Counseling Psychology Commons^™

Counseling In Virtual Spaces And Into The Metaverse: A Framework For Reflection, Conversation, And Future Scholarship, Staci Hayes, Yahyahan Aras, Kathy Caputo, James Hoag, Lindsay Ibos, Sania Khan, Kelly Smith

Journal of Technology in Counselor Education and Supervision

Given the success of Virtual Reality (VR) in the gaming community and strides in mental health, both VR and the Metaverse provide limitless opportunities and possibilities in the field of counseling. This article aims to provide important definitions, an overview of the use of VR in clinical counseling, clinical supervision, counselor education and its potential emergence into the Metaverse. Implications are presented in hopes of prompting conversation on how we may accept technological and cultural shifts and remain true to our counseling roots. Specifically, how to maximize the potential benefits with counseling specific rationale and address the limitations and potential …

Leveraging Ai To Develop And Refine Research Topics In The Counseling Field, Emily A. Brinck

AI Assignment Library

The purpose of this assignment is to utilize AI tools to develop and refine a research topic within the counseling field. By engaging with AI, students will enhance their ability to identify emerging trends, analyze existing literature, and generate innovative research questions. This assignment aims to empower students with the skills needed to integrate AI into their research process, ultimately leading to more informed and impactful studies in counseling.

Bipoc Counseling And Health Service Psychology Graduate Students’ Experience Of Racism And Sense Of Belonging: A Conditional Mediation Analysis Of Coping And Social Support, Erica Pinney

Dissertations

This study sought to understand the relationship between experiences of racism within academic settings and sense of belonging to the field of Counseling/Health Service Psychology (C/HSP) for BIPOC graduate students. Further, this study sought to understand the potential mediating role of engagement coping in this relationship, as well as the conditional effect of high, neutral, or low perception of race-related social support from faculty/peers. Two-hundred forty-nine BIPOC C/HSP students responded to survey questions measuring frequency of racial/ethnic microaggressions, sense of belonging to C/HSP, engagement styles of coping with racism (Education/Advocacy and Resistance), and perception of availability of racism-related social support …

Asian Americans’ Experiences Of Covid-Related Discrimination: Collective Identity, Critical Consciousness, And Intergroup Solidarity, Han Na Lee

Dissertations

The outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has stirred fear and panic with a surge of anti-Asian hate in the United States. Racial discrimination was exacerbated by labeling COVID19 as “the Chinese virus” and blaming Asians and Asian Americans as the source of the virus. Within the exacerbated xenophobic and racist rhetoric since the COVID outbreak in 2019, racial discrimination was amplified towards anyone who phenotypically presented as “Asian.” It is unclear how various Asian ethnic individuals identify with their Asian American identity while experiencing the intensified discrimination. Specifically, experiencing COVID-related racism and group-based rejection may increase or decrease Asian …

Reclaiming Healing Spaces: A Phenomenological Study On The Transformative Power Of Outdoor Therapy From The Lived Experiences Of Black Clinicians Working With Black Clients, Lynn Murphy

Dissertations

This phenomenological study involved assessing the experiences of Black therapists who engaged Black clients in outdoor therapeutic contexts. The study was founded on the existing literature that shows the quality of the therapeutic relationship is pivotal for client retention and the Western standards that have historically favored treatment within indoor environments. To contextualize this research, a comprehensive literature review was commenced, covering topics such as the decolonization of therapy, the historical and present-day relationship between Blacks and the outdoors in the United States, sedentary lifestyles, the psychological benefits of time spent in nature, various types of outdoor therapy, and the …

An Exploration Of Adult Children’S Attachment To Their Parents Across Two Cultural Groups: Indians In India And Indians Who Immigrated To The United States, Vilasini Meenakshi Arun

