Developmental Psychology Commons^™

Navigating Family, Culture, And Well-Being: A Qualitative Study Of First-Generation Adult Children Of Middle Eastern Immigrants In The United States, Ramona Amely

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this study is to explore the lived experiences of first-generation adult children of Middle Eastern immigrant parents/caregivers living in the United States. This was a phenomenological study with reflexive thematic analysis. Participants (N=10) were interviewed via Zoom, and transcripts were analyzed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA). The results included four themes: (1) Migration Contact and Cultural Formation, (2) Bicultural Identity Development, (3) Family System Adaptation, and (4) Emotional Socialization and Psychological Impact. This study highlights how first-generation adult children of Middle Eastern immigrants navigate complex, interwoven processes of bicultural identity development, family adaptation, and emotional socialization shaped …

Cross-Domain Identity Development In Bipoc Autistic Adults: A Grounded Theory Study, Ginnylyne Mariano Guisadio

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Racial and autistic identity development both involve navigating stigma, seeking community, and contending with dominant frameworks that constrain authentic self-expression, yet existing research has not examined how these processes interact for individuals holding both identities. These interactions unfold within structural conditions such as diagnostic disparities, culturally specific ableism, and racialized consequences of visible autistic expression, which shape how identity development proceeds for BIPOC autistic adults. This study investigated whether and how the core identity processes of exploration and commitment proceeded for this population. Nine BIPOC autistic adults participated in written interviews analyzed through constructivist grounded theory, with identity status theory …

Scrupulosity: A Comprehensive Review Of The Research, Julie M. Painley

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation presents a comprehensive analysis of the current research on scrupulosity, a subtype of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) characterized by intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors related to religious and moral concerns. The dissertation identifies key similarities and differences from OCD, and directs focus to thematically related yet unsubstantiated theoretical work in psychology that helps elucidate the core features and etiological factors of scrupulosity as differentiated from other OCD subtypes. The study addresses the critical dearth of research on scrupulosity, aiming to fill significant gaps in the literature regarding its historical context, varied presentation and prevalence in different cultural contexts, and …

Intersectional Opportunities For Drama Therapy And Counseling, Erica Craig-Mann

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore the intersectional possibilities between the fields of drama therapy and mental health counseling through the lens of transformative learning theory. Specifically, the research sought to understand the lived experiences of professionals trained in both disciplines to identify how these fields might mutually inform, strengthen, and enhance one another through collaboration and/or dual training. Data were collected through a qualitative online survey and analyzed using thematic analysis. Five themes emerged: (a) Theoretical and Practical Overlaps and Distinctions; (b) Drama Therapy-Informed Counseling: Embodiment, Creativity, and Experiential Practice; (c) Counseling-Informed Drama Therapy: Frameworks for Practice, …

Cultivating Empathy: A Content Analysis Of Empathic Themes In Best-Selling Children's Books, Elnaz J. Afousi

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study examines the presence and nature of empathic content in best-selling children’s picture books, with a focus on developmental relevance for preschool-aged readers. Using a modified version of the iEPIC empathy coding system, 10 titles from the New York Times best-seller list were analyzed to assess the frequency and complexity of three empathy-related constructs: Emotion or State Description (ESD), Exploring Emotion or State (EES), and Empathic Understanding or Concern (EUC). Results indicate that while all books contained some empathy-related content, ESD3 (self-reflective emotional descriptions) and EUC2/EUC4 (understanding and helping others) were most prevalent, suggesting an emphasis on both intrapersonal …

Childhood Aggression: A New Conceptualization, Hannah G. Harrison

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Childhood aggression is a frequently observed behavioral phenomenon, yet lacks a precise
definition in both the DSM-5-TR and current research literature. Definitional ambiguity and
construct enmeshment continue to create construct confusion for researchers, clinicians, and
informants. This empirical review of the current literature and diagnostic criteria examines how
childhood aggression has been historically conceptualized, defined, and described. The primary
aim was to identify and clarify inconsistencies in current definitions and to address knowledge
gaps to improve diagnostic clarity. Through a thematic synthesis of recent literature, several key
issues emerged: the absence of a precise definition of childhood aggression; reliance on …

Engaging In Art To Support Social-Emotional Learning (Eassel): A Classroom-Based Approach, Hailey Mcafee-Scimone

PsyD Program in Clinical Psychology Doctoral Dissertations (New England)

This dissertation describes a project to develop an art-based curriculum to teach young elementary school-age children social and emotional skills in the classroom based on the experiences of experts in the field of elementary education. Social-emotional learning (SEL) focuses on several key concepts including skills in interpersonal relationships, emotion regulation, and mindfulness (McClelland et al., 2017). By addressing SEL early within the education curriculum, children are exposed to resources that will help them to develop strong regulation skills, engage in identity exploration, and practice healthy relationship skills (Jones et al., 2017). The integration of SEL and art creates a learning …

