Clinical Psychology Commons^™

Towards A New Measure Of Playfulness: The Capacity To Fully And Freely Engage In Play, Rebecca Cornelli Sanderson

Dissertations

The current study involved the development and validation of a new measure of playfulness, the Project Joy Playfulness Scale (PJPS). The PJPS was designed specifically as a brief teacher-report measure for use in the preschool classroom. Playfulness was hypothesized to include four dimensions: Active Engagement, Internal Control, Joyfulness, and Social Connection. Blending academic knowledge with on-the-ground clinical experience, the measure was collaboratively developed and then tested in two separate phases of data collection.

In the first phase of the study, two hundred and twenty-two preschool students aged three to five were rated by two classroom teachers on the alpha version …

Easing The Teasing The Effects Of Appearance-Related Feedback On Body Image Disturbance, Eating Pathology, Body Change Behaviors, And Self-Objectification, Elizabeth B. Schuster

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Appearance-related commentary can be positive or negative. Such commentary has been shown to negatively affect the mental health and well-being of women in a well-documented body of research. There is limited research on this topic pertaining to males. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of appearance-related commentary in men. Results indicate that men who receive more negative commentary are more likely to experience eating pathology, body dissatisfaction, distress from commentary, and participate in compulsive exercising and appearancechange behaviors. However, men that receive positive commentary are likely to experience more positive outcomes, reporting less dissatisfaction and pathology …

Sexually-Related Internet Activities: Cross-National Comparison Between United States And Peruvian Young Adults, Rodrigo Velezmoro

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current generation of college students commonly use the Internet for sexual purposes (Boies, 2002; Boies, Cooper, & Osborne, 2004), including finding sexual partners, searching for sex-related information, and viewing sexually explicit materials (SEM) (Boies, 2002). Yet, some authors have suggested that the use of the Internet for sexual purposes might lead to psychological problems (Cooper et al., 2001). However, it is unclear if the problems that are commonly reported (i.e., Internet dependency, isolation, and psychological distress) are caused by using the Internet for sexual purposes. Hence, it is important to examine how college students use the Internet for sexual …

Gender Role Conflict Among Formerly Incarcerated And College Black Males: The Mediating Effects Of Racial Identity On Psychological Distress, Natasha N. Manning

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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The Influence Of Treatment Team Cohesion In The Success Of In-Home Mental Health Treatment For Children And Adolescents With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders, Jaimie C. Orndorff

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Background: The author pursued this area of interest due to having had a positive experience working as a therapist within a high cohesion treatment team in an in-home setting. This experience with a high cohesion team seemed to lead to more successful results than other teams that were deemed low cohesion, in the same format. This experience led to a general curiosity about why the team this author was on was more effective. Additional research allowed this author to determine the possible link between cohesion, success of treatment and reduced risk for burnout, defined as a response to chronic job …

Suicide Survivorship Among Lesbians, Amy S. Davis

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

It is commonly understood that approximately 10 % of the U.S. population is gay, lesbian, or bisexual. It has been well-documented that gay people face a heightened risk of suicide that is different and more severe than heterosexuals. Although it is known that both suicide attempts and completions are disproportionately higher among gay adolescents than heterosexual ones, there is a paucity of research on the phenomenon of suicide survivorship. Because lesbian adolescents in particular have higher rates of depression, drug or alcohol abuse, and suicidality than heterosexuals, there is a demonstrated need for studies which explore the experiences of lesbian …

Validating Kreiner And Ashforth’S Organizational Identification Measure In An Engineering Context, Morrie Mullins, Christian M. End, L. Carlin

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Therapeutic Alliance On Outcomes In Parent-Child Dyadic Interventions, Ryan M. Smith

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

An infant’s attachment relationship with primary caregivers has been demonstrated to have a long-term relationship to an individual’s social and emotional functioning throughout the lifespan. Recognizing the critical importance of this period, interventions to facilitate secure attachment are now being evaluated for treatment efficacy. Evaluation of these treatments has typically focused on the components of treatment, examining changes in maternal sensitivity, parental attachment representations, and concrete support to address basic needs, housing, or other contextual factors, and evidence has been found to support the inclusion of these factors. However, little is known regarding what elements of treatment impact the effectiveness …

