Counseling Psychology Commons^™

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 …

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 …

Acculturation, Well-Being And Identity Of Oromo Immigrants, Hawi M. Wako

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between racial and ethnic identity, acculturative stress, and well-being for first generation Oromo immigrants. Studies regarding immigration, acculturative stress, identity, and well-being have primarily centered on Hispanics, Asians, and Caribbean individuals, but there has been a lack of attention toward Black African immigrants, including Oromo immigrants. The lack of inquiry into Black African immigrants, especially Oromo immigrants, creates a perception that all immigrants are the same, leading to a generic approach toward immigrant interventions and falls short of meeting the unique mental health needs of specific African communities.

Immigrants must …

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 …

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 …

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; …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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, …

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 …

(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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Online Self-Presentation And Its Relationship To The Level Of Exposure To Cyber-Harassment Among A Sample Of The University Of Jordan Students, Randah Odeh Barakat, Islam F. Alzu'bi

An-Najah University Journal for Research - B (Humanities)

The study aimed to identify the level of online self-presentation and its relationship to the level of exposure to cyber-harassment among a sample of the University of Jordan students consisting of (385) male and female bachelor's students from the Faculty of Arts. The questionnaires that are built for the level of online self-presentation and level of exposure to cyber-harassment were constructed and evaluated for their validity and reliability. The results indicated that the level of online self-presentation and the level of exposure to cyber-harassment among students were moderate, the level of online self-presentation was positively correlated with the level of …

Effects Of Posttraumatic Cognitions, Working Alliance, And Relational Intimacy Skills In Ptsd Treatment, Xiaonan Zhang

Dissertations (1934 -)

Cognitive theories have been proposed to explain the development and maintenance of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Social-cognitive theories, as one of two major categories of cognitive theories (Brewin et al., 1996), emphasize the role of trauma-related beliefs in the development of PTSD, which led to the incorporation of modifying maladaptive trauma-related cognitions in psychological treatments of PTSD. Although extant studies have provided empirical evidence for the efficacy of these treatments, questions regarding active therapeutic components still exist. To that end, this study examined the effects of social-cognitive factors (i.e., posttraumatic cognitions, relational intimacy skills, and working alliance) on PTSD symptomatology …

Psychosocial Impact Of Assistive Technology On Veterans With Disabilities In Higher Education, Maricela Rosales

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation study was to examine the psychosocial impact of assistive technology (AT) on veterans with disabilities in higher education. A current problem is that there is a research and knowledge gap in the AT needs of student veterans with disabilities living in South Texas, as well as in the psychosocial impact that AT for everyday life activities has on the quality of life of student veterans with disabilities who live with functional limitations. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to examine the psychosocial impact variables with participants from higher education institutions via online and in-person surveys. …

Licensed Professional Counselors In Texas: The Role Of Stigma In Seeking Counseling Services, Raquel C. Vasquez

Theses and Dissertations

The literature on stigma has revealed this attribute as a deterrent to seeking mental health services. This study encompassed an investigation of the impact of self-stigma and public stigma on the intentions to seek mental health services of Texas Licensed Professional Counselors. A survey was sent via email, social media platforms associated with Licensed Professional Counselors, and snowball sampling to recruit participants. The participants (N = 99) completed self-report measures about self-stigma, public stigma, social desirability characteristics, and attitudes towards seeking mental health help. The results indicated that neither self-stigma nor public stigma was a deterrent to seeking mental health …

A Hermeneutic Analysis Of Relational Dynamics In Counseling And Psychotherapy Supervision, Onur Özmen

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Counseling and psychotherapy supervision is a process that includes crucial relational dynamics (Calvert et al., 2016). Power dynamics and multicultural considerations (Green & Dekkers, 2010), as well as parallel processes (Tracey et al., 2012) are among those concepts playing nuanced roles in the relationship and underlining an intersubjective nature of a mutual process.

