Examining Mental Health Providers’ Differential Sensitivity To Youth And Caregiver Treatment Engagement Problems By Studying Clinical Decision-Making Behaviors,
2025
University of South Carolina
Examining Mental Health Providers’ Differential Sensitivity To Youth And Caregiver Treatment Engagement Problems By Studying Clinical Decision-Making Behaviors, Wendy Chu
Theses and Dissertations
Clinical decision-making is a systematic process of collecting and using information to guide action regarding client care. Across frameworks of clinical decision-making, there is an emphasis on the assessment of a problem – which involves considering, identifying, and selecting a problem – as it directly informs intervention. In youth mental health services, problems related to treatment engagement or the ability to meaningfully participate in services are important to assess given their association with premature termination and poor outcomes. However, research suggests that assessment of engagement problems may be challenging, and one potential reason pertains to providers’ ability to assess across …
Examining Cognitive Functioning And Digital Technology Engagement,
2025
Seattle Pacific University
Examining Cognitive Functioning And Digital Technology Engagement, Kylie Fraga
Clinical Psychology Dissertations
Using technology to complete instrumental activities of daily living (T-IADLs) reflects adaptive technology use, while absentminded smartphone use (AMSU) reflects maladaptive technology use. Examining the link between cognitive functioning and distinct forms of technology use can inform clinical strategies for optimizing technology use for individuals with cognitive difficulties and assist in digital design recommendations that align with diverse cognitive needs. This study examined associations between cognitive functioning (objective and subjective) and distinct forms of technology behaviors (T-IADLs and AMSU) within a sample of 93 adults (Mage = 52.6, SD = 16.93; 62% female) recruited from neuropsychology private practice clinics in …
Interpersonal Theory Of Suicide In A Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Sample,
2025
Seattle Pacific University
Interpersonal Theory Of Suicide In A Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Sample, Janelle Wee
Clinical Psychology Dissertations
Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is associated with cognitive and emotional changes that may increase suicide risk. This study, grounded in the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (IPTS), examined whether premorbid functioning moderates the relationship between cognitive functioning (working memory and processing speed) and suicidal desire (thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness) in individuals with mTBI. Participants (n = 54) were drawn from a clinical neuropsychological sample and completed the WAIS-IV, TOPF, BDI-II, and Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ). Hierarchical moderated regression analyses were conducted across 100 multiply imputed datasets. Depressive symptoms were included as a covariate. Results showed that depressive symptoms …
What Is Success? How Peer Support Workers In Ontario See Addiction & Recovery,
2025
Wilfrid Laurier University
What Is Success? How Peer Support Workers In Ontario See Addiction & Recovery, Ngaire Rasmussen
Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)
The drug crisis in Canada has high mortality rates, especially in remote and rural communities, but there are significant barriers to accessing healthcare to which peer support may represent a partial solution, (Eddie et al., 2019; Englander et al., 2020; The Government of Canada, 2023; Kourgiantakis et al., 2023; Lavalley et al., 2020; Lennox et al., 202; Russell et al., 2021). Research how peer support workers define success in their work with adults experiencing addiction in Ontario, Canada is lacking, but important to understanding the crisis and implementing peer programs. Grounded in Marxist theory, the following exploratory research investigated the …
Evaluating The Predictive Values Of Attachment Security And Perfectionism On Psychological Well-Being,
2025
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Evaluating The Predictive Values Of Attachment Security And Perfectionism On Psychological Well-Being, Lindsay Cleary
PCOM Psychology Dissertations
Attachment security impacts social competence and the development of one’s sense of self. It has also been implicated in the development of psychological conditions, including depression, personality disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Perfectionism has distinct characteristics that also influence how people relate to others and understand themselves. Research suggests that perfectionism negatively affects a person’s psychological well-being, often leading to mental health concerns such as anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Despite the introduction of the perfectionism social disconnection model (PSDM), few studies have attempted to understand the direct relationship between attachment security, perfectionism, and psychological well-being. It was hypothesized …