Attachment Styles, Social Skills, And Depression In College Women, Eileen L. Cooley, Amy Van Buren, Steven P. Cole

Psychology Faculty Publications

Attachment styles, social skills, and depression were studied in 93 college women using the Relationship Questionnaire (K. Bartholomew & L M. Horowitz, 1991), the Beck Depression Inventory-ll (AT. Beck, R.A. Steer, & G. K. Brown, 1996), and the Interpersonal Competence Questionnaire (D. Buhrmester,W. Furman, M.T.Wittenberg, & H.T. Reis, 1988).The self and other attachment models and the social skills of negative assertion, self-disclosure, and conflict management all correlated with depression. Conflict management partially mediated the relationship between attachment self-model and depression. Implications for counseling are discussed.

A Comparison Of The Reiss Profile With The Neo Pi-R Assessment Of Personality, Sara E. Boyd

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

The purpose of this thesis was to determine whether the NEO Personality Inventory-Revised (NEO PI-R) could account for significant variance within a measure of personality developed for the intellectually disabled (i.e., the Reiss Profile of Fundamental Motives), as well as to consider their comparative validity. The NEO PI-R and the Reiss Profile of Fundamental Motives were administered to 127 undergraduate students in conjunction with the Personality Research Form (PRF) and the Behavior Report Form (BRF). The NEO PI-R was able to account for a substantial amount of variance in the Reiss Profile scales, and the Reiss and the NEO accounted …

Promoting Resiliency: Vicarious Posttraumatic Growth In Trauma Clinicians, Christopher Howard

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Vicarious Posttraumatic Growth (VPG) and Vicarious Traumatization (VT) are two potential outcomes of clinical work with trauma survivors. The aim of this study was to test a predictive model of these constructs, allowing a fuller understanding of preventive strategies clinicians might employ to inoculate themselves against the potential hazards of service provision and provide the highest quality of clinical care. VPG and VT were investigated in 63 self-identified trauma therapists. The results showed that VPG is facilitated by engagement in successful services subsequent to a traumatic event. Self-Care emerged as a poignant buffer against various indices of vicarious traumatization. Other …

Integration Of Spirituality And Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy For The Treatment Of Depression , Jennifer J. Good

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common mental health problem that is treated by many mental health practitioners. Cognitive-behavioral therapies have proven to be effective in helping restructure the cognitions of the client, which in turn reduces depressive symptom. Research has shown that individuals with MDD who value spirituality tend to view the world in a different way than those individuals that do not hold spirituality as an important value in their life. Spiritual individuals have religious schemas, and therefore, it would be important to incorporate spirituality into the treatment setting. This pilot study utilized a manualized treatment approach that …

Enhancing Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy For Hispanic/Latino Clients With Depression : Recommendations For Culturally Sensitive Practice, Elizabeth Suarez Kuneman

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Using a qualitative approach, this study explored the process of developing treatment suggestions for adding cultural sensitivity to an empirically supported, group cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) treatment manual for Hispanic/Latino clients with depression. Suggestions were formulated through the implementation of one vignette centered on a male character, addressing Hispanic/Latino cultural values as described in the literature. This researcher sought bilingual mental health providers (English-Spanish/Spanish-English) who worked with Hispanic/Latino clients; four from a group of ten who responded, reviewed the researcher’s suggestions and answered a seven item semi-structured questionnaire, which was developed to elicit their comments. Analysis of the data revealed themes …

Effect Of Individual Cognitive Behavioral Therapy On Depression And Anxiety In Older Adults With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease : A Feasibility Study, Eileen Lightner

