Counseling Psychology Commons^™

The Impact Of Coach-Created Motivational Climate On Athletes’ Mental Health And The Mitigating Effects Of Psychological Safety And Psychological Resiliency, Shir Wasserman

Dissertations, 2020-current

With the growing importance of athletes’ mental health in sport, there is an escalating need for understanding the multifaceted nature of the concept, including related individual and environmental factors (Nixdorf et al., 2023). Previous studies suggest that athletes’ engagement with their social environment can potentially influence their mental health outcomes (Reis, 2001). Additionally, studies examining the coach-athlete relationship have consistently affirmed the significance of this connection to various athlete-related outcomes, including aspects of mental health and overall well-being (Jowett & Shanmagum, 2016). Therefore, this study explored the relationship between coach-created motivational climate, athletes' mental health, and the mitigating effects of …

Anticipatory Grief Narratives Of Caregivers Of Children With Cockayne Syndrome, Emily T. Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Knowledge of the impending death of a loved one has been connected with experiences of anticipatory grief. Specific grief experiences such as caring for a parent with dementia and caring for a child with cancer have been explored. Other rarely occurring anticipatory grief experiences have yet to be explored. The occurrence of Cockayne syndrome (CS) is 2.7 births in 1,000,000 worldwide. CS caregivers begin grieving the moment they learn of their child’s diagnosis, and counseling professionals are ill prepared to counsel the bereaved in even the more typical post death situations. Therefore, this qualitative, narrative study asked the question: what …

The Lived Experiences Of Cisheteronormativity By Nonbinary Sexual Assault Survivors, Emma Jackson Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Gender minorities experience higher rates of sexual assault (SA) victimization and psychological distress, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than their cisgender counterparts. Nonbinary individuals, in particular, face elevated levels of victimization, post assault distress, and unique barriers to receiving competent care both in general and specific to their assault experiences. Current research highlights the need for culturally competent care for nonbinary and transgender individuals, as well as for SA survivors. Although the experiences of SA survivors have been previously explored, specific information regarding the experiences of nonbinary survivors remains scarce. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study, grounded in Heideggerian …

Beyond ‘Manning Up’: The Impact Of Hegemonic Masculinity & Gender Norms On Mental Health Help-Seeking Among College Men, Joslyn Barragan

Master's Theses

This narrative inquiry study was conducted to explore college men's conceptualization of masculinity and gender norms and their relationship with mental health-related help-seeking behaviors. Through semi-structured interviews with seven men, I gathered their perceptions of mental health support and the obstacles they encountered in accessing it. Drawing from Connell's conceptualization of masculinities, this study locates their narratives within the broader framework of societal expectations, highlighting the complexities of men's attitudes and behaviors toward mental health counseling. Ultimately, five critical narratives were discovered: a) Initial models of masculinity emerge through socialization; b) Men encounter barriers to mental health care from all …

Cbt-I Training For The Mental Health Clinician To Deliver Evidence-Based Treatment To Address Impaired Sleep Quality In A Correctional Facility, Huong Madrigal

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Abstract

Description of the Problem: Insomnia significantly impacts mental and physical well-being, with long-term health effects and considerable healthcare costs. While pharmacological treatments offer temporary relief for some, they do not always provide lasting solutions.

Available Knowledge: A PRISMA-guided literature review found that training programs for cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) are effective in increasing knowledge and confidence for addressing impaired sleep.

Aim and Objectives: This project aimed to enhance mental health clinicians' ability to assess and treat impaired sleep, focusing on implementing a tailored CBT-I educational initiative in a correctional facility.

Intervention: This project implemented evidence-based CBT-I …

An Exploration Of China’S Low Fertility From A Feminist Lens: Chinese Women’S Feminist Identity Development, Perceived Gender Inequality, And Attitudes Toward Marriage, Yuan Hao

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Inspired by China’s current low fertility rate issues, this dissertation explored how Chinese women’s perceptions on gender inequality might shape their attitudes towards marriage and intent to marry, through the influences of different dimensions of feminist identity development. Through an online survey, 251 Chinese women who met the inclusion criteria were participants in this study. Hypotheses were tested through mediation analysis using the PROCESS Macro Model 4.

