Clinical Psychology Commons^™

The Use Of Virtual Reality In Ptsd Research And Practice, Kenneth B. Abrams, Lindsay Okindo, Marta E. Bacon, Yiking Skylar Yu, Sofia Santamaria Germani, Malvika Malhotra, Nancy A. Cullen

Psychology Faculty Work

In the aftermath of traumatic events such as combat, sexual violence, or a natural disaster, individuals may develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Technological advancements in virtual reality (VR) over the past few decades have opened new avenues for improving the assessment, treatment, and understanding of PTSD. VR allows users to be immersed in interactive, computer-generated environments that simulate real-world scenarios, such as a warzone or assault location, that would be difficult or unsafe to reproduce using traditional methods. The present paper offers an overview of how VR technology has been employed in both clinical and research settings related to PTSD. …

The Effects Of A Work-Strengths Affirmation Intervention On Death Anxiety: Meaning And Self-Esteem As Mediators, Begüm Orhan

Theses and Dissertations

Death anxiety is a transdiagnostic construct and a universally experienced existential fear that has been linked to a wide range of psychological difficulties, including anxiety, depression, and impaired well-being. Despite its widespread impact, empirical research on targeted interventions for death anxiety remains limited. The present study aimed to address this gap by developing and evaluating an online, single-session, theory-based (i.e., Terror Management Theory, positive psychology) intervention focused on affirming personal strengths in the context of one's work. The intervention was designed to target work-strengths (i.e., leadership, adaptability)—an intersection of positive and vocational psychology.

College students from a large Midwestern university …

Generation Z: Black Male Constructions Of Masculinity And Provider Roles In Heterosexual Marriages, Bentley Stafford Hylton

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study explores how expectations associated with the male provider role identity impact the psychological well-being of Black American Generation Z (“Gen Z”) men. Using a qualitative design, approximately 20 participants were surveyed to examine how efforts to meet provider role expectations influence well-being, as well as how Gen Z Black men construct and define masculinity within contemporary sociocultural contexts. While prior research has examined Black masculinity, limited attention has been given to its intersection with provider role expectations, particularly among emerging adults. Historically, messages about masculinity and marital roles have been transmitted through community institutions, leadership, and cultural narratives; …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Fitness Wearable Use And Embodiment, Lucas Brandt

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Wearable fitness technologies have become increasingly integrated into contemporary health and wellness culture, providing users with continuous access to physiological and behavioral data related to movement, sleep, stress, recovery, and overall health. Research has demonstrated that wearable devices can increase physical activity and support health behavior change (Ferguson et al., 2022; Koivisto & Hamari, 2019). Although less is known about how these technologies influence individuals’ lived experiences of their bodies. Understanding this relationship is particularly important given growing concerns regarding embodiment, self-surveillance, and the psychological effects of health-tracking technologies (Bergsland, 2017; Rapp, 2021). Drawing on theories of mind-body connection and …

An Exploration Of Vicarious Trauma In The Integrated Trauma Team, Victoria L. Hadix

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study aimed to explore the impacts of self-care, coping skills, and resilience on the perceptions of vicarious trauma by members of the trauma team in a small community hospital in the Northeastern United States, through the use of qualitative methodology and a semi-structured interview. The goal of this study was to gain an understanding of the mental health factors impacting health care professionals functioning in the fast-paced, demanding environment of the emergency room. Furthermore, the study explored health care professionals’ perceptions of the integrated trauma team and the relationships between individual and team-based characteristics. This study helped increase understanding …

Exploring The Relationship Between Discrete Cognitive Skills And Adaptive Skills In A Transdiagnostic Sample Of Children And Adolescents, Jacy L. Black

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

The relationship between intelligence and adaptive functioning has been well researched for neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability. However, the relationship between these constructs has yet to be fully explored in other clinical pediatric populations that exhibit significant deficits in adaptive functioning. This archival study investigated the relationship between cognitive functioning and adaptive behavior in a transdiagnostic sample of children and adolescents. Although past studies have examined these relationships utilizing estimations of generalized intellectual ability, the present research examined associations between adaptive skills and discrete cognitive skills, often referred to as cognitive domains. By identifying the association …

Basc-3 Adolescent Version For American Indian / Alaska Native (Ai/An) Adolescents With Learning Difficulties: Identifying Comorbidities, Benjamin L. Shannon

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Deficiencies in cultural sensitivity among popular psychological assessment instruments can have significant consequences for diverse test takers, leading to inaccurate diagnosis, treatment planning, and intervention. The present study aimed to explore possible differences in mean raw scale scores between an AI/AN adolescent sample and BASC-3 SRP-A and TRS-A normative sample data, as well as to establish preliminary evidence to suggest an increased prevalence of social/emotional dysfunction for AI/AN adolescents diagnosed with multiple specific learning disabilities (SLDs). Archival BASC-3 SRP-A and TRS-A data, collected from students and teachers at a residential school for American Indian / Alaska Native (AI/AN) adolescents from …

