Clinical Psychology Commons^™

Differential Mechanisms Linking Early Childhood Violence Exposure And Social/Environmental Deprivation To Adolescent Conduct Problems: Exploration Of A Gene-By-Environment Interaction, Samantha R. Awada

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The dimensional model of adversity and psychopathology (DMAP) posits dimensions of childhood adversity (i.e., deprivation, violence exposure) differentially predict child neurobiological outcomes and behavioral correlates of these neurobiological outcomes. Both deprivation and violence exposure are associated with higher child conduct problems. Genetic and environmental vulnerability factors often interact to increase or decrease risk for developing adolescent conduct problems. One gene of particular interest is COMT, which is implicated in the dopaminergic system. The present study explored whether dimensions of childhood adversity during the child’s first five years of life interacted with COMT genotype to differentially confer cognitive (i.e., executive dysfunction) …

Bidirectional Associations Between Parenting Practices And Child Conduct Problems: The Moderating Role Of Callous-Unemotional Behavior, Elizabeth R. Corning

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

A growing body of research has evidenced bidirectional associations between parenting practices and the development of conduct problems in children. However, studies examining the effect of child callous-unemotional (CU) behavior in the context of these reciprocal associations have produced mixed findings. This study used data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N= 4,898) to investigate bidirectional associations between parenting practices (i.e., positive and harsh) and child conduct problems across ages 3, 5, and 9 and determine if these associations are moderated by child CU behavior. Cross-lagged panel analyses revealed that higher positive parenting at age 5 was associated …

Development Of Adolescent Romantic Competencies: Interaction Of Parental Management, Adolescent Perceptions Of Marriage, And Attachment, Lauren Elizabeth Hauck

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Adolescent dating behaviors are associated with romantic behaviors in adulthood. The Development of Early Adolescent Romantic Relationships model proposes that indirect parenting behaviors are associated with the development of adolescent romantic competencies. Other evidence has started to accumulate suggesting that direct parenting practices also influence the development of adolescent romantic competencies. The current study used structural equation modeling to examine the relationship between adolescents’ attachment orientations, parents’ romantic behaviors, and direct parenting practices and adolescents’ romantic competence (i.e., love, conflict, and poor problem solving). Additionally, adolescents’ ethnic group identity (i.e., Latino or non-Latino) was considered as a moderator of these …

The Role Of Affect In The Relationship Between Social Stress And Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptomology, Alyssa S. Mielock

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychological disorder that may develop following a traumatic event. Many factors have been shown to contribute to maintaining the distressing and impairing symptoms in response to the event. Internal factors, such as increased negative affect (NA), is positively associated with PTSD symptom severity (PTSS). External factors like social support have a negative relationship with PTSS; increased levels of social support are associated with decreased PTSS. Another external factor that may contribute to PTSS is increased stress. There are mixed findings as to how a psychosocial stressor impacts trauma-exposed samples physiologically. The current study addressed …

Longitudinal And Concurrent Contributions Of Verbal And Physical Scaffolding To Toddlers’ Inhibitory Control, Anton Petrenko

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Executive function (EF) is crucial to lifespan development and environmental factors have been found to impact its development. Previous research has shown that parenting can make meaningful impacts on children’s EF, with scaffolding receiving broad support. Scaffolding refers to an adult’s ability to guide a child through a challenging task without providing too much or too little support. However, many of the studies which have examined scaffolding have been done in preschool- and school-aged samples, with limited research conducted in younger samples. Very few studies have separately examined verbal and physical components of scaffolding, which may differentially contribute to children’s …

The Effect Of Mortality Salience On Compromising Mate Selection Standards In Homosexual And Heterosexual Individuals, Sydney Rohmann

Masters Theses

Terror management theory (TMT), proposed by Greenberg, Pyszcynski, and Solomon (1986), suggests that humans cope with terror resulting from the knowledge of their own mortality. The need for coping mechanisms arises when individuals are reminded of their own inevitable death; that is, when they experience mortality salience (MS). Hirschberger, Florian, and Mikulincer (2002) found that when primed with death reminders, heterosexual individuals tend to compromise their ideal mate selection to form close relationships. There has also been extensive research on the differences between homosexual and heterosexual mating preferences. This study examined the effect mortality salience has on an individuals’ mate …