The following hypotheses were supported: 1) Chinese women’s perception of gender inequality is associated with their attitudes toward marriage. The greater they perceive gender inequality, the more negative their attitudes toward marriage will …

Policy, Practice, And Perceptions Of K-12 Social-Emotional Learning, Janice Filer, Ebony C. Cain, Della Thompson-Bell

Education Division Scholarship

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of K-12 school staff who participate in social-emotional learning (SEL). Since the global pandemic, several school districts have included SEL as part of the school curriculum. Teachers, counselors, social workers, school psychologists, and school administrators participate in SEL instruction and/or practices. Classroom teachers instruct students in SEL instruction and other school staff practice the SEL components of self-awareness, self-management, decision-making, social awareness, and relationship skills through their daily interactions with students. This study was conducted in various schools throughout the Los Angeles area using open-ended interview questions that utilized focus …

Counselor Education Doctoral Student Supervisors’ Preparedness To Address Indirect Trauma: Compassion Fatigue, Secondary Traumatic Stress, And Vicarious Trauma, Dynetta Clark

Dissertations

Hearing the painful stories of clients (indirect trauma) has been described as an occupational hazard for professionals working with trauma survivors and is becoming more common among mental health professionals. This might include counselors struggling with intrusive thoughts and having flashbacks of victimization, counselors viewing the world as an unsafe and unpredictable place, and/or counselors experiencing a loss of ability to empathize with clients. Clinical supervision is documented as an effective strategy to reduce the adverse effects of indirect trauma symptomology. A signature component of most counselor education and supervision doctoral programs is the training and preparation of students to …

Black Women’S Instagram Usage And Body Dissatisfaction, Shirlee Buchanan Moore Jr.

Dissertations

Within U.S. culture, girls and women of all ages are subject to experiencing body dissatisfaction. This dissatisfaction often results from direct comparison of one’s body to others, often via media depictions. Viewing these images prompts women of all cultures to engage in social comparison and learn to view themselves through an observer’s perspective. The advent of contemporary social media has increased the accessibility of images of others and, subsequently, social comparison of one’s body to others. Research has noted that women of all racial backgrounds utilize social media and experience varying degrees of satisfaction and dissatisfaction with their bodies. Despite …

Association Of Illness Perceptions, Illness Perception Incongruence, And Psychological Distress Among Caregivers In The Context Of Chronic Multi-Symptom Illness, Darren Winograd

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Following the common sense model of self regulation (CSM), how individuals think about an illness (i.e., illness perceptions) influences one’s level of psychological distress (e.g., burden, depression). This is thought to be especially true for illnesses which lack any clear medical etiology, termed chronic multi-symptom illness (CMI). While the impact of illness perceptions are well established predictors of distress among those diagnosed CMI, no known study has considered if illness perceptions similarly impact informal caregivers caring for individuals with CMI. This study therefore sought to examine if illness perceptions held by caregivers caring for individuals with CMI predicted caregiver psychological …

Clinical Supervision Through A Multicultural Lens: Burnout, Vigor, And Supervisee Quality Of Life, Jacob Alexander Moore

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The present study sought to replicate and extend existing research (Hutman & Ellis, 2020; McNamara et al., 2023) on the relations among perceived clinical supervisor multicultural competency, and physical and psychological quality of life outcomes for supervisees. Utilizing a serial mediation analysis with a sample of 285 mental health supervisees, this study tested the predictive role of multicultural competency (MC) on supervisee quality of life (QoL), as mediated by the supervisor working alliance (SWA) and burnout/vigor (B/V) of the supervisee as a multivariate set, respectively. Multivariate multiple regression analysis was conducted to test the serial mediation hypotheses. Results indicated that …

Emotionality Stigma Scale: Measurement Development, Reliability, And Validity., Hayley D. Seely

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Emotions are biological responses to stimuli that allow individuals to derive meaning, appraise experiences, and prepare to respond. However, individuals perceive emotions differently based on emotion socialization which not only dictates the way emotions are viewed and managed but also has been directly linked with mental health outcomes. Furthermore, research shows emotion socialization is informed by demographic variables such as gender such that the expectations of emotionality differ; where women are taught to express emotions, men are taught to conceal. Given the societal rules regarding emotionality, it is possible that emotionality stigma – the stigma around the experience and expression …

