Clinical Psychology Commons^™

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 …

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 …

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. …

The Lived Experience Of Intimate Partner Violence For Females In Emerging Adulthood: A Qualitative Study, Laurel Dobkin M.S.

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Emerging adulthood is the developmental period between ages 18 to 25 where individuals begin to explore their worldviews and develop intimate relationships. This period is important for developing a sense of identity and self (Arnett, 2000, 2014). During this period, negative events or relationships, such as intimate partner violence (IPV), may have detrimental effects (Erikson, 1968; Barreto & Frazier, 2012). While literature suggests that IPV has high rates and negative consequences in emerging adulthood (Bhattacharjee & Gopal, 2022; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2024; Shen & Kusunoki, 2019), there is little research on the subjective experience of females …

Visual Aids And Numeracy In Healthcare: Leveraging The Drawing Effect, Zephyr J. Markley

Capstone Showcase

Healthcare decisions often require patients to interpret numerical risk information under stress, yet many struggle with low numeracy, which can distort comprehension and undermine informed consent. Well-designed visual aids can improve diagnostic inference, calibrate confidence, and support better choices, especially for patients with limited numeracy, but their impact depends on whether users can actually interpret the format accurately. Drawing may further enhance these tools by adding a tactile, generative layer that engages visual, semantic, and motoric processing while helping patients organize information into concrete models.

Passive visual aids appear useful but limited because they often position patients as observers rather …

Bilingual Beginnings: Expressive Language And Socio-Emotional Development In Early Childhood, Molly C. Mccormick

Scripps Senior Theses

Although research on bilingualism has expanded rapidly in recent years, the majority focuses on cognitive advantages or receptive vocabulary, or the words children understand. Far less attention has been given to how expressive language, the words children produce, and its potential role as the mechanism linking bilingual exposure to socio-emotional development. Although dual-language learners sometimes appear to have relatively limited expressive vocabularies in one language, these differences tend to reflect patterns of language use and input quality rather than true developmental delays. Even so, temporary differences in expressive skills can be especially meaningful during children’s formative years, when they rely …

Campus Sexual Assault: Cybersex At Bucknell, Rebecca Bonomo

Master’s Theses

Campus sexual assault continues to be a prevalent problem, particularly at Bucknell. The present study is the first study out of Bucknell Campus Sexual Assault Research team to explore the new module of the Sexual Experiences Survey - Victimization (SESV) Cybersex (Koss et al., 2024). This is a mixed methods approach to exploring cybersex at Bucknell. The study explored prevalence rates, differences between gender binary, sexual orientation, and post-traumatic stress symptoms. The first hypothesis was that cybersex victimization will be prevalent at Bucknell. The next hypothesis was that women and sexual minorities would have higher rates of cybersex scores than …

Breaking The Cycle: Substance Use Disorders, Recidivism, And The Role Of Reentry Programs, Sophia R. Veloz

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This Honors Research Paper examines the relationship between substance use treatment and recidivism among justice-involved individuals, gathering from my academic background as a dual major in psychology and national security and my internship at Oriana House in Akron, Ohio. Oriana House is a private nonprofit organization that provides inpatient and outpatient services for adults with substance use disorders, including detoxification, motivational interviewing (MI), Substance Use Disorder (SUD) counseling, telehealth, and 12-step facilitation. Their mission emphasizes reducing recidivism by addressing substance use and supporting long-term recovery. The main research question in this study is whether taking part in structured, community-based treatment …

The Implementation Of A Token Economy On The Behaviors Of Children With Adhd, Dominic M. Hritsko

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The Saturday Treatment Program (SatTP) is a ten-day treatment program that was designed through the Cleveland Clinic and takes place at a middle school on Saturdays during the school year. The program design follows that of the Summer Treatment Program, where counselors utilize a comprehensive point system that is part of a token economy to evaluate children’s behaviors (ADHD summer treatment program). I will be working with other counselors led by Dr. Hallie Fetterman Ph.D., a pediatric psychologist, to deliver the program and evaluate the behaviors of sixteen children. The program is split into three age groups: six through …

Moving Positively: A Review Of Positive Psychology Interventions In Counseling, Spencer M. Fleming, Ingrid Weigold Ph. D

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Positive psychology is a relatively new and developing subfield of psychology which examines the machinations and roles of various character strengths and traits such as growth, well-being, meaning, life satisfaction, character strengths, and more. Positive psychology holds various implications for counseling, therapy, individual growth, and self-determination. However, current literature on positive psychology interventions (PPIs) are scattered, nuanced, and lack overall consensus. Thus, encompassing research is necessary to identify common trends, areas for improvement, and a clear direction moving forward. The present review analyzes positive psychology interventions (PPIs) within psychology and counseling. This review examined forty-eight articles, including fifteen meta-analyses, on …

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 …

Student Perceptions Of Clinical Psychology Workforce Diversity, Ogochukwu Obi

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Clinical psychology remains a predominantly White field, with more than four in five current clinical psychology academics and practitioners being White. Increased racial representation in the field could contribute to more culturally responsive treatment research and practice and improved treatment outcomes. Barriers to increasing racial representation exist across all levels of psychology education and careers. The current study focuses on a potential barrier to pursuing a clinical or counseling psychology doctorate for Black undergraduate psychology majors. Research on social identity theory, perceived identity compatibility theory, and social-cognitive career theory show students’ identities can influence career aspirations, educational experiences, and sense …

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 …

Understanding Self And Others: Exploring The Relationship Between Maladaptive Personality Traits And Theory Of Mind, Christian Dellavella

Theses and Dissertations

The relationship between theory of mind (ToM) and maladaptive personality traits is a poorly understood but critical intersection between cognitive and clinical psychology. While some research has suggested certain personality characteristics may elevate ToM ability, others may contribute to deficits that lead to negative health outcomes and poor social functioning. Understanding how variability in the population’s ideological disposition affects our capacity to comprehend others’ perspectives and emotions is key to grasping the intricacies of social interactions. As the fields of clinical psychology and psychiatry begin to reclassify their diagnostic systems, it is critical to evaluate how novel conceptualizations of personality …

Moderators Of Change In Parent Child Relationship Quality In Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Emilie Paul

Theses and Dissertations

The parent-child relationship may protect children against negative mental health outcomes after trauma. One aim of evidence-based interventions for trauma-related symptoms in children is often to improve the parent-child relationship, as seen in trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy (TF-CBT). This study investigated changes in parent-child relationship quality during TF-CBT in child-parent dyads. Participants were families receiving TF-CBT through a community-based training clinic as part of an ongoing open trial of TF-CBT (N=287). Children reported on relationship quality at pre-, mid-, and post-treatment. Multilevel growth modeling examined changes in relationship quality across TF-CBT and moderating effects of caregiver symptoms, homework completion, and …

Do Friendship Features Moderate Associations Between Body-Related (Co)-Rumination And Disordered Eating Behaviors?, Annabel Grace Susanin

Theses and Dissertations

For young adults, the transition to college includes increased responsibility and academic pressures, as well as new living environments with same-age peers. The demands of this transition can contribute to increased stress and uncertainty in students, resulting in engagement of behaviors that negatively impact physical and mental well-being. Among these behaviors include disordered eating. In this project, we sought to better understand individual and social risk factors for developing disordered eating behaviors. We measured a cognitive process that can occur within the self (rumination) or between the self and others (co-rumination), two concepts previously linked to other internalizing disorders, including …