Clinical Psychology Commons^™

Profile Patterns Of Sex Offenders Using The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory- Second Edition- Restructured Form (Mmpi-2-Rf), Renee Vanslyke

Theses and Dissertations

Personality assessment of sex offenders provides clarifying information regarding underlying characteristics that may contribute to commission of sex offenses. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and its second edition, the MMPI-2, have been the most extensively used personality measures in the psychological assessment of sex offenders. The latest version of the test, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, Second Edition, Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) is the focus of the current study. The current study evaluated MMPI-2-RF profiles obtained from a sample of 281 adult male sex offenders. The mean age of the sample was 36.3 (SD = 13.1; range = 18 – …

Exploring The Decisional Process Behind Alcohol Use: Converging Evidence Across Multiple Theories, Emily T. Noyes

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the etiological and maintaining processes of problematic drinking continues to be a challenge. There has been a growing amount of research focusing on the decisional processes that act to maintain addictive behaviors. Elucidating this underlying process is key to understanding the range of drinking behavior observed among individuals. Rather than relying on one theory, examining overlap between multiple theories of alcohol use may lead to a better understanding of such a process. Using a construct validation approach, this study utilized motivational (Ambivalence Model of Craving), cognitive (Alcohol Outcome Expectancy Theory), and behavioral theories (Behavioral Economics) of alcohol use to …

A Longitudinal Exploration Of Drive For Leanness: Potential Uniqueness, Sex Neutrality, Adaptive Nature, And Sociocultural Fit, Brittany Lang

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Historically disordered eating research has been gendered with models focusing on women’s pursuit of a thin ideal, as well as men’s attempts to obtain a muscular ideal. The motivations to achieve these ideals are called the drive for thinness (DT) and drive for muscularity (DM). More recently, a cultural shift has been noted in that ideal bodies are converging across sexes to a lean ideal, with the associated motivation being labeled the drive for leanness (DL). As DL is a nascent construct, little is known about its relationships with DT and DM, or if it predicts or is predicted by …

Spatio-Temporal Distribution Of Negative Emotions In New York City After A Natural Disaster As Seen In Social Media, Oliver Gruebner, Sarah R. Lowe, Martin Sykora, Ketan Shankardass, Sv Subramanian, Sandro Galea

Department of Psychology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Disasters have substantial consequences for population mental health. We used Twitter to (1) extract negative emotions indicating discomfort in New York City (NYC) before, during, and after Superstorm Sandy in 2012. We further aimed to (2) identify whether pre- or peri-disaster discomfort were associated with peri- or post-disaster discomfort, respectively, and to (3) assess geographic variation in discomfort across NYC census tracts over time. Our sample consisted of 1,018,140 geo-located tweets that were analyzed with an advanced sentiment analysis called ”Extracting the Meaning Of Terse Information in a Visualization of Emotion” (EMOTIVE). We calculated discomfort rates for 2137 NYC census …

Visual And Verbal Serial List Learning In Patients With Statistically-Determined Mild Cognitive Impairment, Victor J. Wasserman

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To compare verbal versus visual serial list learning test performance in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and assess relationships between serial list learning and hippocampal volume. Methods: Patients were diagnosed with non-MCI, amnestic MCI (aMCI), and combined mixed/dysexecutive MCI (mixed/dysMCI). Outcome measures included immediate/delay free recall, and delay recognition performance from the 12-word Philadelphia Verbal Learning Test (PrVLT) and the Brief Visuospatial Memory Test-Revised (BVMT-R). Lateral hippocampal volumes were obtained. Results: Non-MCI patients scored better than other groups on P(r)VLT immediate/delay free recall. aMCI patients scored lower than other groups on P(r)VLT delay recognition. Non-MCI patients were …

The Ethical Dilemma Of Blowing The Whistle: Research Misconduct And Its Reporters, David Sottile

The Hilltop Review

Research misconduct is a widespread issue that affects the credibility of science as a discipline. While a relatively small number of researchers engage directly in research misconduct, there is a larger number of researchers that are aware of research misconduct and do not report it. This permits falsified research to be disseminated throughout the scientific community. It is important to analyze both those engaging in research misconduct as well as those that are aware. The case example of Stephen E. Breuning is used throughout the paper. Stephen E. Breuning is a scientist that engaged in research misconduct that collaborated with …

Validation Of The Barkley Deficits Of Executive Functioning Scale-Short Form, Brian Sheble