An Exploration Of Object Representations And Defense Mechanisms In Caregiver-Child Dyads On The Thematic Apperception Test,
2025
CUNY City College of New York
An Exploration Of Object Representations And Defense Mechanisms In Caregiver-Child Dyads On The Thematic Apperception Test, Hannah L. Bloom
Dissertations and Theses
Caregiver-child interactions, beginning in infancy, are essential for socio-emotional development. Through these exchanges, caregivers impart fantasies, fears, and beliefs—both consciously and unconsciously—that shape the child’s internal models of self and others (object representations) and strategies for managing intense emotions (defense mechanisms). Historically, projective tests, such as the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), have been used to explore these constructs. In the TAT, participants craft narratives based on images that portray characters in different emotional states and interpersonal situations. Through their responses, participants project elements of their own internal world into the stories they create. Despite the TAT’s success in differentiating diagnostic …
The Role Of Social Inequality In The “Feminization” Of Borderline Personality Disorder,
2025
CUNY City College
The Role Of Social Inequality In The “Feminization” Of Borderline Personality Disorder, Jane Goldie Ekhtman
Dissertations and Theses
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a severe and prevalent mental illness that is three times more likely to be diagnosed in women than men. BPD research has attempted to explain this gender disparity, with clinician gender bias emerging as a possible factor. Yet, no research to date has examined the role of social status in the overdiagnosis of women with BPD. There is merit in examining BPD through a class lens as low SES is a risk factor for BPD, poverty and income inequality disproportionately affect women, and low status is associated with stereotypical traits of femininity. Additionally, mental health …
Examining The Complex Interplay Of Stress, Social Support, And Drinking Motives On Alcohol Use Behaviors: A Moderated Mediation Model Among College Students,
2025
CUNY City College
Examining The Complex Interplay Of Stress, Social Support, And Drinking Motives On Alcohol Use Behaviors: A Moderated Mediation Model Among College Students, Sabrina Perrin
Dissertations and Theses
College student alcohol use remains a public health concern, yet the psychological and social mechanisms that contribute to high-risk drinking patterns are not fully understood. Guided by the motivational model of alcohol use and stress-buffering theory, this study tested a moderated mediation model to examine how perceived stress, coping motives for drinking, and perceived social support interact to influence alcohol use behaviors. A sample of over 1,100 diverse urban college students completed measures of stress, social support, drinking motives, and four alcohol-related outcomes: binge drinking, frequency of alcoholic drinks consumed, negative drinking consequences, and use of protective behavioral strategies (PBS) …
Unveiling Invisible Wounds: Experiences Of Racial Microaggressions, Racial Gaslighting, And Mental Health Among Racially And Ethnically Minoritized Adults,
2025
CUNY City College
Unveiling Invisible Wounds: Experiences Of Racial Microaggressions, Racial Gaslighting, And Mental Health Among Racially And Ethnically Minoritized Adults, Supriya Pandit
Dissertations and Theses
Racial microaggressions are momentary, subtle, and often unintentional comments or behaviors that nonetheless communicate negative race-based messages towards racially and ethnically minoritized individuals. Given the accumulated and differential impact of racial microaggressions on individuals' mental health over time, it is crucial to investigate its associations with specific mental health symptoms and intrapsychic alleviating factors. To further clarify which coping strategies for racial microaggressions can be more empowering versus harmful, it is also crucial to investigate the processes and mental health consequences that unfold when individuals choose to challenge racial microaggressions, such as racial gaslighting. Racial gaslighting is an insidious interpersonal …
Does Type Of Metta Phrase Impact The Acceptability And Utility Of Loving-Kindness Interventions: An Experimental Evaluation,
2025
University at Albany, State University of New York
Does Type Of Metta Phrase Impact The Acceptability And Utility Of Loving-Kindness Interventions: An Experimental Evaluation, Shannon B. Underwood
Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)
Loving-kindness (metta) meditation (LKM) is a widely utilized self-compassion intervention with numerous biopsychosocial benefits. Yet a smaller, emerging body of evidence suggests that LKM is difficult and various barriers impact its accessibility and effectiveness. Relational Frame Theory provides a behavioral and contextual perspective of language and cognition that may help clarify how LKM may yield receptivity or rejection of the practice itself. Prior research examining the role of language in LKM identified specific metta phrases more likely to evoke a coordinated (i.e., sameness/agreement) or oppositional (i.e., rejection/lacking) response, and found that indices of psychological suffering predicted oppositional responding (Underwood, 2023). …
