Marriage and Family Therapy and Counseling Commons^™

Experiences Of Middle School Counselors Learning And Applying Principles Of Neuroscience, Raissa Miller, Laura Gallo, Lauren Moore

Counselor Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

Adolescence is a critical period of development during which time individuals’ brains experience increased neuroplasticity and structural reorganization (Albert, Chein, & Steinberg, 2013; Bava & Tapert, 2010; Casey, Getz, & Galvan, 2008). Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to change in response to new learning and environmental influences (Siegel, 2012). A number of factors influence an individual’s brain development and associated changes in affect, cognition, and behavior, including genetic predispositions, early childhood experiences, and temperament (Steinberg, 2014). For example, adolescents who have a history of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), a set of toxic experiences such as abuse or having a caretaker …

Rethinking Bullying Interventions For High School Students, Aida Midgett, Diana M. Doumas, April Johnston, Rhiannon Trull, Raissa Miller

Counselor Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

The purpose of this study was to obtain feedback to inform a modification of a brief, school-based bullying intervention originally developed for elementary and middle school students to be age appropriate for the high school level. We investigated the in-depth, inner experiences of high school students randomly selected to participate in a brief, bystander bullying intervention program. Thorough qualitative analysis, we found students spoke about (a) the complexity of bullying in high school, (b) cyberbullying and increased potential consequences related to social media, (c) the normalization and minimization of bullying, (d) lack of adult support, (e) an appreciation for the …

Difference In Therapeutic Alliance: High-Conflict Co-Parents Vs Regular Couples, Andrea Mae Parady

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to explore differences in the therapeutic alliance for High-Conflict Co-Parents (HCC) vs. Regular Couples. Therapeutic alliance refers to the relationship, consisting of a bond, and agreement on the tasks and goals of therapy, between at least two people in the therapeutic relationship. It was hypothesized that HCC clients would have lower therapeutic alliance scores compared to regular couple clients. The results supported this hypothesis. By identifying these differences, more research can be conducted to improve our understanding of how to strengthen the therapeutic alliance with HCC clients, leading to improved treatment of this population.

The Tragedy Of Child And Adolescent Suicide, Brad Hinman

Faculty Publications

"In 2015, the Centers for Disease Control and U.S. Department of Education reported that 20 to 28 percent of U.S. students in grades 6 to 12 have experienced bullying, 30 percent admitted to bullying others, and 70 percent witnessed bullying in some form. According to the report, children and young adults are affected by bullying and cyberbullying during their school-age years, and some even into adulthood.³ “School violence and bullying occurs throughout the world and affects a significant proportion of children and adolescents. It is estimated that 246 million children and adolescents experience school violence and bullying in …

African Americans Navigating Through Relationships Towards Marriage: A Grounded Theory Study, Moosgar Yrveens Borieux

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to explore if and how early parent-participant relationships affect subsequent intimate relationships among African American couples. Given the clear gap between African Americans’ attitudes about marriage and the data that show them to be the least likely to be married among other racial or ethnic groups in the United States of America, a unique conceptualization [Life Course Developmental framework, Object Relations theory, Symbolic Interactionism perspective] was used to explore the role that early key figure-child social interactions potentially have in influencing young African Americans interactions with their significant others. To carry out the research …

Resilience And Complicated Grief, Les Bishop

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This study surveyed 155 family members or caregivers of patients who had died between twelve and thirty months prior to this study. These patients had been on hospice at the time of their death. The purpose of the study was to assess the prevalence of hospice defined risk factors for complicated grief. Medical records provided patient demographics information and a verbal (telephone) survey was used to measure the following risk factors: lack of social support, lack of expression of faith, lack of adequate coping skills, multiple losses, substance use, and relationship to the person who died. Descriptive statistics were used …

Therapist Behaviors That Predict The Therapeutic Alliance In Couple Therapy, Bryan C. Kubricht

Theses and Dissertations

Couple therapy is successful in treating relationship distress. However, couple therapy does not benefit everyone. Consequently, it is important to study factors that predict therapeutic success. One such factor is what predicts the development of the therapeutic alliance in couple therapy. The purpose of this study was to code therapist behaviors, therapist warmth, empathy, presence, validation, collaboration, and technique factors (systemically-based techniques and session structure), in the first session of couple therapy to examine their ability to predict two aspects of the therapeutic alliance, between- and within-alliance, after the session for males and females. The hypotheses were tested utilizing multiple …

