Community Psychology Commons^™

Keeping It Together: Assessing The Wellbeing Of Project-Based Development Practitioners In Egypt, Amira Ahmed Abdallah Fekry Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the wellbeing of project-based development practitioners in Egypt, revealing how systemic pressures—bureaucracy, job insecurity, and fragmented workloads—undermine both wellbeing and productivity. The study employed a mixed-approach, combining 10 in-depth interviews with subject matter experts and practitioners and 75 surveys with development practitioners in Egypt. Data revealed that while many practitioners are driven by purpose, structural challenges erode resilience and motivation over time. Social support networks and personal coping strategies help but cannot replace institutional protections. The study argues that wellbeing must shift from being treated as an individual concern to a structural responsibility. Reframing organizational models around …

The Correlation Between Spiritual Tourism And Mental Health Of Young People In Binh Duong, Vietnam, Anh Nguyen

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

While researchers are in agreement about the positive relationship between spiritual activities (SAs) and mental health (MH) among the general population, the relationship between spiritual tourism (ST) and MH, particularly among young adults, is yet to be adequately investigated. As such, this research was conducted to determine the contribution of ST towards the MH of the younger generation. The respondents are undergraduate students located in Vietnam’s industrial province of Binh Duong. The findings, from the quantitative research approach, indicate that young people perceive ST mainly as a means for visiting places of worship, with little consideration for the MH benefits …

“I Don’T Want To Be The Bad Kind Of Special”: The Lived Experiences Of Autistic Youth In Extracurricular Programs In Their Communities, Catherine A. Sargent Ph.D.

Counseling and Psychology Dissertations

Autistic youth face barriers to participation and belonging in community settings. Historically, autism research has privileged researcher perspectives and deficit-based frameworks, often excluding the authentic voices of autistic individuals, particularly young people. This qualitative, phenomenological study sought to address that gap by exploring the lived experiences of autistic youth (ages 13–18) participating in extracurricular community programs in Massachusetts. Framed by critical disability theory, critical autism studies, ecological systems theory, and intersectionality, the study examined how autistic youth experience inclusion, connection, and self-expression within programs designed largely for neurotypical participants.

Seven autistic youths contributed to this research through participant-generated photographs and …

Prevalence Of Sexual Harassment Among Nurses And Nursing Students In A Culturally Conservative Country, Hanadi Mohamad Nur Steitiyeh, Fatin Ahmad Safa, Jana Daoud Al Hajj Daoud, Adam Tarek Ikkawi, Sahed Ali Fawaz, Hiba Deek

BAU Journal - Science and Technology

The prevalence of sexual harassment among nurses and nursing students in Lebanon is an unidentified social concern. This study aims to identify this prevalence and assess the related factors. Using a self-administered questionnaire the sociodemographic characteristics, workplace variables, physical appearance, and the Sexual Experience Questionnaire (SEQ) were assessed, the data was analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. A total of 380 participated with 71.8% being female and 63.9% aged between 18 and 25. Sexual harassment was experienced by 91 participants (23.9%) and occurred mainly in the patients’ rooms and during procedures. Policies were absent or …

Creativity In A Flash: Exploring The Perceived Therapeutic Effects Of Combining Creative Arts Therapies And Flash Technique, Celia J. Gagnon

Art Therapy | Doctoral Dissertations

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, research has revealed a significant strain on mental healthcare systems and healthcare professionals. Concurrently, there has been a rapid escalation in the prevalence of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and adolescent suicide rates, all of which have reached critical levels (World Health Organization, 2025; World Health Organization, 2022; Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, 2025; American Psychiatric Association, 2024). Post-pandemic, these statistics continue to rise across all nations and socioeconomic groups (WHO, 2025). Consequently, there is an urgent need to intensify research that supports the enhancement of mental health services globally (Institute for Health Metrics …

The Effects Of Strong Parental Support And Societal Support Compared To Low Or Absent Support In Lgbtqia+ Youth, Kassandra Bautista

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background: LGBTQIA+ youth with unsupportive backgrounds face negative outcomes in their mental health. Past studies share that LGBTQIA+ youth have increased symptoms of mental illness including depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors related to unsupportive environments among parents, peers, and society. Objective: By advocating for this minority group through education and culturally competent care, healthcare providers can reduce negative outcomes in the mental and physical well-being of the youth. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to address the impact of parental and societal support in LGBTQIA+ mental health, and to implement interventions and increase awareness of this issue. …

Resistance, Collaboration, And Ethnic Bias: Evidence On Social Cohesion In Wartime Ukraine, Janina Dill, Marnie Howlett, Carl Müller-Crepon, Mara Revkin