Relation Between The Negative Cognitive Triad, Perceived Everyday Discrimination, Depressive Symptoms, And Tnf-A In Adolescents., Ashley Ann Marshall Dondanville

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study is based on Beck's cognitive stress-vulnerability model of depression and previous research on (a) the increased risk for severe illnesses associated with TNF-⍺ (i.e., an inflammatory cytokine), (b) the effect of perceived everyday discrimination (PED) on depressive symptoms and TNF-⍺, (c) the association between depressive symptoms and TNF-⍺, (d) and findings that the negative cognitive triad (i.e., negative views of the self, world, and future) serves as a partial mediator between PED and depressive symptoms. The purpose of this study is to integrate Beck’s model and these different research lines by inspecting the associations between the stressor PED …

Understanding The Barriers And Contributions To Success Among African American Graduate Students Pursuing Doctorate Degrees In Clinical Or Counseling Psychology: A Comparative Analysis Of Predominantly White Institutions And Historically Black Colleges And Universities In The U.S., Chelle' Thomas

Dissertations

This study investigated the barriers encountered by African American students in earning doctorate degrees in clinical or counseling psychology at Predominately White Institutions (PWIs) compared to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). This study aims to elucidate the challenges encountered by African American graduate students in their pursuit of doctoral degrees in clinical or counseling psychology. The study focused on analyzing the obstacles and positive impacts experienced by African American graduate students as they strive to obtain doctorates in clinical or counseling psychology. Multiple challenges and contributions have been identified in this a phenomenological qualitative study. The qualitative results indicate …

The Association Between Social Media, Toxic Masculinity, And Depression In Young Adult Males, Anthony Warren

Dissertations

The world is shaped by diverse influences that significantly affect individuals’ internal landscapes, leading to both positive and negative effects with profound implications for society. Role models play a pivotal role in shaping the aspirations of young adult males by providing direct and indirect lessons that leave lasting impressions and influence their worldview. In recent years, social media use, toxic masculinity, and mental health have garnered significant attention in understanding the experiences of young adult males. The focus in this study was to examine the relationships between social media use, toxic masculinity, and depression in young adult males ranging in …

An Investigation Of Continued Contact Between Victim And Perpetrator After Sexual Violence, Maria Bates

Student Theses

Given the prevalence of sexual violence and child sexual abuse (CSA) it is imperative to accurately conceptualize victim experience following sexual violence. Rape myths do not provide an adequate understanding of victim behavior post-abuse/assault (e.g., Denne et al., 2013; Harsey & Freed, 2023; Romero-Sanchez et al., 2018; Russel & Hand, 2017), such as prescribing that victims of sexual violence would never hold contact with a perpetrator post-abuse/assault (e.g., Maurer, 2015; Shepp et al., 2019; St. George et al., 2022; Smith, 2023). Since research shows that many victims, particularly CSA victims, know the perpetrator, (e.g., Basile, 2020; Gewirtz-Meydan & Finkelhor, 2020; …

Adverse Childhood Experiences And Career Decision Making In College Students: Investigating The Moderating Effects Of Perceived Covid-19 Impact And Ambiguity Tolerance, Kendall Klumpp

Dissertations

College students face many difficult decisions as they navigate adulthood, including making a decision about their career. Although much research has already been conducted to explore these difficulties, little has explored the potential impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on one’s career-related cognitions. Further, the COVID-19 pandemic has provided a new context in which difficulties with career-related decisions may be exacerbated. Through the lens of psychological stress, the current study examined the responses of 231 undergraduate students using a university-based online participant recruiting site, SONA. It was predicted that level of ACEs would be positively related with levels of negative …

White Counseling Psychology Doctoral Trainees’ Experiences Broaching Whiteness With White Clients: An Interpretative Phenomenological Study, Zari Koelbel Carpenter

Dissertations

This research builds upon scholarship of critical theorists and critical whiteness studies. The “invisibility” of whiteness has been increasingly acknowledged and attended to in counseling psychology. Further, prominent scholars have continuously urged the field of counseling psychology to acknowledge race as a psychological characteristic of white people (Helms, 2017; Helms & Carter, 1990a). Attention to whiteness is needed, as the majority of the counseling workforce, including doctoral students (55%), identifies as white (American Psychological Association, 2020). As racial identity development can advance the personal and professional development of white counseling psychologists and benefit clients, increased attention is merited for the …