Examining The Relationship Between Social Anxiety And Social Media Engagement, Emilee A. Kruchten

Masters Theses

The relationship between social anxiety and social media has been studied looking at social networking sites as a whole, or looking at problematic use of social networking sites. However, to the authors knowledge, no research study has been conducted comparing different social media sites. This study intended to look specifically at the relationship between social anxiety and Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat in college students. Furthermore, this study assessed fear of negative evaluation, fear of positive evaluation, fear of missing out, and social comparison as potential meditators of this relationship. It was hypothesized that there would be a relationship between social …

The Effects Of Therapist Expertise And Concerns Of Involuntary Hospitalization On The Disclosure Of Suicidal Ideations And Behavior, Zane Hensel

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Suicide continues to grow as a complex and multi-faceted problem in prevention and treatment, particularly for college students with an increased predictor of risk of suicidal behaviors. Previous research has indicated that one of the largest concerns for suicide disclosure is a fear of involuntary hospitalization. Over 200 college students participated in examining therapist expertise and understanding information on involuntary hospitalization on their rate of suicide disclosure. A 2x2 MANOVA, a 2x2x2 MANOVA that included gender, and a factor analysis were performed on an ad-hoc 11-question survey assessing suicidal ideation and suicidal behavior disclosure. The results indicated that there was …

The Effect Of Test Difficulty On Perceived Memory Performance, Phoebe S. Bean

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Neuropsychological testing is a critical element of the assessment and treatment of a host of neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s Disease, stroke, and traumatic brain injury. Certain non-neurological variables may also affect an individual’s test performance. Such secondary factors may include current psychiatric issues, chronic pain, sleep, and the effort put forth during testing. Little is known, however, about the effect the testing process itself has on people’s actual and perceived cognitive abilities. For example, the process of undergoing memory testing may, through a variety of mechanisms, influence memory performance and impact the person such that their view of their …

Understanding The Predictive Value Of Personality Traits And Executive Functioning In Emotional Intelligence, Isa C. Wright

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The concept of Emotional Intelligence (EI) identifies numerous areas within life that are impacted by the development of higher EI, including school performance, work performance, parenting, relationship patterns, and more. The implications of EI appear to be far-reaching, yet the understanding of how EI develops in an individual continues to be vague and unclear. The purpose of this quantitative study was to account for the roles that personality factors and executive functions play in EI. By incorporating personality trait theory and executive function theory, a survey was designed and disseminated online resulting in 89 completed surveys of participants between the …

Parental Involvement And Academic Achievement Of Students With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Marie Myrlene Dupont-Krommie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have persistently encountered academic difficulties resulting from their struggles to cope with educational standard rules hindering their academic achievement. Parental involvement significantly provides an optimistic effect on students' academic achievement; however, there is sparse literature that focuses on the effect of parental involvement on the academic achievement of children with ADHD. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the involvement of parents of children diagnosed with ADHD through their academic life, explore those parents' perceptions of themselves as contributors in their children's academic lives, report their views as influential participants in …

Influence Of Parenting Style On Frequency Of Alcohol Consumption By Jewish Male And Female Emerging Adults, Thomas Gross

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

The health hazards associated with young adults’ frequency of alcohol consumption have been well documented. It has been shown that 40.1% of emerging adults have been involved in binge drinking (i.e., consumption of more than five drinks in a row). The current prevalence rates of alcohol use among young male and female adults are 19% and 26%, respectively. The purpose of the study was to examine the influence of perceived parenting style (i.e., permissive, authoritarian, or authoritative/flexible) on the self-reported frequency of alcohol consumption of 138 U.S. Jewish male and female college students ages 19 to 27 years. The …

Impact Of Diversity Trainings On Commitment And Exploration Of Ethnic Identity, Donna Louise Dockery

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Increased attention continues to be given to diversity and social justice in the field of psychology. With the increased attention, training has been seen as the primary method of changing behaviors and biases. To date, literature on the effectiveness of workplace diversity training on organizational and employee outcomes was lacking. The purpose of this study was to explore the efficacy of diversity trainings on the commitment and exploration of ethnic identity of nonminority individuals in the workplace. The theoretical foundation was Helm’s theory of White racial identity, which was used to examine the various ways identification with White culture influences …