Faculty Scholarship

Interstate wars can rally societies around the flag, but they can also divide them based on individuals’ behavior and identities. Building on fieldwork in wartime Ukraine, we study the importance of collaboration and resistance, ethnic identity, and the interaction between behavior and identity. We examine how such divisions affect Ukrainians’ attitudes toward each other with two conjoint experiments (N=2,513). When choosing among potential neighbors, respondents prefer individuals who resisted over collaborators. However, two identity attributes—ethnic descent and exposure to Russian occupation of Ukrainian territory—activate biases that behavior alone does not fully overcome. Furthermore, we find that respondents value resistance less …

Formal Vs. Informal Disclosure Of Campus Sexual Assault: Social Reactions, Institutional Responses, And Associated Posttraumatic Stress, Karyna Fowler

Honors Theses

With research demonstrating increasing rates of sexual victimization on college campuses (Koss et al., 1987; Koss et al., 2022), sexual assault disclosure has become a critical construct with implications for victim-survivors’ posttraumatic stress (PTS) and healing. In the present mixed-methods study, college students (N = 558) at Bucknell University completed a survey assessing sexual victimization, disclosure, peer responses, institutional betrayal and support, and PTS; a subset (n = 9) participated in qualitative interviews examining social reactions, barriers to disclosure, and present functioning. Consistent with hypotheses, women reported significantly higher rates of sexual victimization than men; disclosure was relatively infrequent (26.5%) …

Who Should Be Responding To Mental Health Crises: A Public Perception Study, Bryan E. Phillips

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project includes a survey which will be evaluating, out of Police Officers, Paramedics, and Mental Health Clinicians, who Intro to Psychology students believe are best fit to respond to Mental Health Crises as well as what factors may influence said belief. To do this they will be provided with a survey that collects demographic information, personal experiences with each profession, and detailed scenario-based questions with differing variables allowing the participants to decide which profession they believe is best equipped to deal with each scenario. This data will then be put into a research manuscript to be presented via posterboard …

Examining The Effects Of Black Parenting Styles Of Self-Esteems, Alexander J. Ruffin-Stcyr, Lorris Robinson

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This study examined the relationships between parenting styles, Afrocentric values, and psychological flourishing among African American families. Grounded in cultural and developmental perspectives, the study focused on how social and cultural contexts shape well-being outcomes. Parenting styles (authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive) and Afrocentric values were explored as key predictors of flourishing.

Using a quantitative survey design, data was collected from 86 African American adults who completed standardized measures assessing parenting style, cultural values, and flourishing. Correlational analyses revealed that permissive parenting was significantly and negatively associated with flourishing, indicating that higher levels of permissive parenting were linked to lower well-being. …

Cultural Schemas Regarding Resilience And Strength In Blacks: Implications For Well-Being And Academic Success, Aniya G. Ashford

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Culturally shaped strength-based coping frameworks among Black college students, particularly the Strong Black Woman Schema and John Henry’s Active Coping, are associated with responses to racism-related stress and academic pressure, yet the ways these internalized expectations interact with emotional regulation, perceived cultural norms, and academic functioning remain unclear. Prior research has primarily examined these constructs in isolation or focused on psychological distress or physical health outcomes, often relying on single-method self-report designs that do not capture how culturally embedded coping processes are reflected in lived experiences; as a result, limited work has integrated identity-based schemas, behavioral coping strategies, and narrative …

Exploring Engagement With The Ecoschools Platform: An Interactive Display Board Exploratory Evaluation, Kaitlyn E. Ashmore

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This study explores strategies to enhance engagement with EcoSchools Canada, an online sustainability platform used across Canada. Through an exploratory case study involving two Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) schools, the research evaluates the effectiveness of interactive tools such as an Interactive Display Board (IDB) and action cards in fostering student engagement, self-efficacy, and action competence in sustainability initiatives. Through examining user experiences and feedback from Eco-teams and staff, the findings aim to identify if and how these interventions serve as valuable complements to EcoSchools activities. Although not a standalone solution, these tools facilitate deeper involvement when integrated within …

Relational Spirituality And Maternal Coping In Carceral Contexts: A Participatory Action Study Of Meaning-Making And Mental Health Among Formerly Incarcerated Mothers, Jessica Peters

Dissertations and Theses

Maternal incarceration carries significant psychological, familial, and community consequences, yet limited research centers the mental health experiences of mothers themselves. This study explored how religious and spiritual engagement shape mental health and coping among formerly incarcerated mothers using a participatory action research framework. Guided by this, small groups and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 mothers in collaboration with a community-based organization. This approach prioritized lived experience and aimed to reduce barriers to participation among a population often mistrustful of research institutions. Data were analyzed thematically to identify patterns in psychological distress, coping strategies, and meaning-making. Findings revealed pervasive and …