Narratives Of Grief And Loss From The Children Who Lost A Parent On 9/11, Ryan Sliwak

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Limited research exists on the grief experiences of children who lost a parent on 9/11, particularly how these children evolve in their grief process, including their comprehension of the loss and their evolving attachment to the deceased parent (Kaplow et al., 2018; Alvis et al., 2022). Existing frameworks often assume post-traumatic reactions without fully considering the nuances of grief experiences for these children (Chemtob, 2007; Hoven, 2005).

Two research questions guided this study: (a) How does the pre-loss relationship with the parent influence the ongoing internal relationship with the deceased parent? (b) How does maintaining an internal relationship with the …

Social Support In The Time Of Social Media: Predicting Gen Zers’ Preferences For In-Person And Virtual Support, Carla Mastroianni

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Increased usage of social networking sites (SNS) among young people, both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, is well documented. Both positive and negative associations with SNS usage have been found. However, findings lack causal links and describe frequency of usage, applications used, and generalized descriptions of usage type (e.g., to connect with others versus consume content). There is considerable movement toward understanding SNS usage type and trends by subgroup—a precursor to better understanding which groups are using SNS for what purposes, particularly those more likely to experience negative outcomes associated with SNS. This study utilized a cross-sectional design to …

Relations Between Discrimination, Negative Attribution Style, Cortisol, And Depressive Symptoms In Adolescents., Hannah Widmer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The aim of our study was to integrate the chronic stressor of Perceived Everyday Discrimination (PED) into the Hopelessness Theory of Depression with a focus on the comorbidity between physical and mental health by way of depressive symptoms and cortisol in adolescents. Research has shown that cognitive diatheses mediate the relation between stress and depressive symptoms and cortisol predicts depression. We hypothesized that Negative Attribution Style (NAS) and cortisol would mediate the relation between PED and depressive symptoms. Altogether, 99 adolescents (mean age: 14.10 years, 36.4% female; 63.6% male; ethnicity: 2% Latinx; 98.2 % non-Latinx; race: 41.4% Black, 34.8% White, …

Examining The Role Of Presence Of Meaning In Life On Wellbeing In Emerging Adulthood., Hannah K. Heitz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Emerging adults face numerous challenges and stressors, such as financial stress, which often accompanies the experience of educational and occupational transitions. As such, it is important to identify personal resources, or protective factors, to help emerging adults buffer the experience of financial stress. Presence of meaning in life has been identified as a resource that can buffer the negative effects of stressors on wellbeing among adults and adolescents, yet there is little empirical evidence for its moderating effect among emerging adults. There is some evidence in the literature that suggests that emerging adults experience presence of meaning in life differently …

Racial Identity & Psychological Distress: The Mediating Role Of Sense Of Community And Spiritual Struggles Among Black Christians., Adebayo Ajibade

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Religious practice and church membership have historically been protective and critical in Black communities in the United States and across the African diaspora. Demographic studies have shown a consistent decline in religious adherence and practice across racial and ethnic groups in the United States. However, the decline in religious practice and participation in religious communities has been less pronounced among individuals of African descent. Participation in one’s religious community is often a source of positive social engagement and can foster positive intrapersonal outcomes (e.g., wellbeing). However, religious communities and religious practice can also be the source of conflict and emotional …

Examination Of Model Minority Myth, Mentorship, University Environment, And Sense Of Belonging On The Well-Being Of Asian American Undergraduate And Graduate Students., Stephanie Chin, Stephanie Chin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Even though Asian Americans continue to demonstrate academic excellence and have the highest rates of completion in higher education, their psychological well-being and the factors impacting it are often overlooked due to the model minority myth (Poon et al., 2016; Mahalingham, 2013). Higher education research mainly focuses on academic outcomes (e.g., persistence and retention) and less so on psychological outcomes. This study explored and examined psychosociocultural factors, specifically internalization of the model minority myth stereotype, mentorship, university environment, and sense of belonging on psychological (eudaimonic) well-being, in order to provide a more holistic and contextualized perspective of Asian American students’ …