Doctoral Dissertations

Typically, attachment theory has been studied and explored with western populations. Individuals seeking mental health treatment within the United States include western and nonwestern cultural groups and research, theories and interventions that apply to diverse populations are necessary. Attachment relationships are often a part of, or reasons for clients to seek therapy either overtly or covertly, thus allowing research on attachment to better inform treatment plans and practice. An attachment relationship between a parent and child can be influenced by several factors and may change over the course of development, but little is known about this process among Indians …

From Within The Walls Of The Ivory Tower: Understanding The Differences In The Effects Of The Research Training Environment And Mentor Race-Matching On Pursuing An Academic Career Between White And Bipoc Counseling Psychologists, Shruthi Jayashankar

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

A 2020 report published by American Psychological Association’s Division 45 Society for the Psychological Study of Culture, Ethnicity, and Race highlighted that although BIPOC contributions in research and scholarship have propelled innovative and revolutionary breakthroughs in the field of psychology, they consistently continue to be discounted by the overall White Eurocentric perspectives propelled by the “ivory tower.” From being minoritized in demographic representation, to falling out of the academic pipeline due to various stressors and barriers to success, the academe of psychology still seems to reflect a deficit in its facilitation of BIPOC psychologists.

This dissertation study addressed this phenomenon …

Sleeping Through The Fright: Examining The Role Of Posttraumatic Symptoms On The Relationship Between Sleep Quality, Well-Being, And Health, Matthew R. Mckenzie

Doctoral Dissertations

About one-third of our lives is spent sleeping. While sleep can be delayed to accommodate one’s lifestyle, the effects of inadequate sleep can be significant. Insufficient sleep has been linked to chronic health conditions, such as heart attacks, coronary heart disease, strokes, asthma, COPD, cancer, arthritis, depression, chronic kidney disease, and diabetes (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). Sleep disturbances, such as insomnia and nightmares, are prevalent after a traumatic event (B. Caldwell & Redeker, 2005; Spoormaker & Montgomery, 2008) and are often seen as one of the defining characteristics of posttraumatic stress disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 2013; Maker …

Rural Cervical Cancer Survivors’ Experiences Of Gender Roles: An Application Of Social Constructionism, Olivia K. Pointer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rural cervical cancer survivors, or individuals with a form of cancer that originated in the cervix of the reproductive system, may be uniquely impacted by socially constructed gender roles. The present study utilized the term “females” to describe those who self-identify as having a cervix, which may include cisgender, transgender, intersex, and non-binary gender identities. Rural females have been indicated to hold salience in traditional gender expectations as partners, mothers, community members, and more, which may add survivorship complexity for cervical cancer survivors within this population by to attempting to fulfill gender roles to the pre-cancer level. Moreover, rural cervical …

A Force To Be Reckoned With: Testimonios From Latina/E Senior Leaders Across Psychology Contexts, Sandra Bertram Grant

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Latinas currently make up 76% of overall Latino/a/e participation in psychology (American Psychological Association, 2022); however, the numbers of Latinas in top echelon leadership positions are low (National Center for Education Statistics, 2021, 2022). Notedly, the information on the current state of Latine representation in the field of psychology is even more limited. The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the testimonios of eight Latina/es regarding their professional development, decision making process, pursuit, and persistence in leadership positions, particularly within the field of psychology. This study is guided by Testimonio (Huber, 2009) as the methodological approach and analysis, …

A Phenomenological Examination Of The Perception Of Psychopathological Misdiagnosis In Gifted Men, Tina Glass

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While the exact prevalence of psychopathological misdiagnosis in gifted children is unknown, it is an occurrence within the gifted population (Amend & Beljan, 2009; Batstra et al., 2012; Bishop & Rinn, 2019; Bishop & Rinn, 2020; Coon, 2014; Webb et al., 2016). However, there is a gap in the literature related to psychopathological misdiagnosis specific to gifted males. (Desmet & Pereira, 2021; Ecklund et al., 2014; Eren et al., 2018; Neu & Weinfeld, 2007; OECD, 2015; Preckel et al., 2015; Watts, 2022). This transcendental phenomenological study leveraged Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Model for Human Development (Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 2006) as a theoretical …

