Clinical Psychology Commons^™

Depression Among African American Midlife Women: Delineating The Role Of Stress, Heather Page

Theses and Dissertations

Recent multi-ethnic epidemiologic studies indicate an increased risk for the onset of new as well as recurrent episodes of clinical depression among midlife women. However, little is known about the risk factors that influence the occurrence, severity, and course of depression in midlife among African American women (AAW). The purpose of the current study was to statistically model three prevailing conceptual views of stress and depression: 1) life course, 2) stress exposure, and 3) stress generation). The research investigated the abilities of these conceptual models to predict depressive symptoms severity, current depressed days, and major depression among midlife AAW. Data …

“More To Life Than Mental Health”: Investigating The Roles Of Community Mental Health Case Managers In Promoting Community Integration For Adults With Psychiatric Disabilities, Betsy A. Davis

Theses and Dissertations

The recovery movement in the field of community mental health has brought attention to more holistic outcomes of services for adults with psychiatric disabilities, including community integration. However, there is a lack of empirical investigations of the roles that service providers, and case managers (CMs) in particular, can play in promoting such outcomes for their clients. The present study took an exploratory, hypothesis-building approach to describing the ways in which CMs supported the community integration of their clients with serious mental illness. A cross-sectional design was used with qualitative and quantitative data collected from 6 CMs and a sampling of …

The Consequences Of Alcohol Mixed With Energy Drink (Amed) Use In College Students With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd), Brooke A. Green

Theses and Dissertations

College students with ADHD, but especially those who consume alcohol, may be at jeopardy for experiencing negative educational and occupational outcomes, problematic substance use, criminal offending, and sexual victimization. Alcohol mixed with energy drink (AmED) use is widespread across college campuses and associated with many of these same problematic outcomes. The risk of experiencing these consequences for college students with ADHD may be exacerbated by AmED use given its unique relationship, above and beyond alcohol use, with these variables. This study sought to examine relationships among GPA, lost work performance, hazardous alcohol use, illicit substance use, criminal offending, and sexual …

The Influence Of Client-, Family-, And Therapist-Level Pretreatment Characteristics On Therapist Delivery Of Youth Psychotherapy Treatments, Adriana Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the extent to which pretreatment characteristics influence therapist treatment adherence by using data sampled from a randomized effectiveness trial and an efficacy study. Research suggests that youth-, family-, and therapist-level pretreatment characteristics influence therapist behavior; however, this area is underdeveloped as most studies have focused on externalizing problem areas, family-based approaches, and the use of parent or therapist report to assess for therapist adherence. To date, no research has examined this question with anxiety as the target problem, individual-focused CBT, and with observational therapist adherence data. An observational coding measure, Cognitive-Behavioral …

Positive Illusory Bias In Adolescents With Adhd: Prevalence, Stability, And Accuracy Of Reporters, Elizaveta Bourchtein

Theses and Dissertations

The positive illusory bias (PIB) – over-reporting levels of self-competence compared to other raters – has been demonstrated in youth with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), despite increased impairment rates. However, due to inconsistent definitions of the PIB, conflicting findings have emerged regarding prevalence of the PIB in youth with ADHD and whether parent or child report is actually “biased” and driving the PIB. Additionally, stability of the PIB across time is unknown. The present study used person-centered methodology cross-sectionally and longitudinally to evaluate the prevalence of the PIB in adolescents with ADHD. Results revealed a cross-domain global PIB group at baseline …

Loneliness, Cynical Hostility, And Cognitive Decline In Americans Above Age 50, Sarah C. Griffin

Theses and Dissertations

Background. Research identifies isolation (being alone) as a risk factor for cognitive decline— yet it is possible that subjective dimensions of isolation are more critical. Potential risk factors are loneliness (the distress stemming from feeling alone) and cynical hostility (an attitude of distrust and cynicism). The present study examined the relationship between these factors and cognitive functioning and decline.