Instrument Not Ornament: Exploring Women’S Experiences Of Body Objectification And Belonging To An All-Women’S Mountain Biking Group In The Ozarks, Katherine Ketchum

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Description: Despite the attention given to body positivity, body neutrality, and body appreciation, women are consistently and overwhelmingly experiencing body objectification and its harmful effects being normalized by society and internalized individually (Shorter et al., 2008). At the same time, the popularity of mountain biking for women and all-women's mountain biking groups in the Ozarks has grown exponentially in recent years, yet gender stereotypes and disparities for women remain (Irvin et al., 2021). The purpose of this study was to make meaning of (1) women’s experiences of body objectification and (2) women’s experiences belonging to an all-women's mountain biking group …

Factors That Help And Hinder Experience Of Reflective Functioning In An Attachment-Based Intervention: An Enhanced Critical Incident Technique Analysis Of Parents’ Experiences, Shelly-Ann Peart James

Dissertations, 2020-current

This study explored parents’ experiences as it relates to their capacity to think about their child’s thinking and feeling, Parental Reflective Functioning (PRF), an attachment theory construct. PRF was explored in the context of an attachment-based intervention, the Secure Child Program (SCP), that focuses on children and their families. Parents’ voices were centered in this study through the employment of narrative research methodology, specifically, the Enhanced Critical Incident Technique. Participants consisted of seven parents within the SCP. A semi-structured interview developed for the study was informed by extant measures of PRF. Findings indicate helping and hindering categories with the vast …

(Don’T Fear) The Factors: An Item-Level Meta-Analysis Of The Fear Of Covid-19 Scale’S Factor Structure And Measurement Invariance, William P. Jimenez, Asiye Zeytonli, Yasmine Nabulsi, Xiaoxiao Hu

Psychology Faculty Publications

The global COVID-19 pandemic saw marked research and clinical interest in evaluating pandemic-related distress, namely fear and anxiety regarding infection and death. The most widely used and earliest developed measure of COVID-19 distress is Ahorsu et al. (2022) seven-item Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S). To investigate the factor structure and measurement equivalence of the FCV-19S, we conducted an item-level meta-analysis synthesizing 1155 effect sizes across k = 55 independent samples comprising N = 71,161 individuals. We found that a two-factor measurement model comprising a four-item Emotional factor and a three-item Psychosomatic factor exhibits better fit than the originally proposed single-factor …

Play Therapists Attitudes, Knowledge, And Skills In Identifying Disordered Eating In Children And Adolescents., Hailey Thomas

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence of disordered eating among children and adolescents has been steadily increasing, posing an increase in the need for treatment. Recognizing and addressing disordered eating in childhood and adolescence is critical to fostering a healthy relationship with food and body image and ensuring the overall well-being of youth. Play has long been considered an important factor in understanding children's lives and experiences and is the recommended counseling approach for children and adolescents (Landreth, 2012). Play therapy is grounded in the fundamental understanding that play is children's and adolescents' natural mode of expression, where toys are their words, and play …

Disparities Surrounding The Availability Of Feminine Hygiene Products In The Workplace, Marlene Ventura

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Menstrual inequality in the workplace continues to exist, affecting financial welfare, mental health, physical health, and access to care. Women have been enduring disparities related to menstruation, including stigma, shame, and period poverty, which are often exacerbated in the workplace. This study aims to explore the experiences of women who do not have access to free feminine hygiene products in the workplace.

The researcher conducted one-to-one interviews in person with employed women (n=9). The questions were semi-structured and based on a survey with nineteen questions addressing areas of menstrual inequality in the workplace. Seven themes were identified: 1) work performance, …

Predicting Distance Learning Counselor Education Doctoral Students’ Research Self-Efficacy, Jennifer Patrice Edwards

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Distance learning is a growing educational delivery method for Counselor Education and Supervision (CES) doctoral students. At the time of this study, no research existed regarding the research self-efficacy (RSE) of distance learning CES doctoral students. Historically, the lack of RSE among counselor educators has been a chronic issue. However, research addressing contributors to improving RSE among distance learning CES doctoral students is unknown. The purpose of this study was to assess and provide data on current perceptions and predictors of RSE among distance learning CES doctoral students. Two theories were used to conceptualize the key variables which were Lent …