Social Communication Skills Moderate The Relationship Between Family Quality Of Life And Parenting Stress,
2025
University at Albany, State University of New York
Social Communication Skills Moderate The Relationship Between Family Quality Of Life And Parenting Stress, Hanna Kent
Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)
Parents of newly diagnosed autistic children face elevated levels of parenting stress due to the unique demands associated with raising an autistic child and the challenges of navigating the early intervention systems which often impact their family functioning (Rivard et al., 2023). This study aimed to investigate how autistic traits and demographic variables are associated with parenting stress and family quality of life (FQOL) in caregivers of recently diagnosed autistic children. Data were obtained from 118 caregivers enrolled in a family education program within one year of their child’s autism diagnosis. Measures included the Parenting Stress Index, Short Form, The …
Concurrent Parasympathetic Synchrony In Romantic Couples Exposed To Childhood Maltreatment Subtypes,
2025
University at Albany, State University of New York
Concurrent Parasympathetic Synchrony In Romantic Couples Exposed To Childhood Maltreatment Subtypes, Kate L. Senich
Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)
Early responsive caregiving hones children’s physiological systems and subsequently supports social interactions (Feldman, 2007; Porges 2001; Steelman et al, 2002). Conversely, mis-attuned interactions with caregivers, such as exposure to maltreatment subtypes, might hinder social engagement capacities at both behavioral and biological levels (Kim & Cicchetti, 2004; Sheridan & McLaughlin et al., 2014). These early adverse influences endure across development and can affect behavioral and physiological interactions with romantic partners (Mayo et al., 2021; River et al., 2020; Zamir, 2022). Specifically, temporally coordinated patterns of physiological responses between partners (i.e., synchrony) are linked with important relationship behaviors, including conflict behaviors …
Integration Of Theoretical Frameworks For Problematic Exercise: Toward A Comprehensive Model Of Maladaptive And Adaptive Exercise,
2025
University at Albany, State University of New York
Integration Of Theoretical Frameworks For Problematic Exercise: Toward A Comprehensive Model Of Maladaptive And Adaptive Exercise, Christina M. Sanzari
Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)
Exercise can promote health and well-being, and yet a proportion of individuals who exercise develop a maladaptive relationship with physical activity. Problematic exercise is often associated with significant impairment and psychological distress, yet a consensus has not been reached regarding how problematic exercise should be conceptualized. The literature distinguishes between primary exercise dependence, or excessive exercise driven by its intrinsic reinforcement, and secondary exercise dependence, or excessive exercise driven by compensatory motivations related to weight and shape concerns. However, to date, little is known about the prevalence and nature of exercise dependence in the absence of eating pathology. This incongruity …
Relational Mechanisms In Residential Eating Disorder Treatment: A Moderated Mediation Analysis,
2025
University at Albany, State University of New York
Relational Mechanisms In Residential Eating Disorder Treatment: A Moderated Mediation Analysis, Bethany Ah Crawford
Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)
Background. Eating Disorders (ED), previously described as a “disease of disconnection,” appear to have differing trajectories of treatment and behavior change based, in part, on feelings of connectedness to others during and outside of treatment. Patient experience of Relational Connectedness is not well-explored in ED treatment compared to other diagnoses but may be a valuable mechanism of change. Interpersonal problems are also known to impact outcome trajectories. Patients high in interpersonal and relational difficulties exhibit negative compensatory behaviors such as avoidance and hostility, which can deleteriously affect building a trusting relationship. Individual difference variables likely play a role in relationship-outcome …
Risk Factors For Executive Functioning Development In Preschool Children With Type 1 Diabetes,
2025
University at Albany, State University of New York
Risk Factors For Executive Functioning Development In Preschool Children With Type 1 Diabetes, Victoria L. Ledsham
Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)
