeks, participants in the gratitude group kept a daily gratitude list, and those …

An Exploration Of The Relationship Among Online Social Network Usage, Intimacy, Social Comparison Tendencies, And Relationship Satisfaction, Matthew Hand

Doctoral Dissertations

The popularity of online social networks prompts an examination of the effects these websites have on intimate relationships. While these networks have received a considerable amount of attention in mainstream media, peer-reviewed research examining the effects these websites have on users is sparse. By their very nature, online social networks involve the creation and maintenance of interpersonal relationships. As such, the effect of these networks on relationships may be profound and with the paucity of research on the topic, the relationship between online social networks and interpersonal relationships is an important area of study. The present study sought to examine …

Socially Desirable Responding On The Mmpi -2, Mcmi-Iii, And Pai In A Substance Abuse Treatment Setting, James Brian Rutland

Doctoral Dissertations

Objectively scored measures of psychopathology are increasingly relied upon to aid in the diagnosis of mental disorders and treatment planning, and three commonly used measures are the MMPI-2, MCMI-III, and PAI. A difficulty with such measures, however, is that response sets are subject to both intentional and unintentional distortion by examinees. Underreporting of psychopathology and attempts to present oneself in an overly favorable light can be particularly difficult to detect. Therefore, scales and other indices have been developed to identify underreporting and defensiveness. Paulhus (2002) has developed and refined a model for this phenomenon of underreporting, which he calls Socially …

Examination Of The Clinical Benefit Of Adding Reversal Theory Concepts To The Expressive Writing Paradigm, Stephanie Ellis

Doctoral Dissertations

Expressive writing as a form of emotional disclosure produces many physical and psychological benefits (Pennebaker, 2004). Central to the present study are findings that expressive writing decreases symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD (Koopman, Ismailji, Holmes, Classen, Palesh, & Wales, 2005; Opre, Coman, Kallay, Rotaru, & Manier, 2005; Russ, 1992). Reversal Theory (RT) suggests that individuals experience the world from eight different psychological states including serious, playful, conforming, rebellious, mastery, sympathy, self, and other (Apter, 2007). Teaching individuals to be aware of and elicit these states also decreases depression and anxiety (Charat, 2006). The present study sought to determine if …

Evaluation Of A Sleep Hygiene Program To Improve Inmate Sleep Quality, Jennifer F. Hodges-Crowder

Doctoral Dissertations

Research investigating the effectiveness of treatments for inmates with poor sleep quality appears minimal. Some difficulties related to poor sleep quality can be addressed effectively with little time and expense. Studies show that psychoeducational interventions are effective in reducing sleep complaints and improving sleep quality in a variety of populations including college students and adults. However, the effect of sleep hygiene interventions on inmate sleep complaints is unknown. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate a psychoeducational intervention program aimed at improving prison inmate sleep habits, length, and quality.

Participants of this study were inmates at a department …

Sleep Quality Of College Students And Its Relationship To Coping Styles And Well-Being, Cathy Alison Word

Doctoral Dissertations

College students suffer from more sleep disturbances than the general population. Sleep difficulties in college students can lead to lower levels of performance, memory, and cognitive ability, as well as increased levels of anxiety and decreased levels of well-being. Sleep quality is known to impact individuals' physical and psychological health, which are indicators of well-being. Sleep also appears to influence individuals' choices of coping strategies. Sleep quality is also highly correlated with college students' emotional response to stress. The relationships between and among sleep quality, well-being, and coping style have not been fully examined. The purpose of this study was …

The Impact Of Sleep Quality And Duration On College Student Adjustment And Health, Robert L. Krenek Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations

College years are a time of change and transition that involves complex challenges in academic, social, personal/emotional, and institutional adjustment. Stress, anxiety, and tension are often associated with college transition and adjustment; stress and worry have been related to poor sleep quality. Studies have found that college students have more sleep problems than the general public. Research has shown that poor sleep has adverse effects on cognition, mood, and other physiological and psychological aspects of human functioning. Recent research has indicated that sleep quality may be more important than amount of sleep. Relationships have been found between sleep problems and …

