Counseling Psychology Commons^™

Breaking Your Own Heart: A Qualitative Study Of Grief After Initiating A Breakup, Laura P. Finkelstein

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explored how young adult initiators of romantic relationship dissolution experience grief and support through the breakup process. Participants were six female and three male undergraduate students at The University of Idaho, all of whom had initiated a breakup within the past six months. Initiators responded to a variety of questions about their experiences in a semi-structured interview. Based on a qualitative analysis of these interviews, a variety of themes emerged highlighting the often minimized experience of initiating a romantic relationship breakup in early adulthood. Additional analysis compared themes based on participant gender and age. Results suggest that initiators …

A Meta-Analytic Review Of The Relationships Between The Therapeutic Alliance, Empathy, And Genuineness In Individual Adult Psychotherapy., Jacob B. Nienhuis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explored the relationship between the therapeutic alliance and perceptions of therapist empathy and genuineness through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Alliance, empathy, and genuineness are each integral parts of the therapeutic relationship. Prior meta-analyses demonstrated that alliance, empathy, and genuineness each had a moderate relationship to therapy outcome. No previous analysis has explored how therapist empathy and genuineness contribute to the therapeutic alliance. Studies for this analysis were obtained through a multi-part search strategy. Out of 2,141 obtained abstracts, 46 studies contained enough data for inclusion in the meta-analysis. Thirty-six studies reported alliance/empathy relationships, six studies reported alliance/genuineness …

Predictors Of The Risk For Aberrant Drug-Related Behavior In Chronic Pain Patients: A Mixed Methods Design, Courtney Renee Morris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The use of opioids for the treatment of chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) remains controversial (Manchikanti, 2008; McQuay, 1999). Controversy surrounds the type of conditions that should be treated with opioids, whether the treatment can be generally safe and effective, and what the clinical goals should be. If providers can predict those patients who will be most at risk for aberrant drug-related behavior, efficacious changes in chronic pain management could be initiated and fewer patients potentially at risk for addiction. The current study explored the role of self-efficacy of pain, severity of depressive symptoms, perceived social support, and ethnic identity as …

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 Transportation Industry: Investigating Women As An Underutilized Workforce In A Traditionally Male Industry, Rachel Anne Mulholland

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated women's interest in the transportation industry. Staffing shortages coupled with disproportionate gender distributions were cause for concern within transportation. Surveys were used to investigate occupational preferences, work values, sex-type identities, self-efficacy, and perception of barriers present among women. These findings were then analyzed for significant correlations and predictive value resulting in a job profile for women that may be interested in transportation. Several predictors of interest were found to exist including age, self-efficacy, work values, and specific occupational types.

Exploring The Influence Of Adult Attachment On Stress Coping Resources And Career Adaptabillity, Laith Mazahreh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Adult Scale Of Parental Attachment-Short Form: Item Selection, Factor Structure, And Psychometric Properties, Anthony Aron Michael

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine if an abbreviated version of the Adult Scale of Parental Attachment (ASPA; Snow, Sullivan, Martin, & Helm, 2005) could be developed with an emphasis on the instrument's item selection, factor structure, and psychometric properties. The ASPA, building upon attachment theory, is a self-report measure that assesses individuals' patterns of relating based on their relationships with both mother and father figures in childhood. Utilizing the conceptual underpinnings of Classical Test Theory and factor analysis, a 40-item version of the ASPA (called the ASPA-SF) was created from 1,075 archived responses through a test construction …

Technology Use In Rural Appalachia: A Pilot Study Of The Implications For Pediatric Behavioral Health, Courtney E. Lilly

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Technology is a promising means for increasing rural individuals’ access to behavioral healthcare. However, the range of technology use in rural areas is currently unknown. The aims of this study were to examine the use of technology in rural areas, the relationship between technology use and willingness to access pediatric mental health services via videoconferencing, and this relationship within the context of other critical variables linked to service uptake. Data were collected at 2 pediatric primary care clinics. While no significant relationship was found between technology use and willingness to use videoconferencing, a significant relationship emerged between previous service seeking …

Acculturation, Marianismo Gender Role, And Ambivalent Sexism In Predicting Depression In Latinas, Andreana T. Jezzini

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explores acculturation, the Latina gender role of marianismo, and ambivalent sexism in predicting depression in a community sample of Latinas. A review of existing literature regarding these variables reveals that all three constructs can be both risk factors as well as protective factors. Since marianismo and ambivalent sexism may share similar traits, both may be self-protective coping mechanisms by Latinas in the context of a patriarchal environment with structured gender roles and strong gender disparities. One hundred and thirteen adult Latina participants from various ancestries of origin were solicited from the community using an Internet survey tool. …

