Clinical Psychology Commons^™

Victims Of Bravery (1): Impacts Of Acts Of Bravery On Australian Civilian Bravery Award Recipients, Tom Voigt, Angela Dew, Susan Balandin

Heroism Science

We admire those who perform acts of bravery involving physical risk and life-threatening trauma, yet little attention is given to civilians who experience negative consequences following such acts. This study examined unintended consequences through qualitative interviews with 24 Australian civilian bravery award recipients using constructivist grounded theory and thematic analysis. Three major themes emerged: (1) Direct impacts, including high psychological distress, physical and health impacts, financial and employment consequences, and lack of formal counseling support; (2) Changes within, including hypervigilance, avoidance behaviours, anger, alcohol misuse, and social isolation; (3) Then and now, encompassing relationship difficulties, changed life approaches, and regret. …

Exploring The Impact Of Childhood Sexual Abuse On Self-Esteem And Interpersonal Trust In African American Women, Elizabeth Omorodion

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is known to affect survivors’ subsequent self- esteem and interpersonal trust levels, its long-term impacts among African American women were not fully understood. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study, which was grounded in attachment theory and trauma theory, was to explore how CSA shapes African American women’s self-esteem, interpersonal trust, and healing processes in adulthood. To answer the study’s seven research questions, semistructured interviews were conducted with eight African American women. The use of Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis approach yielded seven themes: (a) impaired trust, (b) disrupted self-esteem, (c) resilience and strength …

Role Of Depression And Anxiety On Brain Care Scores In A Primary Care Setting: A Preliminary Analysis Of The Bham Registry, Terina Lane Myers

ETDs from 2020-2029

While the field of brain aging research continues to grow at a rapid pace, there is still much to learn about how certain factors influence brain aging as well as when and how these factors can be intervened upon. Cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative diseases continue to pose a major obstacle to healthy brain aging and the better we understand the risk factors of these diseases, the greater chance we have at mitigation strategies and prevention. Previous research has identified key factors, consisting of physical, lifestyle, and socio-emotional aspects of life, which have the greatest impact on brain aging. These factors overlap …

Humanity Is Evolving Its Consciousness: The Role Of Archetypal Energies As Guides During An Unfolding Weeding Out And Alignment Process, Carroy U. Ferguson

Psychology Faculty Publication Series

Humanity is evolving its consciousness at individual and collective levels.  Given these seemingly tumultuous times, as of this writing (January 2026), to make such a statement may sound like a strange thing to say.  However, I suggest that if you are alive today and if you are reading these words, these are the very times for which you were born—to assist Humanity as it evolves its consciousness with your unique gifts, whatever they may be.  That is, this period of our individual and collective human being-ness may be characterized as an unfolding period of weeding out and alignment with the …

Pilot Study: Role Of Social Support And Stress On Anxiety In First-Year College Students, Erin N. Smith, Deven L. Dancy, Lauren E. Nee, Kali Rebuck, Stephanie J. Shirk

Journal of Applied Disciplines

Research indicates worsening mental health, especially anxiety, in college populations; yet few studies have investigated anxiety and related factors in this population. This study examined the impacts and interrelations among anxiety, stress, and social support in first year, first semester college students. In a sample of 119 students, the following models of the impact of social support in the stress-anxiety relation were tested: 1) a direct impact of social support, 2) a moderating effect of social support, and 3) an indirect impact of social support. Results indicated that the indirect model of the influence of social support best fit the …

Illusory Competence Inflation As A Mediating Variable In The Relationship Between Cognitive Dependence On Generative Artificial Intelligence And Intellectual Identity Distortion Among Postgraduate Students In Saudi Universities (A Mixed-Methods Study), Mogeda El Sayed El Keshky Prof

International Journal for Research in Education

The present study aimed to examine the relationship between cognitive dependence on generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and intellectual identity distortion among postgraduate students in Saudi universities, while testing the mediating role of illusory competence inflation. A mixed-methods design was employed. Three scales developed and psychometrically validated by the researcher were administered to a sample of 393 students. In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 participants to explore their patterns of smart-tool use and self-perceptions. The qualitative data derived from these interviews were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. The findings indicated a low level of cognitive dependence on GenAI …

Characterization Of Social Media Use Patterns Among Hispanic/Latinx Dementia Caregivers And Its Impact On Mental Health, Sofia Mildrum Chana

ETDs from 2020-2029

Hispanic & Latinx (H&L) family caregivers of people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRDs) experience high levels of stress that can negatively impact their mental health and may turn to social networking sites (SNS, commonly known as ‘social media’) for coping or social support. However, no research has yet examined how SNS use influences H&L caregiver mental health. The primary purpose of the present study was to characterize patterns of SNS use among H&L ADRD family caregivers and examine the associations between SNS use and caregivers’ mental health and well-being. Data for the present study come from the …