Exploring Self-Injury: An Art-Based Approach To Cultivating Empathy And Understanding In Mental Health Professionals, Dana Wyss

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

Self-injury greatly affects individuals, their families, and the mental health professionals who provide their care. This art-based research investigates the impact of clients’ self-injury on mental health professionals. It addresses four research questions and applies a methodology that integrates body art, photography, poetry, and dialogue. Six participants (including the researcher) participated in three meetings wherein they artistically responded with temporary body art to two questions, sorted through their photographs, reviewed poetry created about their work, and discussed the study experience. The researcher navigated being a witness-researcher by personally and creatively engaging in the study.

The results present raw, distilled narratives, …

Inaugural Issue Of The Scholarship Review, H. Luis Vargas , Ph.D.

Counseling and Family Therapy Scholarship Review

H. Luis Vargas, Editor of the Counseling and Family Therapy Scholarship Review, introduces the journal's editors and mission.

Examining Relational Dynamics In Couples Through An Art-Making Experience: A Replication Study, Kuangheng Hwang, Anna Mcnerney, Grace Palenik, Kathleen Scheppe

LMU Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative research looked at the relational dynamics and attachment styles of research participants through individual and dyadic art-making tasks. This research is a replication study of Snir & Wiseman’s (2010) research on Attachment in Romantic Couples and Perceptions of a Joint Drawing Session. In this particular research, three couples completed a demographic questionnaire, the ECR-S, the DAS, an individual art-making task, and a joint nonverbal drawing task with their partner, followed by a verbal reflection facilitated by researchers. Researchers found patterns suggesting attachment style may be correlated with an individual’s cultural background, relationship satisfaction, past relationship experience, and the …

Ptsd And Dysfunctional Parenting: Emotional And Biological Mechanisms, Molly Franz

Department of Psychology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Women are disproportionately at risk for developing PTSD following exposure to trauma. Among its many harmful effects, PTSD is associated with a range of negative family outcomes, including impairments in parenting behaviors. Despite the prevalence of PTSD and its impact on parenting, little is known about the mechanisms responsible for this association. The present project addressed this gap by examining the impact of PTSD on dysfunctional parenting behaviors in a lab setting. Based on prior theory and empirical evidence, I expected that a diagnosis of PTSD would be associated with more dysfunctional parenting (i.e., harsh/overreactive and lax/permissive behaviors) during routine …

The Fear Of Aging And The Self: A Heuristicaly Influenced Study, Leia R. Steingart

LMU Theses and Dissertations

This research paper is an art-based heuristic influenced study on the fear of aging and the self using an art-based modality of exploration. The researcher sought to study three questions. First, to explore the relationship between aging, beauty, youth, and social pressures. Second, to explore the fears related to aging, (losing appearances, finance, health, and death). Thirdly, to considering the implications of findings to the clinical realm. The art based methodology offered a form of investigation which, informed by heuristic steps of inquiry, augmented both personal meaning and growth. Data consisted of art made over a three-month period as well …

A Phenomenological Inquiry Into The Shared Lived Experience Of Married Male Doctoral Students In Counselor Education And Their Non-Student Spouses, Anthony Suarez

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research involving married doctoral students has suggested that they face a unique set of circumstances that include benefits, challenges, and changes. Additional research has highlighted the culture within Counselor Education and Supervision (CES) programs. While there are some studies that explore the experiences of married graduate students in counseling-related fields, very little literature exists that explores married students in CES programs. No such studies focus on the experiences of married male students in CES.