Early Developmental Wounds To Interpersonal Struggles: The Role Of Emotion Dysregulation, Parth Yogesh Sompura

Selected Full-Text Master Theses 2021-

Numerous studies have examined the effects of trauma on emotion dysregulation or have focused primarily on childhood trauma. The present study aimed to understand the effects of trauma at different developmental stages: childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. The sample consisted of 201 participants, who were selected from a larger pool of participants who received course credit for completing this study. The results of this study revealed that trauma at all ages significantly and positively affects interpersonal difficulties, through emotion dysregulation as a positive mediator, as hypothesized. However, contrary to hypotheses, childhood trauma did not have a greater effect compared to adolescent …

Measurement Invariance Of Transtheoretical Model-Based Measures For Covid-19 Vaccination Readiness, Allegra Opiela

Open Access Dissertations

Purpose. To assess the measurement invariance of four novel Transtheoretical Model (TTM)-based measures for readiness to get vaccinated for COVID-19. Design. Cross-sectional.

Setting. Online survey study in the United States (US).

Participants. 1169 US-based adults aged 18-85.

Measures. Demographics, Stage of Change, Vaccination History, Decisional Balance, Self-efficacy, Myths, and Barriers to COVID-19 vaccination.

Analyses. Multigroup confirmatory factor analyses with increased restraints on model parameters to assess configural (no constraints), metric (factor loadings constrained), and scalar invariance (factor loadings and item intercepts constrained) in a sequential manner.

Results. Decisional Balance, Myths, and Barriers demonstrated scalar …

A Longitudinal Study On The Impact Of Childhood Air Pollution Exposure On Adolescent Cognition, Emily K. Carter

Open Access Dissertations

About 2 in 5 Americans live in areas with unhealthy levels of air pollution. Poor air quality has been shown to lead to a diverse set of negative health that can affect the cardiovascular system and have downstream effects on brain structure and cognition. The detrimental impacts of air pollution on cognition have been widely studied, though due to methodological limitations in the available research, a direct association between air pollution exposure and cognitive development remains inconclusive and unclear. Further, studies in this area have largely focused on prenatal exposure and neurocognitive impacts during early childhood; the potential longer-term effects …

A Psychometric Evaluation Of Obsessive-Compulsive Items In The Hierarchical Taxonomy Of Psychopathology (Hitop)-Self Report Among Caregivers Of Children, Zach Wasserman

Honors Theses

Introduction: The classification and assessment of psychopathology is a crucial part of understanding mental health. The current model, published in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, with the current 5th edition (DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association, 2022), utilizes a categorical approach to psychopathology (i.e., one has the disorder or they do not). This creates ~300 diagnoses that are understood as theoretically distinct from one another. In reality, categorical diagnoses are often heavily comorbid (Forbes et al., 2024) and within a diagnostic category there are large amounts of heterogeneity (Feczko & Fair, 2020). To address these issues, dimensional models …

From Custody To Care: Understanding Mental Health And Recidivism In The Criminal Justice System, India Cox

Undergraduate Research Posters

Previous studies on genetic influences in mental health disorders have been shown to correlate with incarceration rates in families. Consequently, there are individuals within the criminal justice system under the clinical threshold of a mental health diagnosis; it has been found that almost half of the incarcerated population was arrested due to acting upon their mental health disorder, while 27 to 38 percent developed PTSD while imprisoned. Furthermore, the serious and exhausting cycle of recidivism within the criminal justice system highlights the failure to provide the necessary mental health treatment required to support rehabilitation while incarcerated and prevent reoffending upon …

Victimization Trauma And Eating Pathology; A Global Perspective, Madisyn E. Feliciano, Cate Morales, Kelsey Hagan

Undergraduate Research Posters

Introduction: Exposure to traumatic events is a well-established risk factor for eating pathology, including binge eating, purging, restricting, and excessive exercise. This association has been primarily explored in higher-income countries, like the United States. The goal of this study was to elucidate the associations among victimization trauma (physical assault, sexual assault, and other unwanted sexual experience assessed) exposure and (binge eating, purging, restriction and excessive exercise) in a global sample of women.

Methods: Participants were 2,458 women attending universities across seven countries (US, UK, Canada, Germany, Iran, Turkey, Colombia) who were recruited through their undergraduate participant pool. Students who completed …

Digital Lover: Insecure Attachment Styles And Romantic Parasocial Relationship Among Chinese Female Otome Game Playersdigital Lover: Insecure Attachement Styles And Romantic Parasocial Relationship Among Chinese Female Otome Game Players, Weifan (Kyrie) Zhang M.S.