Posterior Cerebellar Lobe Deviations And Social Cognition In Individuals With Psychosis And Their Unaffected Relatives, Andreea Maria Stanica

ETDs from 2020-2029

Social cognition deficits observed in psychotic disorders contribute to functional impairments. The cerebellum has been identified as a critical brain region involved in social cognitive processes, but the relationship between cerebellar structural deviations and social cognition in individuals with psychosis (probands) and their unaffected relatives remains unclear. Using normative modeling, this study examined cerebellar volume deviations in probands and their unaffected first-degree relatives and investigated associations with social cognitive and motor performance. Probands exhibited significant theory of mind deficits compared to relatives. Probands showed negative deviations in anterior cerebellar lobe relative to the norm, whereas relatives did not. Deviations in …

Parasocial Relationships And Depression, Phoenix Disher

Quest

Critical Analysis

Research in progress for PSYC 2301: General Psychology

Faculty Mentor: Joshua Arduengo, PhD

It is with great pleasure that I introduce Phoenix Disher’s “Parasocial Relationships and Depression,” a critical analysis paper he wrote for my Psychology 2301 course in the Fall 2022 semester. The assignment was designed to ask students to deeply analyze a psychology-related topic of their choice. Having recently experienced COVID-19, the world was a new place, and the nature of human relationships had changed significantly. Coming out of the pandemic, we related to our families differently, not necessarily worse, just differently. We also relied on …

The Integration Of Culture, Identity, And Belongingness In Emdr Therapy: Practitioners’ Perspectives, Robert Anthony Richards

Counseling and Psychology Dissertations

This dissertation examines how EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) practitioners approach power dynamics, identity, and belongingness in therapy from a multicultural and social justice perspective. Using a qualitative narrative research design guided by intersectional feminist epistemology, the study investigates how privilege, positionality, and belongingness influence clinicians’ approaches to EMDR therapy. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine EMDR-trained practitioners from diverse sociocultural backgrounds to explore how relational, systemic, and contextual factors influence their clinical work. Thematic analysis was used to illuminate how EMDR practitioners navigate complex power dynamics both within the therapeutic alliance and in broader sociocultural contexts. Participants emphasized …

The Relationships Between Ego Depletion And Social Behaviors Across Different Degrees Of Psychological Flexibility, Jacob Cage Norris

Masters Theses

Social behavior includes behaviors that are influenced, directly or indirectly, by the realistic, anticipated, imagined, or implied presences of others. Particular social behaviors such as altruism or aggression may vary in how accessible they are, depending on the degree of self-control that has been recently exerted. Specifically, self-control fatigue, or ego depletion, seems to make aggression more likely and altruism less. However, individuals who are psychologically flexible, or who tend to be in contact with the present moment while engaging in behaviors that support the pursuit of values may not respond to ego depletion with the same changes to social …

The Role Of Isotocin In Female Zebrafish (Danio Rerio) Reproductive Behavior And Its Implication For Intranasal Oxytocin Therapy In Humans, Katelynn M. Benge

Masters Theses

In the past several decades, oxytocin has been colloquially termed the “cuddle hormone,” due to its role in pair-bonding and monogamy (Carter et al., 1992). In addition to being used experimentally for psychological disorder, it has also been used in couple’s counseling settings (Anagnostou et al., 2014; Domes et al., 2016). The outcomes of this research reveal mixed results, creating a need for further research in the topic to understand the exact mechanisms by which oxytocin works in the brain to induce this prosocial response. This study sought to address this deficit through the zebrafish animal model. The zebrafish serves …

Fear Of Falling: A Collaborative Approach To Treatment, Alexandra Uhren, Celeste Delap, Kate Jansen

Journal of Interprofessional Practice and Collaboration

Purpose: Physical Therapy (PT) and Behavioral Health (BH) often overlap in patient care; however, collaborative treatment is always not utilized by providers. This case study details the interdisciplinary treatment of a 69-year-old female with a fear of falling; emphasizing the importance of interprofessional collaborative care in treating Fear of Falling (FOF) in individuals at risk for fall-related injury with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and PT interventions.

Problem: FOF is common among older adults and can result in physical, psychological, and social consequences (Lee & Tak, 2023; MacKay et al., 2021). Patients at risk of fall-related injury experience decreased self-confidence in …

The Relationship Between Celebrity Worship And Psychotherapy Preferences, Sean Frydman M.S.