Exploring The Impact Of Early Adversity On Young Children With Autism, Kelsea M. Batista

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation builds on a small but growing literature exploring the association between early adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Research suggests that children with ASD are more likely to experience ACEs throughout their lifetime due to increased vulnerability to victimization and social communication deficits. Still, to date, there is scant research explicitly exploring the impact of ACEs on young children diagnosed with ASD. This study utilized a biopsychosocial framework to further examine whether a relationship exists between ACEs and ASD. The objectives of this study include: (a) to determine whether a relationship exists …

Midas’ Children: Affluent White Families And The Effects Of Parental Bias On Child Outcomes, J. Sema Bruno

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Navigating parental biases within White affluent homes assumes family dynamics as yet unexplored within family therapy praxis. This dissertation examines parental biases directed toward domestic laborers employed in affluent White homes and how these biases might affect the parent-child relationship and the emerging values of children in these homes. Research from other fields demonstrates that domestic laborers experience social bias within the workplace; what this highlights is the likelihood that children in these settings are navigating unspoken subtleties of racism and classism in the context of developing socio-emotional maturity and family relationships. The first article within this dissertation critically reviews …

The Development Of Internalized Sexism In Young Adult Women, Kylie Schwabe

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The present study utilized Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis in order to examine the lived experiences of young adult, cisgender women and the development of internalized sexism. Eight participants completed semi–structured interviews focused on their relationships with other women and subsequent views of womanhood. Themes found were (a) womanhood is taught by women throughout the lifespan, (b) women are sexually responsible for men, (c) women are emotional caregivers, (d) there are biological bases of womanhood, (e) women are expected to “do it all,” (f) expectations of women are fueled by media portrayal, (g) traditional femininity is seen as oppositional to the feminist …

"Why Does This Have To Be So Hard?": Perinatal Experiences From An Ecological Systems Approach, Caitlin Senk

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study examines the lived experience of the perinatal population to understand how they can be supported from the lens of different ecological systems and what counselors can do to better serve people with uteruses during their perinatal experience. Furthermore, this study aims to utilize an inclusive framework for capturing the perinatal experience of people with uteruses and to explore barriers and facilitators to care through an ecological systems framework. Fifteen participants who have experienced infertility, conception, pregnancy, miscarriage, childbirth, stillbirth, and postpartum were recruited through various means throughout the United States. Thematic analysis was used, with semi-structured interviews and …

How Racial Trauma Manifests In Black Women From Direct And Indirect Encounters With Police Brutality, Ashley Turner

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This phenomenological study explored Black women’s lived experiences with racial trauma stemming from direct and indirect encounters with police brutality. A total of nine participants living in Washington state participated in this study. They identified as Black, ciswomen, fluent in English, and at least 21-years-old. In-depth, semi-structured, qualitative interviews were conducted to explore participants’ experiences with police. Transcripts were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The results consisted of the following five themes: (a) forms of police encounters, (b) influence of identity, (c) perceived reason for police brutality, (d) emotions stemming from police brutality, and (e) tactics to survive police interactions. …

Forest Bathing Increases Adolescent Mental Well-Being And Connection To Nature: A Transformative Mixed Methods Study, Jennifer Keller

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Previous research has demonstrated that practicing forest bathing has significant positive effects on well-being. However, few studies have investigated whether forest bathing increases adolescent well-being despite the growing adolescent mental health crisis in the United States. Similarly, few studies have explored forest bathing’s impacts on connectedness to nature. Considering the ongoing environmental crisis, determining if forest bathing increases connectedness to nature is a critical expansion of forest bathing research, as connectedness to nature is linked to environmental care and concern. This study investigated the possibility that forest bathing, a nature-based mindfulness practice, could increase adolescent mental well-being and connectedness to …

Navigating Conflict During Periods Of Change In Higher Education: Deconstructing Academic Leaders’ Construction Of Meaning, Tyler Guy Olson

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Navigating departmental and organizational conflict is an essential function and responsibility of an academic unit leader (dean, associate dean, director, or chair) in higher education institutions (HEIs). During periods of organizational change, conflict tends to increase in complexity and difficulty—in part due to resistance to change—making it more difficult to manage in a constructive manner (Marcus, 2014). Much of the literature that looks at the academic unit leader and conflict focuses on personal conflict styles (or modes), types of conflicts encountered, and training on techniques and skills for conflict resolution and management. Missing from the literature is research that examines …

Once More, With Feeling: Partnering With Learners To Re-See The College Experience Through Metaphor And Sensory Language, Taran Cardone