Methods. Data came from the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative longitudinal study of US adults over 50. Loneliness was measured using the Hughes Loneliness Scale; cynical hostility was measured using items from the Cook-Medley Hostility Inventory. Cognitive functioning was …

Relationship Between Wisdom And Coping In College Students, Mahip Rathore

Masters Theses

Wisdom is known as the pinnacle of personal growth and psychological functioning in humans. It has a distinguished place in philosophy and religion. Its examination as a psychological process started only a few decades ago, and has been a growing area of research since then. However, very limited research has been conducted so far that explores the developmental process of wisdom. The purpose of the present study was to investigate wisdom as a function of coping with difficulties of life. Only two studies have attempted to establish the relationship between wisdom and coping, with one being primarily qualitative in nature …

Mothers' History Of Child Maltreatment And Regulation Abilities: Interactions Among Young Children's Temperament, Attachment, And Maltreatment Potential, Jayme Puff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Given the impact that parents' and young children's characteristics have on the potential for child maltreatment, the present study sought to examine how mothers' ratings of their own childhood maltreatment, their psychological symptoms, their regulation abilities (i.e., emotion regulation, reflective functioning, attributions, and coping with young children's negative emotions), and their perceptions of their young children's temperament were related to their narratives of their attachment relationships with their young children and their child maltreatment potential. As part of this study, 54 mothers rated themselves and their young children on the aforementioned variables. Binary logistic hierarchical regression analysis suggested that mothers' …

The Longitudinal Relationship Between Moderate Alcohol Use And Cognitive Aging Among Older Adults., Danielle Herring

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cognitive aging appears inconsistent across cognitive domains, indicating that domains may not all decline at the same rate across individuals. Individual trajectories of cognitive aging can vary widely and are affected by numerous lifestyle and health factors. Alcohol use among older adults is known to confer both health risks, typically related to excessive use, and protective effects, often associated with moderate consumption. Moderate alcohol use has been linked with better cognitive functioning as well as a decrease in cardiovascular mortality and systemic inflammation, as compared to heavy or abstinent users. Given that extant research has identified C-reactive protein (CRP) as …

Declarative Memory, Theory Of Mind, And Community Functioning In Schizophrenia, Andrew Deptula

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cognitive impairments are highly prevalent in individuals with schizophrenia and are now considered hallmark features of the disorder. Over the past decade, considerable evidence has demonstrated the functional significance of social and nonsocial cognitive impairments in individuals with schizophrenia. However, the nature of the relationship between specific domains of social and nonsocial cognition and how they relate to functional outcome in this population is less clear. In particular, declarative memory impairment has been suggested to have critical consequences for the everyday life of individuals with schizophrenia and may play a role in their social integration difficulties. Preliminary evidence also indicates …

Mothers' Temperament, Adverse Childhood Experiences, And Psychological Symptoms: How Are Enduring Maternal Characteristics Related To Mothers' Perceptions Of Children's Temperament, Behavior Problems, And Adaptive Functioning?, Ellen Kolomeyer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Extant literature documented the impact of mothers' characteristics and parenting behaviors on young children's psychosocial outcomes. Additionally, previous studies demonstrated the importance of mothers' adverse childhood experiences in the relationships among some of these constructs. To expand on the existing knowledge, the present study examined the relationships among mothers' temperament, reflective functioning, attributions, and specific parenting behaviors, with reflective functioning and attributions serving as two potential mediating variables in these relationships. A community sample of 224 diverse mothers of young children who were between 2- to 5-years of age rated their own adverse childhood experiences, temperament, reflective functioning, attributions, specific …

The Effects Of Pet Ownership On Anxiety And Depression Among Trauma-Exposed College Students, Dung N. Nguyentran, Marlene A. Michniak, James J. Jung, Christine Q. Do

UROP Posters

Rates of anxiety and depression are prevalent in college students and can be attributed in part to stress and trauma-related events. However, studies suggest that pet ownership has the possibility of alleviating symptoms of anxiety, depression, negative emotions, and suicide. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between pet ownership and levels of anxiety and depression among those who have experienced a traumatic event. The sample was comprised of five hundred and forty-seven VCU students who completed an online survey from Spit for Science during their junior year. Linear regressions were performed to determine the nature and …

Comparative Memory/Behavioral Symptoms Of Alzheimer's Disease: Eoad Vs. Load, Marcia Gale Roberson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a fatal disorder with no apparent cure. Early-onset AD (EOAD) occurs in individuals before the age of 65, and late-onset AD (LOAD) occurs in individuals age 65 and older. Past studies have proven that AD is fatal among Americans age 65 and older. The disease is characterized by impairments in memory and executive function as well as other cognitive and behavioral problems. The research questions addressed by this sequential, mixed-method study compared EOAD and LOAD by exploring common behavioral/cognitive symptoms and stage levels of AD. Research participants were recruited from the Alzheimer's Association who were members …