Dissertations

The Barkley Deficits of Executive Functioning-Short Form (BDEFS-SF) is a short rating scale measuring executive functioning in adults. The BDEFS-SF was developed using the 5 highest loading questions from the BDEFS-LF. Consequently, the psychometric qualities of the BDEFS-SF were not investigated using formal methods. In this study, the psychometric attributes of the BDEFS-SF were examined using two separate but similar groups. The first group of 264 men and women aged 18-35 years old completed the BDEFS-SF via an internet survey. The second group of 36 men and women aged 18-35 years old completed the BDEFS-SF and individualized assessments of executive …

Predicting Weight Loss Following Bariatric Surgery: The Impact Of Stress, Depression, Social Support And Patient Gender, Erica Ahlich

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The buffering effect of social support against a range of stress-related health outcomes has been well-documented in a variety of research areas; however, no previous work has examined the applicability of this model to bariatric surgery outcomes. Additionally, based on previous evidence and relevant theoretical work, the stress-buffering effect of social support may show important gender differences. The current study examined stress, depression, social support, and patient gender as predictors of curvilinear weight loss trajectories during the first year following surgery. Data were collected using retrospective chart review. The buffering effects of three types of support were explored using growth …

Substance Abuse Treatment In Prison Settings: A Systematic Review, Emilee Cline

Psychology Capstone Projects

A significant relationship between criminal behavior and substance abuse exists, which leads to a large proportion of individuals in the prison system who meet criteria for a substance use disorder. This review compares empirically-supported treatments for substance use disorder to current substance abuse treatment programs offered in United States prisons. A review of current literature indicates that Therapeutic Communities are the most common form of substance abuse treatment provided, and often these are combined with Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy groups. Special treatment considerations are provided based on the type of substance used, gender, and ethnicity. Empirically-supported treatments are currently being implemented by …

Parent Perception Of The Working Alliance, Parent Self-Efficacy, And Parent Locus Of Control As Predictors Of Child Therapy Outcome, Christopher Glenn Chandler

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact that parent-therapist working alliance, parent self-efficacy, and parent locus of control have on child therapy outcomes. Bordin’s model of the working alliance provides a framework for measuring the collaboration between the parents and therapists while Social Cognitive Theory informs the decision to assess parent self-efficacy and parent locus of control.

The research questions were as follows: 1) Does a strong parent and therapist working alliance, as perceived by the parent, predict improved outcomes in child counseling? 2) Does parent self-efficacy predict outcomes in child counseling? 3) Does parent locus of …

Investigation Of Performance And Symptom Validity Testing In Children Utilizing Control, Simulation, And Clinical Groups, Elisabeth Vogt

Dissertations (1934 -)

Integral to neuropsychology, assessment relies on valid self-report and credible performance on neuropsychological tests. Symptom exaggeration and misrepresentation of abilities confound interpretation of neuropsychological test data, subsequent diagnosis, and treatment. Measures evaluating performance and symptom validity have been extensively studied in adult populations; however, similar research in child and adolescent populations is limited. In accordance with recommended research methodology, this study utilized a simulation design with community recruited and medical center clinical criterion groups which included 191 children and adolescents (7 to 16 years old). Sensitivity, specificity, and proposed cut-off scores are described for the Victoria Symptom Validity Test, Digit …

Service Use Among Individuals With Serious Mental Illness & Physical Health Problems, Laura May Kurzban

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: This study examined the relationship between (a) physical health problems among individuals diagnosed with serious mental illness (SMI), (b) their demographic and psychosocial characteristics which may be risk and protective factors for physical health problems, and (c) the use of mental health case management services. Methods: Data collected from community mental health center consumers residing in supported housing (N = 357) included number of self-reported physical health problems and impairment. Services use and billing data were collected on targeted case management (TCM) and mental illness management services (MIMS). Results: Regression models indicated that …

The Impact Of Social Desirability On An Individual’S Scale Of Accurate Personality Prediction (Sapp) Score, Alexander James Kiss

Theses and Dissertations

The Scale of Accurate Personality Prediction (SAPP), developed by Miller (2000), was derived from the 16PF and purports to measure an individual’s ability to accurately assess his or her own self-knowledge. The scores from the SAPP are derived from calculating the absolute value of the difference between the individuals predicted scores on the 16PF, and the individual’s actual scores on the 16PF. The present study aimed to determine if individuals with lower SAPP scores were influenced by social desirability, and if social desirability perception differs by gender. Archival data of 607 individuals was organized into 150 low scoring SAPP individuals …