Effect Of Comorbid Psychiatric Disorders On Measures Of Group Cohesion In Substance Abusers, Sharon Bradford Robbins

Doctoral Dissertations

Substance dependence and treatment have been the focus of research for a number of years. Recently more attention has been directed toward identifying the most appropriate treatments for people with more complicated substance disorders, those with substance dependence and mental illness. The current study examined three aspects of group cohesion, a necessary condition for effective outcomes, in 64 substance abusers with a comorbid mental illness. The rated aspects of group cohesion included overall group climate, individual group members' self-worth, and each member's perception of the relationship with the group leader. Groups were divided according to profiles based on results from …

Sleep Habits And Patterns Of College Students And Their Relationship To Selected Personality Characteristics, Steve M. Jenkins

Doctoral Dissertations

College is a time of adjustment when many students have a newfound responsibility for many aspects of their lives, including sleep habits and patterns. College students often have sleep schedules that vary greatly, which can result in sleep disturbances. Previous research indicates that college students report significantly more sleep disturbances than the general population. Poor sleep quality has been linked to myriad psychological, physiological, and cognitive difficulties, including mood and anxiety disorders, cardiovascular disease, and poor academic performance. Oftentimes, sleep disturbances can be corrected with basic psychological interventions. Considering the deleterious effects that poor sleep can have on college students, …

The Effects Of Gender Role Conflict And Psychological Reactance On Relationship Beliefs, Donna Bullard Thomas

Doctoral Dissertations

The present study investigated the multivariate relationships among gender role conflict, psychological reactance, and relationship beliefs. Because intimate relationships have the potential to affect lives in many ways, it is important to examine factors that contribute to successful relationships. Although previous research has linked these constructs, no research exists that includes all three. The final sample included 346 undergraduate males and females who completed a demographic questionnaire, the Gender Role Conflict Scale (GRCS; O'Neil, Helms, Gable, David, & Wrightsman, 1986), Therapeutic Reactance Scale (TRS; Dowd, Milne, & Wise, 1991), and Relationship Beliefs Inventory (RBI; Eidelson & Epstein, 1981). The research …

Self -Esteem And Sense Of Entitlement In Violent And Nonviolent Criminal Behavior, Susan Frank

Doctoral Dissertations

There are two conflicting theories concerning self-esteem in violent and nonviolent criminal behavior. One theory proposes that low self-esteem is more influential than high self-esteem in an individual's decision to participate in criminal behavior, whereas the other theory proposes the opposite. Limited research is available concerning the role that sense of entitlement has in criminal behavior, beyond its previously explored role in rape. The first purpose of this study was to clarify the role of self-esteem in criminal behavior by having individuals currently incarcerated for both violent and nonviolent crimes complete the Self-Esteem Rating Scale. Using the scores obtained on …

Confirmatory Factor Analysis Of The Coping Style Inventory In A College Sample, Christopher Garth Bellah

Doctoral Dissertations

The present study conducted a confirmatory factor analysis of the Coping Style Inventory (CSI). A comprehensive review of the history of stress and coping research was provided, along with a presentation of suggestions for future research that have indicated a need for a melding of both theory-driven and empirically-driven methodology in coping assessment. Pursuant to this need, a pilot study was conducted to explore the factor structure and psychometric properties of the CSI (N = 560). Results of pilot work using a principle components extraction and a parallel analysis criterion for factor retention indicated that six primary factors were …

Conscientiousness And The Prediction Of Task Duration: Evidence Of The Role Of Personality In Time Prediction, William Ernest Kelly

Doctoral Dissertations

Accuracy in predicting the duration necessary to complete a task is an important dimension of daily fife. There exists a large degree of variation in an individual's accuracy in predicting task duration. One domain suggested to influence accuracy of predicting duration is that of personality factors and individual differences. Empirical and theoretical links were found in the literature between the personality factor conscientiousness, of the Five Factor Model of Personality, anxiety, and predicting task duration. The purpose of this dissertation was to empirically examine the role of conscientiousness and anxiety in the accurate prediction of task duration. Ninety-five undergraduate students …