Impact Of Distance, Diagnosis, And Demographics On Attendance For Rural Outpatient Treatment, Trey Howard Jensen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Missed psychotherapy appointments inhibit mental health treatment, limit the availability of treatment to those waiting for care, and reduce clinician revenue. Previous research has revealed that the factors that predict missed appointments vary depending on the geographic location in which that research is conducted. There is not a complete understanding of the characteristics of people who miss appointments in a rural context. This study used information from 281 client records to examine the predictive relationships among missed appointments and the distance traveled to the clinic, mental health diagnosis, age, and gender at a rural outpatient mental health clinic. The purpose …

A Phenomenological Study Of East African Refugee Mothers' Experiences Of Trauma And How It Affects Parenting, Binh Hoa Pham

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

There is a growing population of refugees around the world. Refugees experience a multitude of stressors—war trauma, chaotic and unsettling displacement(s), and resettlement stressors. African and Middle Eastern refugees are the fastest growing refugee population. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees (2014) report estimates that by the end of 2014, there will be 59.5 million displaced people around the world. Refugee women and children are disproportionately victims of war and civil conflict. Research on the experience of refugee women and children is minimal in refugee studies, specifically how refugee mothers’ experiences of war affect parenting. The …

Examining The Spanish Maysi-2 Translation Among Mexican Americans, Yolanda Denise Ochoa

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Due to the increasing Latino population in the U.S., Spanish translations of mental health screening tools are needed to better serve Latinos, particularly those in juvenile justice settings. Screening tools are measures that flag mental health symptoms and indicate if further evaluation is needed. The most widely screening tool used in juvenile justice settings that has been translated into Spanish is the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument-Version 2 (MAYSI-2). To date, research has focused only on the English version of the MAYSI-2. The present study examined the equivalence of the Spanish translation of the MAYSI-2 to its English version in 18- …

Clinician Perspectives On Community Reentry For Mentally Ill Offenders In New York, Lauren C. Meath

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The prevalence of individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) in prisons has risen in recent years. While incarcerated, individuals with SMI face many challenges, such as difficulties with peers and staff, and potential exacerbation of mental health symptoms. These difficulties do not subside when reentering their communities upon release. These individuals encounter unique challenges upon release, such as facing the difficult task of finding mental health services and other resources, housing, and health insurance. This study aimed to gather the perspectives of clinicians who worked for the Office of Mental Health in New York State regarding community reentry for inmates …

The Stress-Buffering Model Of Social Support In Post-Acute Brain Injury Rehabilitation, Emily Anna Pearce

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Currently, 3.2-5.3 million Americans (1.1-1.7%) live with long-term disability resulting from acquired brain injury (ABI). Despite two to three million more being treated yearly for milder injuries and released without further services, those with enduring problems often require ongoing rehabilitation and support. The immediate and long-term costs of ABI are substantial, as are the burdens associated with lifelong sequelae. A clear understanding of prognostic indicators—only some of which have been identified—could assist in reducing these costs and burdens. Social support, which has been linked with physical health and function in populations across the world, is one likely indicator. Family stress, …

African American Women In Leadership Positions: A Qualitative Study, Carl Harrison Jr.

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

In today’s society, an accurate representation of female minority leadership is needed. This study explored the (a) leadership development of African American women, (b) means and hindrances that African American women leaders met on their pathway to success, and (c) role of resilience among African American women. The current research was guided by the Smith (2010) study; Smith completed research on this subject matter using African American males. The current research used women rather than men but maintained the same methodology. The Consensual Qualitative Research Method (CQR; Hill, Thompson, & Williams, 1997; Hill et al., 2005) was used to analyze …

Investigating The Role Of Social Support, Cardiovascular Reactivity, And Self-Regulation Skills Training In Response To Thermal Stimuli, Tracey Christine Kniffin

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Persistent pain conditions are a major health problem throughout the world and are one of the primary reasons that people seek medical treatment (Gureje, Von Korff, Simon, & Gater, 1998; Verhaak, Kerssens, Dekker, Sorbi, & Bensing, 1998). These conditions are characterized by complex interactions between cognitive, emotional, and physiological disturbances and are often associated with comorbid psychological disorders (Gatchel, 2004). Though previous studies have examined the effect of interventions targeting persistent pain, such as physical self-regulation interventions, few studies have examined the complex interaction between such interventions and other variables such as psychological and physiological …