Review Of A Politically Incorrect Feminist By Phyllis Chesler, Robert Brannon

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

Phyllis Chesler’s new memoir, A Politically Incorrect Feminist (St. Martin's Press, 2018), spans almost fifty years of second-wave feminism. She names 100s of women, both famous and virtually unknown today who took part in the awakening and growing women’s movement, marching, sitting-in, writing and organizing since the 1960’s. It is the personal life story of one of the earliest feminist authors and political activists of the second-wave, the author of Women and Madness and 17 other books. Chelser discusses major issues of the time and provides an insider’s view of many of the feminism’s most significant public events. This big …

Never Again! Surviving Liberalized Prostitution In Germany, Sandra Norak, Ingeborg Kraus

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

This article, co-authored by a six-year survivor of the sex trade industry in Germany (Sandra Norak) and a psychologist and trauma therapist (Ingeborg Kraus), provides perspectives on the difficulty of withstanding the coercion of traffickers and the difficulties of exiting prostitution in a country in which prostitution has been legalized, normalized and made “a job like any other.” This normalization persuades survivors to believe their traffickers that it is a legitimate occupation and encourages them to endure the violence. Liberalization also has prevented the development of needed trauma services to those seeking to exit the sex trade industry.

Efficaciousness Of Mindfulness Interventions For Trauma Using Psychophysiological Measures: A Review, Sherief Y. Eldeeb

Scholarly Undergraduate Research Journal at Clark (SURJ)

In recent decades the efficaciousness of mindfulness has been proven in a wide variety of contexts, but some crucial populations remain understudied. This review critically examines the literature on mindfulness in individuals with trauma using psychophysiological measures. Psychophysiological measures offer critical insight into this intersection of mindfulness and trauma due to the known somatic components in each, as well as serving as an objective response. Mindfulness-based treatments seem to show great promise in treating trauma, however there are significant limitations in the literature. Future studies should standardize the minimum length of treatment, utilize gender-balanced and ethnically diverse samples, and introduce …

The Relationship Between Psychotherapist Personality And Therapeutic Alliance, Michael Finlay

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Time-limited effective psychotherapy is a topic that is frequently addressed in clinical therapy research. Though a wide range of therapeutic factors, expectancy effects, techniques, and extratherapeutic have all been demonstrated to be related to outcome, researchers have consistently identified the therapeutic alliance as one of the strongest factors in predicting psychotherapy outcomes. Researchers are beginning to measure the effectiveness of therapy by evaluating improvements in outcome measures, and client reported therapeutic alliance. Researchers have recently began investigating the common personality profiles among psychotherapists, and have hypothesized that there is a relationship between psychotherapist personality and therapeutic alliance. The goal of …

Casualties Of Racism: Racial And Ethnic Discrimination And Suicidal Thoughts And Behaviors Among Racial And Ethnic Minority Emerging Adults, Lillian Anais Polanco

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The evidence demonstrating that experiences of racial/ethnic discrimination is detrimental to the mental health of racial/ethnic minority youth is unequivocal. What remains unclear, however, is whether racial/ethnic discrimination increases vulnerability for suicidal thoughts and behaviors in particular, and if so, what are the underlying mechanisms to explain this relation. Drawing upon the Race-based Traumatic Stress Theory (Carter, 2007), which suggests that some individuals may experience racial/ethnic discrimination as a traumatic stressor, and thus, eliciting a traumatic stress response, the present study examined posttraumatic stress reactions (i.e., posttraumatic stress, depression, dissociation, stress sensitivity) as mediators in the relation between racial/ethnic discrimination …

Detecting Cognitive, Functional And Behavioral Response To Donepezil In Alzheimer’S Disease: The Role Of Attention Tasks, Clara Vila-Castelar

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Introduction: Cholinesterase Inhibitors (ChEIs) used in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) have modest effects, heterogeneous treatment response, and it has been difficult to detect treatment response. The standard research and clinical outcome measure, the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog) aggregates multiple cognitive domains, and has limited sensitivity. We propose that because acetylcholine is directly linked to the cognitive domain of attention, and ChEIs increase available acetylcholine, measures of attention under high-load conditions could predict long-term cognitive, functional and behavioral response, and thus, unlike global measures, could be sensitive to treatment efficacy.

Method: We conducted a longitudinal, open label donepezil trial …

The Role Of Therapeutic Processes Within Mbsr For Parents Of Children With Developmental Delays, Grant Griffin Boostrom

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Parents of children with developmental delays (DD) report higher levels of stress than parents of typically developing children, and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) has proven effective at reducing stress in parents of children with DD. However, therapeutic processes that have been shown to be responsible for therapeutic change across treatment modalities have not been investigated within this context. This pilot study utilizes archival data from two phases of the Mindful Awareness for Parenting Stress Project to investigate the role of therapeutic processes within a MBSR intervention for parents of children with DD. Results indicated that therapeutic process variables were not …