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study focuses on better understanding students and their internal worlds through conceptual metaphor theory and sensory language. Using a phenomenological and arts-based approach, I examined students’ metaphorical constructions of their college experiences and the sensory language and information informing those constructions. By engaging participants in a multimodal process to re-see their experience through connoisseurship and criticism, I explored the following research questions: How do students metaphorically structure their college experience? What sensory language do college students use to describe the metaphorical dimensions of their college experience? How does sensory information shape the metaphorical structuring of their college experience? Through …

The Lived Experiences Of Sports Retirement Among Elite, Action Sports Athletes, Gracie Struthers

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study explored the lived experiences of sports retirement among elite, action sport athletes. This study examined participants’ retirement experiences, their well-being post-retirement, and recommendations participants had for current athletes about retirement. Interviews were conducted remotely with four participants. Participants identified as Caucasian, in the 25–38 age range, had been involved with their sport competitively for 17.75 years, and had been retired for 3.37 years. Data was collected and analyzed utilizing Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Participants’ experiences during retirement illustrated a significant disruption in their lives and the way they lived. This disruption was characterized by significant grief and distress, …

“They Let Me Loose, Will You Hold Me Tight?” Adult Adoptees And Their Romantic Partners' Experience Of Attachment After Participating In The Hmt Program, Bethany Baker

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Adult adoptees may be blocked from feeling securely attached to their romantic partners and they may not even know it or what to do about it. The literature shows adult adoptees being overrepresented in insecure attachment styles, and not enough attention has been paid to the effect this has had on adoptees in their romantic relationships. In fact, no known study, to date, has provided an attachment-based psychoeducational approach for this marginalized population. The purpose of this introductory qualitative study was to explore the experiences and meaning-making of attachment, specifically related to adoption, for the adult adoptee and their romantic …

Adoptive Identity: Emerging Adult International Adoptees’ Narrative Coherence Following Early Institutional Care, Samuel Vladimir Highland

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

It is well established that, while all orphanages are not equally harsh, none can provide the quality of care found in most homes. The depriving circumstances of many such institutions often leads to lingering delays across social, emotional, cognitive, psychological, and physical domains of development. However, for many international adoptees there is evidence of resilience and catch-up growth across these same domains following adoption. Adoptive identity theory provides the framework for this qualitative exploration assessing the degree of coherence among six previously-institutionalized (PI) international adoptees’ narratives about the meaning and role of adoption in their lives as emerging adults. Adoptive …

"The Candy Problem, Solved!": White Children And White Parents Grappling With Dysconscious Whiteness, Lindsay E. Olson

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

During an amplification of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, white children and parents have faced multiple interruptions to their protective territory of dysconscious whiteness—an uncritical approach to a structural status quo that favors white lives. Through semi-structured activities and interviews with ten children ages 3 to 9 and nine of their parents who observed these activities, I discovered a parent–child subsystem of dysconscious whiteness. White children and parents revealed aspects of this subsystem by grappling with dysconscious whiteness (grappling) as they struggled to avoid implicating skin color in resource inequality. Through grounded theory analysis of the process of grappling, …

Adult Attachment Interview Classification: Comparing Two Coding Systems, Patricia M. Hastings

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Research on the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) provides an opportunity to study the ways in which early childhood relational experiences might influence an individual over a lifetime. It is not yet clear, however, whether results from different coding systems for the AAI are equally useful. The first purpose of this study was to compare attachment classification distributions obtained from coding AAIs with the Berkeley and Dynamic-Maturational Model (DMM) coding systems. The second purpose was to explore whether AAI classifications derived from the Berkeley or DMM system were more strongly associated with mother and mother-child dyad outcome variables. Participants were a …

Mothering The Aggressive Child, Katja Ermann

PsyD Program in Clinical Psychology Doctoral Dissertations (Seattle)

This qualitative study explores the experience of mothers parenting significantly aggressive children, ages five to 10. Little has been known previously about how women experience this aggression or the social and psychological impacts it has on them. This dissertation highlights the women’s understandings to provide a solid basis for theoretical explication using a Constructivist Ground Theory approach. Significant findings include the invisibility and stigma the women feel and the ways in which the experience is similar and dissimilar to other forms of family violence, particularly adolescent-on-parent violence (APV). Differences were found in social stigma between women whose child has a …

Mothering The Aggressive Child, Katja Ermann

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This qualitative study explores the experience of mothers parenting significantly aggressive children, ages five to 10. Little has been known previously about how women experience this aggression or the social and psychological impacts it has on them. This dissertation highlights the women’s understandings to provide a solid basis for theoretical explication using a Constructivist Ground Theory approach. Significant findings include the invisibility and stigma the women feel and the ways in which the experience is similar and dissimilar to other forms of family violence, particularly adolescent-on-parent violence (APV). Differences were found in social stigma between women whose child has a …