Links between Type 1 diabetes (T1D) and decreased cognitive functioning in children are well documented, but research on executive functioning (EF) in this population is more limited. Multiple T1D-related risk factors (e.g., hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, glycemic variability, diabetic ketoacidosis) for EF have been established throughout the literature, but their individual effects have been difficult to determine given their interrelated nature. In result, cumulative risk has been proposed as a more robust predictor of EF differences in children with T1D. Moreover, despite the importance of early T1D onset as a risk factor for EF impairment, no studies have previously investigated EF in …
Using A Dimension Reduction Approach To Parse Heterogeneity In Dietary Restriction,
2025
Virginia Commonwealth University
Using A Dimension Reduction Approach To Parse Heterogeneity In Dietary Restriction, Amanda Makara
Theses and Dissertations
Dietary restriction, the problematic reduction of caloric or macronutrient intake, is a critical eating behavior occurring transdiagnostically across eating disorders and subclinical disordered eating. The definition of dietary restriction is highly heterogeneous, and restriction is often conflated with other distinct constructs, such as dietary restraint. The current practices related to the definition and measurement of dietary restriction have notable flaws, negatively impacting the ability to identify and establish risk, diagnosis, and treatment of eating disorders. There is also limited evidence that commonly-used dietary restriction measures can validly predict food choice and objective intake. These issues raise questions about whether dietary …
Beliefs Related To Diagnosing Bpd And Complex Ptsd,
2025
Virginia Commonwealth University
Beliefs Related To Diagnosing Bpd And Complex Ptsd, Bailey Pascuzzi
Theses and Dissertations
There has been speculation that Borderline personality disorder (BPD) and Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (Complex PTSD) are the same disorder or represent separate disorders on a broader trauma spectrum (Frost et al., 2020; Lewis & Grenyer, 2009). BPD and Complex PTSD share several symptoms but differ in their presentation (Ford & Courtis, 2021). Because the two disorders present so similarly, it could be that clinicians have difficulty differentiating them, leading to misdiagnosis (Miller, 2014). This study examined clinicians’ diagnostic decision-making and stigma toward BPD and Complex PTSD. Participants (N = 426) completed an online survey where they diagnosed a written …
Psychometric Evaluation: Extending The Reliability And Validity Of The Teacher Attribution Measure For Early Elementary (Tam-Ee),
2025
Virginia Commonwealth University
Psychometric Evaluation: Extending The Reliability And Validity Of The Teacher Attribution Measure For Early Elementary (Tam-Ee), Kerensa R. Nagle
Theses and Dissertations
Teacher attributions of student challenging behavior have the potential to influence teacher-student relationships. However, the literature on teachers’ attributions of challenging behavior is sparse and lacks measurement standardization. This limits the replicability and generalizability of research findings. To determine if teacher attributions of student challenging behaviors influence teacher-student relationships, a measure demonstrating a specific score reliability and validity profile is needed. The present study evaluated the item- and scale-level score reliability and validity of a measure of teacher attribution of student challenging behavior, the Teacher Attribution Measure for Early Elementary (TAM-EE; Nemer, 2019), within a sample of teachers (N …
Exploring Western Clinicians’ Treatment Of Cultural Concepts Of Distress,
2025
Virginia Commonwealth University
Exploring Western Clinicians’ Treatment Of Cultural Concepts Of Distress, Lisa Y. Chung
Theses and Dissertations
As the rates of diverse ethnic populations and therefore cultural concepts of distress continue to grow in the United States, it becomes critical to learn and understand how western-trained mental health professionals are selecting treatments and implementing them. However, there is a paucity of research on cultural concepts of distress as a whole and much less on the psychotherapy of cultural concepts of distress in the United States. This exploratory study aimed to explore the treatment plan of mental health clinicians in the United States when encountering the Korean cultural concept of distress, hwabyung. Ninety-eight clinicians were recruited from Arkansas, …
Why People Stay: Factors Contributing To Staff Retention In Community Mental Health Clinics,
2025
Virginia Commonwealth University
Why People Stay: Factors Contributing To Staff Retention In Community Mental Health Clinics, Brianna D. Boggs
Theses and Dissertations
The current behavioral health crisis is exacerbated by a crisis in the behavioral health workforce. Recruiting and retaining workers in behavioral health has become a challenge, making access to services for those needing them even more difficult. This study aimed to examine which factors have the strongest influence on an employee’s work engagement and decision to remain employed at their current organization. This study used Aarons et al.’s multilevel, multiphase implementation model (2011), with a focus on inner contextual factors as a means to help inform potential interventions to address the factors and improve retention. This study also applied the …