Correlation Between Therapeutic Outcomes And Acculturation For Hispanic Veterans With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Laura H. Hernandez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractHispanic veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have a higher prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than veterans of other ethnicities, and yet little research is devoted to examining this discrepancy. The purpose of this quantitative study, framed by Leininger’s cultural care theory, was to examine self-identified outcomes of three treatment modes and how they correlate with acculturation for Hispanic veterans diagnosed with PTSD at outpatient clinics and community outreach agencies. Independent variables were individual and group behavioral therapy, or a combination of both. Dependent variables of PTSD and well-being scores and level of acculturation were examined …

The Relationship Between Distress Intolerance, Emotional Dysregulation, And Social Networking Site Addiction, Matthew Nozaki

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The use of social networking sites (SNSs) continues to increase. SNS addiction refers to the maladaptive behaviors associated with addiction and the use of SNSs. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between emotional dysregulation and SNS addiction as well as investigate the association between distress intolerance and SNS addiction through emotional dysregulation. The social cognitive theory served as the theoretical framework. A total of 210 individuals completed an anonymous online survey through Qualtrics, which consisted of the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS), and the Difficulties in Emotional Regulation Scale (DERS). Linear regression was …

Vicarious Trauma As Experienced By Male Therapists, Michael Felt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Vicarious trauma (VT) is a recently focused on phenomenon that describes the negative effects of treating trauma victims. VT causes pervasive and permanent changes to the self-image and worldview of the therapist. Research is sparse regarding the ways male therapists experience VT. The purpose of this study was to explore the male therapist’s experience with VT and is crucial for developing a greater understanding of VT in order to enhance awareness, resilience, and prevention. The study was based on the constructivist self-development theory because VT was developed through the lens of this theory and is primarily defined as the intrapsychic …

Potential For Burnout, Coping Styles, And Help Seeking Attitudes Of Human Service Providers In A State Psychiatric Hospital, Alison Aulsbrook

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAlthough there is an abundance of literature on the relationship between burnout and coping styles among providers, this study explored the gap in research about the relationship of these factors to help seeking attitudes. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between burnout, coping styles and attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help among a sample of 76 human service providers, guided by cognitive appraisal theory. Burnout in participants who work at a state psychiatric hospital in Texas was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Coping styles were measured using the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations which measures …

Conflict In Human Relationships And Seeking Out Pets As A Safe Haven, Jennifer Rachael Bakal

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has revealed the positive physical and the psychological aspects of pet ownership, suggesting that an individual’s attachment style can impact the kind of relationship they have with their pet. Two theories guided this qualitative study; the first was Bowlby’s attachment theory, which suggests that if a child feels that the attachment figure is attentive and accessible, the child will feel loved and secure. Another theory was Ainsworth’s attachment theory in which attachment figures are described as possessing four features: proximity maintenance, separation distress, secure base, and safe haven. This study consisted of 212 participants at least 18 years old …

Quality Of Crisis Stabilization Units: Assessing The Treatment Of Adolescents With Co-Occurring Symptoms, Vincent Rodriguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe purpose of this quantitative quasi-experimental one-group pretest/posttest design study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Las Vegas Valley crisis stabilization units (CSU) in treating adolescents with comorbid mental health disorders. The specific problem entailed examining the efficacy of CSUs in addressing comorbidities among adolescents when dual-diagnosis symptoms were present. Scholarly evidence in this regard was lacking. The quantitative examination included patient data from the Cross-Cutting Symptom Measure (CCSM). Baseline and outcome CCSM scores of the test required determining whether a statistically significant difference in CCSM scores occurred between the baseline and outcome. The sample was 120 adolescent patients with …

Workplace Stress And Coping In Us Virgin Island Police Officers, Isheba James

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research indicates that policing is one of the most challenging and stressful professions worldwide regardless of the size of the police department, specialty area of service, or even geographic location. This study explored workplace stress and related coping strategies as described by police officers in the U.S. Virgin Islands through phenomenological inquiry. In addition to factors of stress and coping, components of culture and current local challenges received focus in the exploration. The research population consisted of 9 Virgin Islands police officers. Underpinning the study was the demand resources individual differences model and Lazarus and Folkman’s stress theory. The research …