Therapists' Attitudes Toward Forgiveness: The Relationship Between Forgiveness Conceptualizations And Predicted Likelihood To Assist Clients To Forgive During Treatment, Cameron F. Cannon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research supports the use of forgiveness in psychotherapy; however, little is known about how this process is integrated into treatment. Views on the utility of forgiveness appear to be mixed. Differences in conceptualization appear to exist between interventionists who promote its use and those who argue against it. This study explored the potential relationship between therapists' conceptualization of forgiveness, categorized as either agreeing with popular interventionists or not, and their predicted assistance of client forgiveness, as well as relationships between attitudes toward forgiveness and other potentially related variables Two hundred sixty nine participants recruited from practice-focused graduate training institutions completed …

Clinicians' Perceptions Of The Mental Health Of Gay Clients And The Effects Of Diversity Competency And Modern Homophobia, Joseph M. Longo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Attitudes within the psychological community regarding sexual minorities have evolved over time with a significant history of assigning pathology to lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) clients. Though attitudes have shifted, prejudice has not disappeared. Modern forms of homophobia are less overt and subtler expressions of contempt, disapproval, or discrimination and are rooted in internal conflict. In mental health training programs, LGB clients have historically received little attention, failing to prepare professionals to competently work with this population; encouragingly, this trend is changing. The present study investigated how mental health clinicians assess the level of mental health of gay male clients …

Trauma-Focused Involvement In Psychotherapy: Relations With Therapeutic Alliance And Symptoms Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Tess Siler Simpson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Childhood trauma is a risk factor for a wide range of psychopathology and other damaging outcomes later in life (Cohen, Mannarino, Murray, & Igleman, 2006; Saunders, 2003). Among the many treatment models developed for maltreated youth and their families, both specific and non-specific therapeutic factors such as developing a trauma narrative (e.g., trauma self-disclosure) and forming a strong therapeutic alliance have been identified as ―active ingredients‖ that contribute to positive treatment outcome (Cohen & Mannarino, 1996a, 1998a; Friedrich, 1990). The current study used data from the Aurora-Adolescent Mood Project, a community based randomized controlled trial, which evaluated the effectiveness of …

Relationship Adjustment In African American/White Interracial Couples, Elizabeth Rose Muino

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Interracial intimate partnerships are at greater risk for relationship dissolution (i.e., divorce or permanent separation in cohabitating couples) than their endogamous counterparts (Bratter & King, 2008). However, a disparity in dissolution rates exists between African American male/White female pairings and African American female/White male pairings. This study sought to elucidate psychological variables that may be related to this sizable discrepancy. It was hypothesized that differences between these pairings exist with regard to color-blindness, empathy, sexism, and relationship adjustment. It was further hypothesized that color-blindness, empathy, and sexism, as controlled for by gender and race, would predict relationship adjustment.

Participants included …

The Influence Of Gender And Alcohol Use On Depressive Symptoms Among Men And Women, Elizabeth Anne Peters

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the extent to which gender influences self-reported prototypical and masculine-specific symptoms of depression in men and women and whether or not alcohol mediates this relationship. Secondly, this study evaluated the effectiveness of the Denver Comprehensive Depression Inventory (DCDI), in measuring prototypical and masculine-specific depressive symptoms in clinical and non-clinical samples of men and women.

This paper summarizes the literature on gender differences in depression and the assessment of depression and gender, and outlines the current research on masculine-specific depression. It is argued that current assessment instruments identify prototypical symptoms of depression, as outlined in the DSM-IV-TR, but …

The Relationships Between Executive Function And Positive Reappraisal Abilities In Adulthood, Yen-Chen Chang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Positive reappraisal, a type of emotion regulation that involves cognitively reframing negative information in a positive light, has been shown to promote resilience in stressed individuals (i.e., it decreases depression and enhances well-being). The ability to use positive reappraisal (PRA) varies widely across individuals, raising the question of which cognitive functions might support this ability. Only a few studies have investigated this question, and they have not yet examined the relationships between PRA and executive functions that involve emotional materials ("valence-specific executive functions;" EF). The first part of the present study examined the relationships between PRA and two types of …

Exploring The Experiences Of Play Therapists Working With Children Diagnosed With Autism, Lacy Crumrine