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Celebrity worship (CW) is defined as an increased admiration toward a celebrity figure which may lead to excessive interest in their lives (McCutcheon et al., 2021). Intense CW has been found to be associated with a variety of pathological traits, suggesting that individuals with higher CW might benefit from psychotherapy (Sansone & Sansone, 2014). However, no research is available regarding psychotherapy preferences for this population. Research to date has found positive correlations between accommodating patients’ treatment preferences and greater treatment satisfaction and outcomes, stronger alliance, and reduced attrition (Iacoviello et al., 2007; Lindhiem et al., 2014; Swift et al., 2011, …

Psychotherapy Technique And Emotional Communication: The Relationship Between Technique Use In Psychotherapy And Patient Speech Styles Associated With The Referential Process, Sorrel Johnson M.S.

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Linguistic analysis is a growing field within psychotherapy process research. Computerized measures have been developed to quantify qualities of speech associated with the Referential Process (RP), a construct describing the way in which people communicate emotional experience by cycling through different language styles (Bucci, 2021c). The three phases of RP are arousal, referential activity (RA), and reflection/reorganizing (R/R). Examining the latter two, the current study aimed to determine if therapists’ use of techniques was associated with immediate levels of patient RA and R/R in a sample of three archival psychotherapy sessions. Sessions were coded moment-by-moment (N=263 therapist speech turns) for …

Therapist Self-Disclosure And Therapeutic Alliance: A Survey Of Psychologists, Miriam Smith M.S.

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Of the various forms of therapist self-disclosure, immediate self-disclosure (ISD) refers to the therapist’s sharing of immediate thoughts, feelings, and reactions with the patient in real time. In previous research, ISD has been positively associated with the therapeutic alliance. The therapeutic alliance has been conceptualized as agreement on goals, agreement on assignment of tasks or a series of tasks to achieve those goals, and the quality of the emotional bond. Non-immediate self-disclosure (NISD) is defined as the therapist divulging personal or biographical information about themselves or their life outside treatment. NISD has been found to be risky and potentially harmful …

The Latent Lens: Exploring Hetereogeneity In The Use Of Physical Restraints Via Latent Class Analysis And The Lens Model, Andrew Miele

Theses and Dissertations

Research on the use of physical restraints has revealed high rates of heterogeneity between clinical settings and an array of potential risk factors at both the patient and provider level. This is most evident in general medical hospitals, where patient populations are more heterogenous than other settings and physicians often can rely only on observable characteristics of patients to assess safety risks. More recent work has shown that coherent subgroups of restrained patients can be derived from demographic and clinical indicators. Identification of coherent patient subgroups may aid in understanding both the heterogeneity of the restrained patient population and differences …

Patient-Identified Reasons For Premature Termination: A Systematic Review, Jack N. Mizrahi M.S.

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Premature unilateral termination has been estimated to occur in approximately 20% of patients seeking psychotherapy. Research has identified a variety of factors including patient, therapist and treatment variables that may contribute to psychotherapy dropout. There is currently quite limited research on patients’ perspective of premature termination, with much of our understanding based on therapist’s perspective. Although therapist perspectives are an important source of information regarding premature termination, therapist judgments about patient progress are often inaccurate, and therapists consistently struggle with foreseeing unilateral termination. In addition, therapists have been found to attribute premature termination more to patient factors than their own …

Emotional Intelligence In Blended Vs. Non-Blended Families With Childhood Trauma, Rose Johnson Rodriguez M.S.

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

This study examined whether family structure (blended vs. non-blended) influenced changes in emotional intelligence (EI) among adults, while controlling for baseline EI and childhood trauma. Participants were 420 adults (292 from non-blended families and 128 from blended families) who completed pre- and post-treatment assessments of emotional intelligence using the Assessing Emotions Scale and completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) at baseline. Multicollinearity diagnostics revealed some overlap between emotional and physical abuse on the CTQ, but no severe violations. The overall model was significant, F (7, 412) = 16.95, p < .001, R2 = .224, explaining 22% of the variance in EI change. Baseline EI significantly predicted change (p < .001), while CTQ subscales were non-significant. Family structure had a small but statistically significant effect on EI change, F (1, 412) = 4.79, p = .029, partial η2 = .011, with adults from blended families showing slightly greater increases in EI than those from non-blended families. Findings suggest that while family context may shape emotional growth, baseline emotional functioning remains the strongest predictor of change. Future studies should recruit larger samples to enhance power and explore the mechanisms underlying these associations.

Exploring The Romantic Relationship Experiences Of Adults With Adhd (A Qualitative Study), Daniella Bababekov M.S.

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder that affects approximately 2.5% of the adult population globally (APA, 2022) and can influence functioning across multiple domains of functioning, including romantic relationships. Fourteen adults currently in romantic relationships participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using Auerbach and Silverstein’s (2003) grounded theory method. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of adults with ADHD in romantic relationships, in order to inform interventions and strategies targeting the unique difficulties faced by this population and their partners. Findings suggest that ADHD influences romantic relationships through interconnected relational processes, including …