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in older adults has been associated with a high prevalence of depression and anxiety (Kunik et al., 2005). The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a COPD-specific individual cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention on depression and anxiety in older adults with COPD. Three older adult patients with moderate to severe COPD and comorbid depression and anxiety were recruited from a large hospital affiliated pulmonary practice to participate in this single subject multiple baseline feasibility study. Pre-test-post test assessments were conducted utilizing the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), the State …

Addressing Negative Effects Of Psychotherapy During The Informed Consent Process : The Licensed Psychologists' Perspectives , Neshe Sarkozy

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This survey study investigated attitudes and practices of 161 licensed psychologists from a nationwide sample, relative to addressing negative effects of psychotherapy during the informed consent process. Results revealed discrepancies in attitudes toward risk of negative treatment effects in psychotherapy and in addressing risk during the process of informed consent. Information obtained from this study may contribute to research in the area of clinical implementation of the American Psychological Association’s Code of Ethics. Implications for clinical practice are discussed. Limitations of the study and directions for future research are also addressed.

Gender Differences In Symptom Presentation Of Sexually Abused African American Children Ages 8 Through 12, Tania Czarnecki Wismar

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

A well-documented connection exists between child sexual abuse and psychological symptoms that may persist into adulthood. Because of the significant public health implications of child sexual abuse, it is critical to examine the many variables related to such a potentially traumatic event, including its psychological effects and effects on gender, so that treatment providers are able to gain a better understanding of how males and females are affected by their abuse experiences. This study examined the role of gender on psychological symptoms in a largely understudied population of inner city African American children; it also examined gender roles regarding the …

Spirituality As A Mediator In The Relationship Between Self-Care Practices And Perceived Stress Levels Among Lutheran Clergy, David W. Brant

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

There is currently a shortage of ordained ministers to fill the current vacancies in Lutheran churches due, in part, to the multiplicity of pastoral roles, the stressors clergy encounter in their vocation, and poor self-care. This exploratory research found a statistically significant, small, negative relationship when examining the relationship between clergy self-care practices and perceived levels of stress. The research did not support a relationship between clergy self-care practices and perceived levels of stress when mediated by clergy spiritual maturity. Other predictor variables such as first vocation, gender, spousal financial contributions and stress also did not yield statistically significant results …

A Comparison Of The Parenting Dimensions That Lead To Positive Social Problem Solving In The Children From Traditional Versus Children From Same-Sex Parent Families, Karen Joan Taratuski

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Building social competence is an important task of childhood. Effective social problem solving is a vital skill in the development of social competence. Although there are myriad factors that influence a child’s learning of social problem solving skills, the quality of the interaction between parents and children has been found to be a pivotal influence. Although much research focuses on the effects of parenting in the context of a traditional family (two parents of opposite gender), little more than half of all children are living in this type of family. Same-sex parent households draw particular criticism. However, research suggests that …

The Development Of The Measure Of Perceived Overscheduling (Mops), Aaron S. Pollock

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

It has been suggested that extracurricular activity involvement can lead to later behavioral or developmental challenges for children, particularly when children are pressured or overscheduled. Research, however, has shown mixed results in attempts to find a relationship between overinvolvement in activities and emotional/behavioral challenges. However, previous research did not take into consideration the individual’s perception of being overscheduled. The Measure of Perceived Over-Scheduling (MOPS) was developed to assess if a difference exists between adolescents who believe they are overinvolved in activities and adolescents who do not hold this belief. The MOPS was subsequently utilized to assess the relationship between perceived …

A Cultural Competency Program For Psychologists: Clinical And Supervisory Practices With Latino Culture And Language, Marie C. Weil

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study was designed to develop and evaluate an online cultural competence training program for psychologists (N = 6). Psychologists who supervise clinical psychology graduate students were recruited via their affiliations with the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), the National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology (NCSPP), the Association of Psychology Training Clinics (APTC), the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC), and the Pennsylvania Psychological Association (PPA). The purpose of the study was to address multicultural training gaps between supervisors and doctoral students in psychology and to meet the psychological needs of Latinos, the largest …