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Instrument-Specific Rater Training On Interrater Reliability And Counseling Skills Performance Differentiation, Paul Douglas Meacham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of instrument-specific rater training on interrater reliability (IRR) and counseling skills performance differentiation. Strong IRR is of primary concern to effective program evaluation (McCullough, Kuhn, Andrews, Valen, Hatch, & Osimo, 2003; Schanche, Nielsen, McCullough, Valen, & Mykletun, 2010) and counselor education (Baker, Daniels, & Greeley, 1990; Jennings, Goh, Skovholt, & Banerje-Steevens, 2003; Lepkowski, Packman, Smaby, & Maddux, 2009). The ability to differentiate between low and high performances of counseling skills is central to informing the classroom instruction of counseling students and the supervision of early clinical experiences (Byrne & Hartley, …

Korean American Adolescents' And Their Parents' Attitudes And Expectations Toward Group Counseling, Myoung Ah Lee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the current investigation was to examine the relationships between three important cultural factors—acculturation, self-disclosure, and gender— and Korean American adolescents’ attitudes and expectations about group counseling. In addition, the relationships between two of these factors−acculturation and self-disclosure, and Korean parents’ expectations and attitudes about group counseling as a potential treatment modality for their adolescents were examined. Ninety-three Korean high school students who attended 9 private afterschool programs provided by the Korean Institute of Southern California (KISC) in the Los Angeles area and their 93 corresponding Korean parents participated in the present study. For the student sample, the …

Trauma In Transportation: Factors Contributing To Positive And Negative Outcomes Of Involvement In Trauma For Railroad Workers, Jill Veronica Pinarowicz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explored several predictors of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Post Traumatic Growth (PTG) in a sample of 136 train employees. The first objective was to examine the influence of number of work related traumas, number of life traumas, age, personality characteristic extroversion, personality characteristic openness, social support, positive cognitive coping, and negative cognitive coping in the prediction of PTSD. The second objective was to assess the influence of number of work related traumas, number of life traumas, age, personality characteristic extroversion, personality characteristic openness, social support, positive cognitive coping, and negative cognitive coping prediction of PTG.

Freight …

A Generic Qualitative Study Of The Experiences Of International Students Participating In The Cultural Connections Program At The University Of Mississippi, Nadezda Nikolaevna Kholomeydik

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to explore the experiences of international students participating in the Cultural Connections Program at The University of Mississippi. A generic qualitative design was utilized using purposeful criterion sampling. The data was collected from two focus group interviews with 11 participants in focus group 1 and 10 participants in focus group 2. Using a generic qualitative approach, eight initial themes were identified after focus group 1 and eight clarifying questions were developed based on these themes. During focus group 2, these clarifying questions were utilized to further explore the eight initial themes in more depth …

Posttraumatic Growth Following Cancer: The Role Of Cognitive Processing, Anxiety, Depression And Perceived Threat, Jennifer M. Caspari

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explored several predictors of posttraumatic growth (PTG) in a sample of 169 breast, prostate and colorectal cancer survivors. The first aim was to determine the influence of Anxiety, Depression and Perceived Threat (defined as the combination of Life Outlook Threat, i.e., the degree a cancer diagnosis challenged a survivor's assumptive world, and Physical Threat, i.e., threat to mortality and physical well-being) in the prediction of Positive and Negative Cognitive Processing. The second aim was to examine the effect of Anxiety, Depression, Perceived Threat, and Positive and Negative Cognitive Processing in the predication of PTG.

Cancer survivors who were …

Multinational Teams: The Relationship Between Work Values And Productivity And The Moderating Effect Of Degree Of Operational Integration, Kelly C. Kinnebrew

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study gathered data from 147 employees in two U.S. headquartered multinational manufacturing companies. Participants responded to questions about their work-related values, perceptions of the productivity of their work teams, and the degree of operational integration between firms‟ foreign affiliate offices and their U.S. based headquarters. Additionally, analyses were conducted to assess the relationship between team productivity and psychic distance, which is a measure of country-level cultural differences. Work values were assessed using The Values Scale (Neville & Super, 1989), perceptions of team productivity were assessed used an instrument by Kirkman and Rosen (1999), degree of operational integration was …

A Longitudinal Study Of Fetal Tissue Transplantation Surgery For The Treatment Of Parkinson's Disease: Can Quality Of Life And Optimism At Baseline Predict Patient Outcome 10 Years Later?, Emily B. Fazio

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive condition that affects the physical, emotional, and social functioning of individuals. Freed et al. (2001) conducted a double-blind sham-controlled trial to investigate the effectiveness of fetal tissue transplantation for the treatment of advanced PD. The authors of that study examined the effects of the surgery across the dimensions of physical and neurological functioning. A quality of life (QoL) study was conducted to determine if there were differences in QoL when comparing those who received the fetal tissue transplantation with those who received the sham surgery (McRae et al., 2004).