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

The existing literature has explored the relationship between insecure attachment styles and parasocial relationships, particularly focusing on traditional media such as television. However, it has largely overlooked the novel form of media represented by contemporary Chinese otome games, which offer an idealized digital environment potentially more appealing to players with insecure attachment styles. Moreover, previous studies have not sufficiently differentiated between general parasocial interactions and the specific nuances of parasocial romantic relationships unique to romantic video games (RVGs). This study seeks to bridge these gaps by examining the psychological underpinnings of Chinese female players' engagement with female-oriented romantic video games. …

Why Person-Environment Fit Matters When Addressing Homelessness: An Intersectional Analysis Of King County, Washington’S Coordinated Entry System, Cori L. Cafaro

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Coordinated Entry (CE) systems aim to address homelessness by allocating resources based on need and prioritizing the most vulnerable individuals. However, system success depends on appropriately matching people to housing. This study examined person-environment fit (P-E fit) and associated housing outcomes for single adults matched to permanent supportive housing through King County, Washington's CE for All system, with intersectionality as a secondary lens. This was a secondary analysis using Qualitative Content Analysis of interview and focus group transcripts from tenants (n = 18), staff (n = 27), and policy leaders (n = 11). Five dimensions of fit emerged as consequential …

"Why Don't I Talk To A Therapist?": Motivations And Reflections Of Female-Identifying Chinese Immigrants Seeking Psychotherapy For Depression, Qiuyi Wei

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of Chinese immigrants and temporary residents struggling with depressive symptoms and their process of seeking and accepting psychotherapy support. The study aimed to describe the factors that motivated participants to enter therapy for depression while also addressing their internal concerns about treatment. Nine female-identified Chinese immigrant adults with such experiences were recruited. Participants’ perceptions of their depressive symptoms and the factors contributing to their decision to seek professional therapy were explored through in-depth, semi-structured qualitative interviews conducted in Mandarin. The interview transcripts were analyzed in Mandarin using interpretative phenomenological analysis, through which four …

Bi+ Cismale Experiences With Straight Cismale Friends, Taylor M. Hardock

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Minority Stress Theory (2006) posits that individuals with a marginalized sexual identity have unique challenges and stressors. Bisexual+, or bi+, individuals have particular stressors related to not holding a monosexual identity, including specific mental health challenges. Research has shown that friendship can have many positive benefits on individuals, though the literature looking at friendship among bi+ identifying people is very limited. This qualitative study investigates the experiences of friendship between bi+ and straight cis men, especially as they may relate to minority stress and experiences of resilience and community belongingness. A thematic analysis was utilized to understand the personal experiences …

Suicidal Ideation As Regulation: Exploring Dispositional Factors, Risk, And Comfort In Those With Suicidality, Christopher Francis Weller

Selected Full-Text Dissertations 2020-

Despite decades of research, suicide rates remain high, suggesting that risk-factor approaches have not captured the complexity of suicidality (Cai, Chang, & Yip, 2020; Hjelmeland, 2016; Milner, Robinaugh, & Nock, 2020). Contemporary theories have emphasized understanding suicidal ideation (SI) as part of a developmental process (Joiner, 2010; Klonsky & May, 2015). Emerging research has suggested that, for some, SI serves an emotion regulation function, but individual differences in this remain underexplored (Coppersmith et al., 2018; Kleiman et al., 2018). This study examined SI as a regulation strategy by integrating the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide, attachment theory, and models of emotion …

Between Two Worlds: Acculturation And The Self In The Disaffiliation From Ultra-Orthodox Judaism, Gitel Perel Gordon

Selected Full-Text Dissertations 2020-

Disaffiliates from the Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community exhibit particularly high rates of psychopathology and face a variety of social, psychological, and cultural challenges when they step away from their insular religious communities. The present study built on the disaffiliation-as-immigration framework to explore how disaffiliates negotiate acculturation to mainstream secular society. Specifically, the study investigated how a sample (N=256) of U.S.-based Ultra-Orthodox disaffiliates relate to both the mainstream (secular society) and heritage (Ultra-Orthodox) cultures, and how these processes shape identity and psychological adjustment. Participants completed a series of self-report measures assessing aspects of their acculturation process, self-concept, and psychological well-being, as well …

How Attitudes About Sexual Orientation Affect Relationship Satisfaction Among Lesbian And Bisexual Women, Shiyun Chen

Selected Full-Text Dissertations 2020-

This analogue study examined how two different types of therapist self-disclosure (TSD) influenced the assessment of the working alliance and real relationship by observer participants, and how these variables were impacted by a participant’s race and experience of cultural mistrust. A sample of N = 339 Black and White adults watched one of two mock therapy videos, depicting either a non-immediate TSD or an Alliance- Focused Training (AFT)-consistent immediate TSD in response to the patient’s rupture markers. Based on the video, each with the same White therapist and bi-racial patient, participants rated the observed working alliance and real relationship. Participants …