Latinx Sleep Health Disparities In Primary Care: The Role Of Patient-Provider Communication, Amy L. Fraire

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Poor sleep is linked to various adverse health outcomes, and Latinx often experience shorter and poorer sleep relative to non-Hispanic whites (NHWs). Despite growing attention to racial/ethnic sleep health disparities, there is a notable dearth in the literature on patient-provider communication about sleep (Sleep Communication) during primary care visits, particularly among Latinx patients. To address this gap, this study provides initial insights into the incidence of Sleep Communication among Latinx and NHW primary care patients (N = 210), as well as if patient race/ethnicity and Sleep Communication collectively relate to patient satisfaction with their PCP or perceptions of culturally sensitive …

The New Bully: Online Racism, Online Sexual Harassment, And Their Association With Aggression And Stress, Cody Allen Cloud

Doctoral Dissertations

There has been a great deal of study related to the impacts of traditional bullying and cyberbullying on mental health and similarities found between these variables have led researchers to question whether cyberbullying is a form of traditional bullying or its own distinct variable. By further analyzing the forms of cyberbullying, online racism and online sexual harassment, the present study aims to add to this discussion. Furthermore, there has been little research on these variables since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Considering changes in work and school lifestyles during the pandemic, analyzing the associations of online racism and online …

Just Say Gay: An Exploration Of Authenticity And Connection; Queer Identified Therapists’ Lived Experiences Of Identity-Based Self-Disclosure, Courtney Dunne

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current sociopolitical climate in the United States continues to reinforce the complexities and nuances that mental health providers face when facilitating therapy. Over the past few years, anti-DEI legislation has aimed to control the narrative in educational and therapeutic settings regarding what therapists and educators are permitted to teach and share about themselves (Flannery, 2024). At the same time, anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric continues to dominate the media and further marginalizes individuals whom are in the queer community. In turn, LGBTQ+ individuals continue to face an increased risk for homelessness, substance use disorders, and suicide, which particularly has impacted LGBTQ+ youth …

The Intersection Of Consensual Non-Monogamy, Black Identity, And Power Dynamics: A Review And Proposal For Therapeutic Models, Casey Nelson

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Consensual non-monogamy (CNM) and polyamory are types of relationship structures that differ in many ways from monogamy. CNM is becoming more prevalent (Moors, 2023; Scoats & Campbell, 2022). In the United States and Canada, 1 in 5 people have engaged in some form of CNM (Moors, 2023). As more individuals engage in CNM relationships and potentially seek out couples therapy, therapists will be tasked with assisting individuals navigating relationship distress occurring within these unique relationship structures. There is limited research, or empirically validated, treatment models for working with couples with intersecting identities. To date, there has yet to be an …

Archetypal Energies And Global Mental Health, Carroy U. Ferguson

Psychology Faculty Publication Series

As a keynote speaker at the Global Mental Health Conference 2024, held at Sophia University, Costa Mesa, CA, in-person and virtually, August 16-18, 2024, my topic was "Archetypal Energies As A Framework for Self-Empowerment and Well Being". The theme of this 2024 global conference was: Enlightened Minds, Compassionate Hearts, and Embodied Wisdom. To supplement my keynote address, I wrote this blog article titled "Archetypal Energies and Global Mental Health".

Themes In Help-Seeking Of Female Military Sexual Assault Survivors, Priscilla Phan

Doctoral Dissertations

While large efforts have been made to address military sexual assault, there are still barriers in the help-seeking journey that need attention. This study aimed to examine barriers and facilitators to formal and informal help-seeking behaviors and to understand the role of stigma in survivors' help-seeking behaviors for female military sexual assault survivors. Through semi-structured interviews, the study explored the help-seeking experiences and mental health sequela of fourteen female military sexual assault survivors. This study focused on cis-gender women over the age of eighteen who experienced a military sexual assault, by another military service member, while on active-duty. Women shared …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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’ …

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, …

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 …