While there is …

An Investigation Into The Relationship Between Conscientiousness, Self-Awareness, And Occupational Stress Outcomes In Culinary Chefs, Tanja M. Hinterstoisser

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether, and to what extent, Conscientiousness, as part of the personality construct, and Self-Awareness, as part of the emotional intelligence construct, influence the occupational stress outcomes of absenteeism and burnout in culinary chefs. The research method and design selected for this study was a quantitative correlation and regression. The researcher selected the Self-Awareness factors from the ECI - 2.0, and the Conscientiousness factors from the NEO-FFI to measure the individual and interactive effect on absenteeism and burnout. The experience of burnout itself was measured the Maslach Burnout Inventory - GS, and absenteeism …

Language Acculturation Discrepancy In Latina/O Families And Its Relationship With Emotional And Behavioral Problems, Jonathan P. Muther

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study is an assessment of whether a language acculturation discrepancy (LAD) within families is most predictive of emotional and behavioral problems for Latina/o youth when relevant variables are controlled. A sample of predominantly Mexican American parent-child dyads was recruited to complete a language-based measure of acculturation and parent participants completed an assessment of their child's emotional and behavioral functioning. Results indicated a total difference value between parent-child levels of language acculturation to be most predictive of the outcome. Additionally, the child's level of language acculturation, independent of that of the parent, was also found to account for a …

The Influences Of Gender And Race On The Attachment Styles Within A Criminal Population, Morgan Litchfield Bryant

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study utilizes tenets of attachment theory to examine how patterns of relating to parental figures vary according to the race and gender of subjects residing in a correctional facility. The study can perhaps influence rehabilitation services within the prison system and modify anti-recidivism programs attended by individuals released from a correctional facility. Second year doctoral students originally collected the data. The participants in the study were given the Adult Scale of Parental Attachment (ASPA) and a general questionnaire in an effort to gather information regarding race, gender, and patterns of relating. The participants were above the age of 18, …

How Group Leaders Rate The Frequency Of Practice And Level Of Importance Of The Asgw Principles For Diversity-Competent Group Workers, Daphne Ha Ingene

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The establishment of multicultural counseling competencies evolved over a decade. In 1992, Sue, Arredondo, and McDavis published the influential Multicultural Counseling Competencies and Standards. The Association for Specialists in Group Work (ASGW) is one of the counseling professional organizations that incorporated these standards into their own professional guidelines, as well as Association of Multicultural Counseling and Development, AMCD; Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs, CACREP. However, the Principles for Diversity-Competent Group Workers have never been empirically studied to determine whether these multicultural group standards in fact offer helpful information for group workers. Such studies can provide evidence of the …

The Role Of Mental Health Professionals In Cases Of Child Sexual Abuse As Seen Through The Eyes Of Judges, S. Lynn Etheridge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The involvement of Mental Health Professionals (MHPs) in cases of child sexual abuse (CSA) is complex and intimidating. There are legal rules and academic suggestions to guide the MHP in this endeavor, but in experience, these rules and suggestions are lacking. Current literature and research indicates that there is little if any direct knowledge on how judges perceive MHPs who testify before them in court. A qualitative phenomenological inquiry that directly interviefive judges about their perceptions of MHPs in cases of CSA was undertaken. The results indicate that MHPs should be more intentional about their choices regarding involvement in court, …

The Impact Of Adherence To Traditional Masculine Gender Role Norms On Anger And Depression, Matthew Charles Genuchi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Large scale studies of the incidence and prevalence of psychological disorders have consistently shown that women meet full DSM-IV criteria for major depressive disorder at twice the rate of men (Kessler et al., 1994; Kessler et al., 2003; NCS-R, 2007; Robins & Reiger, 1991). Some have proposed (Cochran & Rabinowitz, 2000; Kilmartin, 2005; Pollack, 1998) that the current DSM-IV diagnostic criteria do not adequately reflect the depressive symptoms of some men. Men tend to use more externalizing defenses and distracting coping styles to manage negative affect, and anger is hypothesized as an externalizing symptom of a masculine variation of major …

Constructing A Neuroscientific Pastoral Theology Of Fear And Hope, Jason C. Whitehead

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Contemporary therapeutic circles utilize the concept of anxiety to describe a variety of disorders. Emotional reductionism is a detriment to the therapeutic community and the persons seeking its help. This dissertation proposes that attention to the emotion of fear clarifies our categorization of particular disorders and challenges emotional reductionism. I propose that the emotion of fear, through its theological relationship to hope, is useful in therapeutic practice for persons who experience trauma and PTSD.

I explore the differences between fear and anxiety by deconstructing anxiety. Through this process, I develop four categories which help the emotion of fear stand independent …