Impact Of Instagram Flyers In Higher Education: Within Resident Assistant Program Attendance Marketing, Mary J. Mcdonald

Liberal Studies (MA) Final Essays

This exploratory pilot study examines whether posting Instagram digital flyers affects Resident Assistant (RA) program attendance in the higher-education Housing and Residence Life (HRL) context. Instagram has emerged as a dominant channel of communication among Generation Z (1997-2012). As a result, higher education institutions have increasingly used social media to prompt student engagement and foster belonging, in hopes of strengthening retention. Using a quasi-experimental matched comparison design, attendance data from the 2024 academic year without Instagram flyers were compared to the 2025 academic year with Instagram flyers. The independent variable was the implementation of Instagram digital flyers, and the dependent …

Postsecular Coping Mode (Pscm): The Mechanism Of Sacred Meaning Reactivation Under Secular Pressure In Post-Soviet Societies, Aruzhan Akhmetova Aru, Mukhan Issakhan

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article introduces the concept of Postsecular Coping Mode (PSCM) to explain the changing psychological dynamics of religiosity in post-Soviet societies. Classical studies of religious coping typically conceptualize religion as a relatively stable strategy or behavioral response. However, under postsecular conditions, religious experience increasingly appears as a context-sensitive, episodically activated meaning-regulation mode. In response, the notion of coping mode is conceptualized as a distinct psychological category analytically differentiated from conventional coping frameworks. The proposed PSCM model describes the selective reactivation of sacred meaning resources under conditions of perceived secular pressure. Its processual architecture unfolds through four stages: (1) the trigger …

Parent Perspectives: Child Attendance In Community Grief Support, Janeene Sanderson

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Childhood bereavement can affect children emotionally, socially, and developmentally, creating a need for support that is both age-appropriate and grief-informed. This qualitative study explored how parents perceived the impact of community grief support programs for their bereaved children. The study focused on children ages 8–12 who attended a peer support group, grief camp, or similar community-based grief support program after the death of a loved one. Data were collected through parent interviews and reviewed through thematic analysis. Findings showed that parents perceived these programs as meaningful because they created safe spaces where children could feel normal and validated in their …

Exploring Psychological Safety And Workforce Experiences Among Employees In Recovery Community Organizations In The Southern United States: A Qualitative Study, Claire-Lorentz Ugo-Ike

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative study explored how employees in Recovery Community Organizations (RCOs) in the Southern United States experience psychological safety and how these experiences shape employee well-being and their intentions to stay or leave their organizations. Guided by Edmondson’s Psychological Safety Theory and the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, the study examined how leadership practices, workplace culture, and the emotional demands of recovery support work shape employees’ perception of safety, support, and sustainability in the workforce. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 RCO employees working in various peer support roles. Thematic analysis identified five major themes: (1) leadership behaviors shape psychological safety …

Embodied Tales Of Older Women And Their Relationship With Movement And Their Younger, Present And Future Selves, Valeria Varea, Robyne Garrett, Alfonso García-Monge, Gustavo González-Calvo

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Ageing has been often seen as negative in Western cultures. Older bodies are frequently associated with decline, loss, dependency, illness and increasing incompetence. Significantly, this ‘decline model’ of ageing tends to ignore the diverse lived experiences of older adults. This paper draws on the theoretical concepts of embodiment and affect to explore the embodied experiences of a group of 17 older women, focussing on their relationship with movement and with their younger, present and future selves. We used a narrative analysis approach and creative nonfiction to represent the data. The findings are presented in composite narratives in the form of …

Examining Challenges For Sociology Master’S Degree Students At California State University, David Ortuno

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to identify the lived experiences of CSU sociology graduate students pursuing a master’s degree. Seven sociology graduate students from six of the eight (75%) total sociology MA programs throughout the entire CSU system were interviewed. Their responses were designed to analyze the support systems and challenges they face while pursuing a master's degree, as well as to investigate whether their experiences correlate with or fail to correlate with the promises in the CSU mission statement, and to answer the study’s research questions and achieve the purpose of this qualitative study.

Four themes emerged from …

Posttraumatic Growth In Appalachian Youth: Findings From An Outpatient Pediatric Trauma Specialty Clinic, Marinne M. Morgan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Childhood traumatic event exposure (CTE) involves exposure to extreme events that overwhelm one’s ability to cope. Childhood traumatic event exposure has been linked to a wide range of adverse mental and physical health consequences, including posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Fewer studies have examined positive trajectories following childhood traumatic event exposure, such as posttraumatic growth (PTG), especially in understudied regions such as Appalachia. The current study used a cross-sectional design to examine posttraumatic growth in 14 youths aged 9 to 15 years seeking trauma-focused therapeutic services at an outpatient pediatric trauma specialty clinic in West Virginia. In line with previous research, …