In this study, I explore these relational dynamics in a single individual supervisory relationship. Following a qualitative, interpretive methodology of Gadamer’s (2013) philosophical hermeneutics, I focused on interpreting eight supervision video recordings of a counselor education and supervision doctoral student (supervisor), with a master’s practicum student of …

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 …

Training In Trauma-Responsive And Anti-Racist Telehealth: A Model For Behavioral Health Clinicians And Providers, Ritchie Rubio

Psychology Division Scholarship

Telehealth's uptake in behavioral health services has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, many clinicians continue to lack focused training in providing trauma-informed and culturally-responsive telehealth care. This article outlines a model curriculum that was created to instruct and coach behavioral health providers in California on how to integrate anti-racist and trauma-responsive techniques into telehealth. Topics like evidence-based trauma therapies, racial/ ethnic trauma, marginalized communities, digital divide, and provider selfcare were all covered in the nine-part curriculum. Every three-hour session included evidence-informed didactic content, telehealth skills practice, and concrete planning for implementation. Trauma-responsive frameworks such as the tri-phasic model …

Development And Preliminary Validation Of The Internalized Heterosexist Racism Measure For Sexual Minorities Of Color, Juan Pantoja-Patino

Dissertations

Research on intersectional internalized oppression among sexual minorities of color is scant. One of the reasons as to why such oppression is understudied amongst such population is the lack of psychological measures. At the same time, sexual minorities of color are faced with the negative impact of living in a racist and heterosexist society. Therefore, this study is one of first to develop and preliminarily validate the Internalized Heterosexist Racism Measure (IHRM) that evaluates internalized heterosexist racism in sexual minorities of color. By applying an intersectionality framework, the IHRM was generated from an extensive literature review and then reviewed by …

Exploring The Relationship Between Partner Boundary Flexibility Congruence And Well-Being Outcomes While Work From Home During Covid: The Mediation Of Dyadic Empathy, Huaying Li

Dissertations

This study integrates person-environment fit theory and boundary theory to examine the influence of congruence in work and family boundary management on the well-being of couples working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Focusing on the differences in work and family boundary management preferences between spouses, the study assesses the effects on dyadic empathy (empathic concern and perspective-taking), marital satisfaction, and job performance. Utilizing latent congruence modeling with survey data from 222 US employees, the study reveals that congruence (difference) in family flexibility between couples negatively impacts empathic concerns and perspective-taking. Conversely, actual transitions between work and family positively influence …

The Effects Of Covid-19 On Asian American Perception Of Mental Health, Emily Tseung

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study describes a qualitative study using a grounded theory, constructivist approach, which sampled (N = 6) Asian American college students who lived in the United States during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Research shows that COVID significantly impacted the Asian American perception of mental health, including mental health help- seeking behaviors and discrimination experienced. The long-term effects of this are still largely unknown. In depth, semi-structured interviews were used to explore the lived experiences of these Asian Americans. Qualitative analysis revealed thematic differences for the following themes: (a) experience with mental illness, (b) mental health help- seeking …

Neverland Theory: An Introduction To A Childish-Positive Framework, Daniel M. Gardner

University Honors Theses

Proposes, defines, and defends the beginnings of an original theoretical approach (Neverland Theory) which advocates for the revitalization of psychotherapy through embracing and incorporating more of the "Childish" in clinical practice. Three formal aspects of Childishness are proposed and briefly defined. A literature review of three existing psychotherapies which effectively incorporate the proposed Childish aspects are highlighted and shown to be effective and efficacious. It is argued that prioritization of these aspects contributes to treatment outcome in a way which goes beyond what can be empirically evidenced.

Understanding The Relationship Between Perceived Childhood Experiences And Relationship With God, Remaz Bahaa

Theses and Dissertations

The present study explores the relationship between perceived childhood experiences and one’s current relationship with God in an Egyptian Muslim sample. While such relationship has been researched in Western contexts, there is a notable gap in understanding these dynamics within Muslim Middle Eastern cultures. In this study, 180 participants, brought up in Muslim households, were given the following questionnaires: both versions of the Parental Acceptance Rejection Questionnaire (PARQ) referring to the father and mother, Attachment to God Inventory (AGI), and Images of God (LAMBI Scale). The results presented the internal consistency of both the AGI and LAMBI scales with the …