Discovering Themes: Disability Identity Development As It Pertains To People Born With Spina Bifida, Elizabeth H. Scriven

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

To date, disability identity development is a highly understudied construct. There are many models of disability, each interpret disability through a specific lens, but do not address the influence of disability on identity development. The few theories of disability identity that do exist have not been widely adopted. In addition, there is a lack of empirical evidence to support them. Another difficulty is that these theories do not separate different disability groups. Rather, the theories are applied to a broad heterogenous group of disability types. This is a problem because each disability type is quite distinct from the others and …

Is It Who Am I Or Who Do You Think I Am? Identity Development Of Adolescents With Substance Use Disorders, Danielle N. Treiber

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this study was to unearth how adolescents with substance use disorders achieve the task of identity formation and the construction of self-concept in the midst of the drug culture and society that exists. It sought to uncover the social constructs designed to ignore and/or remove human complexities and allow an intersectional approach to be brought to a study on this population. Historically, there has been a failure to investigate the underlying social attitudes and behaviors that impact the very delicate and vulnerable process of finding self. Psychosocial and relational adjustment are strongly influenced by the extent to …

A Single-Subject Evaluation Of Facilitated Communication In The Completion Of School-Assigned Homework, Nancy A. Meissner

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Few projects have combined quantitative and qualitative approaches in the analysis of facilitated communication as did this study of a 17-year-old nonverbal autistic male responding to homework questions using facilitated communication. Findings were consistent with prior studies: Tim was minimally able to produce correct responses independent of facilitator influence under controlled conditions; whereas, at least some typed messages in the spontaneous narratives appear to be his authentic communications independent of facilitator control.

An overview of the history of facilitated communication, its related research, and the heated debates around its validity are presented. Disparate findings between controlled and non-controlled circumstances are …

Development And Validation Of The Adaptive Leadership With Authority Scale, Mohammed Raei

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

A reliable scale to measure adaptive leadership with authority—leadership from a position of power—does not exist. This was an embedded mixed-methods study–QUAN(qual) with data collected through an online survey instrument that included the proposed scale items and an open-ended question. The quantitative part of the study, using data from 436 respondents (92.7% from Mechanical Turk, 7.3% from snowball sampling), involved the development and validation of a unidimensional scale that measures adaptive leadership with authority using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The 11-item scale had a Cronbach’s alpha value of .891 and thus displayed high reliability. In the qualitative part of …

Attune With Baby: An Innovative Attunement Program For Parents And Families With Integrated Evaluation, Sara Beth Lohre

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Infants speak in their own language; sounds, screeches, cries, and howls that help them to communicate their caregiving needs. Unaware, parents may develop a checklist of caregiving approaches to the baby. The infant tells the adult directly what they need, and waits for the parent to respond. Infant talk may change from soft and quiet to loud and aggressive; coos and cries become crying and screams as the infant’s caregiver—communicating the intensity of emotion, urgency of their request, or their frustration with varied and sometimes inadequate, failed, or missing caregiving patterns the infant has no choice but to accept. When …

Adolescents' Self-Described Transformations And Their Alignment With Transformative Learning Theory, Katie Titus Larson

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This phenomenological, collaborative inquiry explored the depth of two adolescent girls’ lived experiences during their high school years and the degree to which their self-described transformative incidents aligned with transformative learning theory.Traditionally this theory has been reserved for adults, yet the current paradigm may have overlooked the capabilities of modern adolescents to not only experience, but to describe and interpret transformative learning in ways both similar to and unique from adults.My two 19-year-old co-researchers and I examined four years of their self-identified transformative incidents by breaking them into components, analyzing the language within, and seeking evidence of critical self-reflection throughout; …

Young Adults In Transition: Factors That Support And Hinder Growth And Change, Mona Treadway

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Young adults between 18 and 24 years of age with mental illness are significantly less likely to receive mental health services than adults in older age groups.Nationally, higher rates of depression, substance abuse, and psychiatric issues are reported in this age group.A therapeutic model referred to as young adult transition programs has emerged to better address the unique developmental challenges found in this age group.This study examined 317 critical incidents that supported or hindered young adults in a therapeutic transition program.The research design used a combination of an instrumental case study and critical incident technique (CIT).Using interviews and the Outcome …

"You're Doing Fine, Right?": Adolescent Siblings Of Substance Abusers, Cynthia E. Clarfield

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

There has been a rising interest in addiction medicine and addiction treatment in both the medical and behavioral health science fields. Research suggests having a family member with a substance abuse problem has negative impacts on both physical and mental health (Orford, Copello, Velleman, & Templeton, 2010a). Despite advances toward understanding the experiences of family members affected by a loved one's addiction, the siblings of substance abusers have been largely excluded from scientific research and literature. As a result, little is known about how siblings experience the impacts of a brother or sister's addiction; even less is known about the …