The purpose of this study was to explore the shared lived experiences of married male doctoral students in Counselor Education and Supervision (CES) programs and their …

Pornography As A Public Health Issue: Promoting Violence And Exploitation Of Children, Youth, And Adults, Elisabeth Taylor

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

The pornography industry is expanding exponentially as a result of ongoing technological advances. The ability to stream videos over the internet and the ubiquity of the smart phone have meant that pornography producers are able to use algorithms to target potential consumers, to cultivate new sexual tastes and to deliver content to a more diverse audience over mobile devices. The advent of virtual reality pornography with interactive sex toys and sex robots imbued with artificial intelligence promises to unleash a further step-change in the extent to which pornography influences ‘real-world’ sexual culture. The critical analysis of pornography undertaken over decades …

Life During The Biggest Loser: Experiences And Perspectives Of Non-Contestant Romantic Partners, Darren D. Moore, Clinton Cooper, Kai Zwierstra, Toiya Williams

The Qualitative Report

For this study, authors engaged in 9 semi-structured interviews with romantic partners of contestants who were involved with a weight loss intervention (The Biggest Loser), to gain insight into the phenomenon of weight loss within the context of couple relationships and reality television. Utilizing Basic Qualitative Description influenced by aspects of phenomenology, the authors explored the role of weight loss and the role that the specific intervention utilized, has played within the couple relationship. Building upon previous research (Moore, Cooper, Williams, & Zwierstra, 2017a) authors added the voice of the non-contestant partners to the discussion and explored experiences …

The Predictors Of Juvenile Recidivism: Testimonies Of Adult Students 18 Years And Older Exiting From Alternative Education, La Toshia Palmer

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this descriptive, qualitative study was to identify and describe the importance of the predictors of juvenile recidivism and the effectiveness of efforts to prevent/avoid juvenile recidivism as perceived by previously detained, arrested, convicted, and/or incarcerated adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education in Northern California. A second purpose was to explore the types of support provided by alternative schools and the perceived importance of the support to avoid recidivism according to adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education.

Methodology: This qualitative, descriptive research design identified …

A Qualitative Study Of Adult Perspectives Of Loyola Marymount’S Summer Arts Workshop, Colleen Stafford

LMU Theses and Dissertations

This research is a qualitative exploration of the impacts of Loyola Marymount’s Summer Arts Workshop from the perspective of the youth participant’s teachers and caregivers. The intention of this research was to compare findings in the literature of similar youth arts programs to LMU’s through examination of a previously unexplored perspective. Data was collected through an arts based focus group as well as paper-pencil questionnaires including both Likert scale and open ended questions. Themes emerged through thorough analysis of all data collected and presented both themes of specific program impacts and opportunities for future program improvements. The findings of this …

An Exploration Of Art Therapy And Attunement In Treating Families With Dcfs Involvement, Amanda Gonzalez

LMU Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative research aimed to explore how art therapy may enhance attunement when working with families who have involvement with Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). The study utilized a focus group methodology to examine the experience of two art therapists with backgrounds in treating families involved with DCFS. Through the analysis of the participants’ discussion, artwork and reflections, several subsequent emergent themes were revealed. These themes exposed various barriers within the system that may complicate the therapeutic relationship, as well as qualities within the art process, which act as an equalizer and source of containment. These themes illuminated …

Integrasi Dan Adaptasi Sosial Migrant Di Korea Selatan

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

This research was conducted to find out the empowerment effort done by DKI Jakarta Provincial Government through technical unit namely Unit Pengelola Dana Bergulir (UPDB) as implementing unit of Community Economic Empowerment Program (Program Pemberdayaan Ekonomi Masyarakat Kelurahan) to the administrators/managers of cooperatives or Koperasi Jasa Keuangan Pemberdayaan Ekonomi Masyarakat Kelurahan (KJK PEMK) as partner of UPDB in implementing this program. The research was conducted at KJK PEMK Kelapa Gading Barat, which is KJK PEMK which is considered smoothly in installment refund. The research was conducted using qualitative approach, with descriptive research type, and informant selection technique was done by …

Dinamika Keterlibatan Stakeholders Pada Perencanaan Strategi Pemasaran Sosial Di Smile Train Indonesia

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

This research discusses the dynamics, obstacles, and challenges that occur in the stage of social marketing strategy planning process undertaken by the management of Smile Train Indonesia with the organizational stakeholders as well as the efforts made by the organization management to overcome those. This research is a qualitative research with descriptive design. The results conclude that there is rarely conflicts between organizations and stakeholders in the organization’s social marketing planning process because of good conflict management and collaboration. But acknowledged by the stakeholders, there are several obstacles and challenges that are faced during the planning process. This research suggests …