Community Psychology Commons^™

Exploring The Impact Of Inpatient Mental Health Care On Adolescents, Alexandria M. Mckahan

2025 Fall Honors Capstones Projects - Archive

Adolescent psychiatric hospitalizations continue to rise, yet there is limited research on which daily practices inside inpatient units genuinely support engagement and recovery. This project examined how structure, staff tone, and therapeutic programming influence adolescents’ participation and emotional stability within a real inpatient setting. The study focused on three questions: how structured routines affect recovery, what challenges staff face when supporting adolescents with complex needs, and how adolescents’ engagement patterns reflect their perception of care. Using a mixed-methods case study at Mesa Springs Behavioral Health Hospital, I conducted approximately twenty field observations, semi-structured staff interviews, and descriptive engagement tracking across …

More Than Just A Criminal: Talking Back As A Critical Autoethnographic Journey, Anakin Rivera Ramirez

Psychology Faculty Publications and Presentations

This article explores the experiences of doctoral students with criminal records navigating higher education, using a critical theoretical framework to highlight the unique challenges and triumphs I faced. Drawing upon decoloniality and critical race theory perspectives and activism, I define my critical scholarship as challenging the dominant oppression through thoughts and actions. Through autoethnographic and self-reflective narratives, I reflect on how my lived experiences as a Latino who has experienced criminalization. I have shaped my academic pursuits and critical consciousness. The autoethnography discusses systemic barriers such as stigma, discrimination, and institutional biases, showing how these obstacles have informed the author’s …

Belonging Is A Verb, Becca Lory Hector

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

This essay explores belonging as an active process rather than a fixed state, particularly through the lived experiences of Autistic adults. Drawing from community practices of care, mutuality, and interdependence, it reframes belonging as a collective verb, something created through shared action rather than conformity. By centering Neurodivergent ways of connecting, this piece argues that Autistic models of community offer transformative insights into authenticity, inclusion, and the repair of social harm.

Personality And Perceived Police Legitimacy, Yuxuan Yang

Master's Theses

Police legitimacy refers to one’s trust in the police to be fair and make just decisions in their interactions with the public. Individuals’ perceptions of police legitimacy play a crucial role in predicting how they interact with police. More positive perceptions are associated with cooperative behaviors; less favorable views are associated with resisting behaviors. Few studies have examined the relationship of broad personality traits with perceptions of police legitimacy. The current study examined the HEXACO model of personality and right-wing authoritarianism as predictors of perceived police legitimacy among college students (N = 268). While taking gender, race, and social …

Young Adults And Early-Onset Psychosis: A Grounded Theory Study Of Experiences Of Identity Development, Katherine Hayden-Lewis, Deborah Rubel

The Qualitative Report

While identity development is a crucial task for young individuals ages 15-25, current research inadequately centralizes identity development in the context of first-time psychosis related to schizophrenia spectrum disorders. This study addresses the knowledge gap by exploring the grand research question, “How does a young person experience their identity development after the first episode of psychosis?”. Constructivist grounded theory methods influenced by critical frameworks were used to collect and analyze data with seven young adults engaged in first episode psychosis programs. Participants were young adults, between the ages of 19-24, that at the time of the study were enrolled in …

Childhood Events And Counseling Experiences Of Chinese And Korean American Transracial Adoptees, Mele Kramer, Lee Stadtlander

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

From the 1950s through 2024, transracial adoptions—particularly of Korean and Chinese children—have been increasingly prevalent in Western societies. While these adoptions provided children with opportunities to grow up in loving and supportive families, they also introduced unique challenges related to identity, cultural integration, and self-esteem. This basic qualitative study aimed to explore the lived experiences of Chinese and Korean transracial adoptees (TRAs) within their adoptive families, in their interactions with counseling, and their perceptions of the effectiveness of counseling interventions. The study was grounded in Relational-Cultural Theory (RCT) and the Openness to Communication framework to examine the experiences of 19 …

Parenting Under Constraint: How Histories Of Abuse And Sexual Violence Shape Mothers' Caregiving In A Homeless Shelter, Kiera P. Irvin

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Background: Mothers experiencing homelessness often carry extensive trauma histories, yet little work examines how abuse and sexual violence shape day-to-day parenting inside communal shelter settings. This study explored how trauma histories intersect with shelter structures to influence caregiving and feelings surrounding parenting among homeless mothers.

Method: Using a qualitative design, four mothers (ages 30–51) residing in a large Midwestern homeless shelter completed approximately 30-minute, semi-structured interviews in a private room onsite. Data were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed with inductive reflexive thematic analysis in Dedoose.

Results: Three interrelated themes were identified. (1) Parenting Under Constraint, in which communal living, limited …

Pro- And Anti-Climate Activism: The Ideological Correlates Of Intentions To Engage In Collective Action For - And Against - Environmental Protections, Samantha K. Stanley, Danny Osborne, Zoe Leviston, Iain Walker

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Although the correlates of climate activism are well-known, few studies examine why some protest against protecting the environment. We address this oversight by conducting a national survey that investigated the ideological correlates of intentions to engage in pro- and anti-climate activism. We divided participants into two groups based on whether they were in support of (n = 4530) or against (n = 714) Australia acting to reduce its contribution to climate change. These groups then completed pro- and anti-climate activism intention scales, respectively. We disentangled facets of ideological attitudes to examine the extent that social dominance orientation and the dimensions …

Urban Public Perceptions And Usage Of The 'Wira-Wiri Suroboyo' Feeder: Insights From The Theory Of Planned Behavior, Gisela Geraldine Pamula, Hilary Christy, Chiara Hanifah Syahnufi, Johanna Natalia, Marselius Sampe Tondok

Psychological Research on Urban Society

Traffic congestion is a major transportation issue in Surabaya, prompting the city government to introduce solutions such as the "Wira-Wiri Suroboyo" feeder service. While the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) has been widely used to explain public transportation use, it has not yet been applied to this context. To fill this lacuna, this study used TPB to explore the public perceptions of the Surabaya to use or not using the "Wira-Wiri Suroboyo" feeder. A qualitative approach was used with six purposively selected participants. Data were gathered through interviews and analyzed using interactive techniques. The research findings indicate that the reasons …

Exploring Mental Health Stigma Among Law Enforcement Officers, Nicholas D. Chestnut

FDLA Journal

This applied dissertation investigates the prevalence and impact of mental health stigma among law enforcement officers (LEOs) in the United States. Despite growing awareness of the importance of mental health in the law enforcement community, stigma surrounding mental illness remains a significant barrier to help-seeking behaviors among officers. The study employed a research design that examined attitudes, perceptions, and experiences related to mental health stigma among LEOs.

Through online self-assessment surveys administered via a secure portal, participants provided insights into their attitudes toward mental illness, perceptions of stigma, and willingness to seek help for mental health concerns.

Data analysis revealed …

9th Gsep Research Symposium - 2025

GSEP Research Symposium

The Ninth Annual GSEP Research Symposium, themed "Building Bridges to Elevate Humanity: Innovations and Insights in Education and Psychology", was hosted by the Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP) on June 19–20, 2025, at the historic Château d’Hauteville in Switzerland and virtually via Zoom.

This hybrid symposium convened a vibrant global community of students, alumni, faculty, and scholars to share research that addresses real-world challenges, advances scholarly inquiry, and builds pathways for inclusive collaboration and leadership. Spanning a wide array of topics—from artificial intelligence and mental health to trauma-informed practices, educational equity, social justice, and cross-cultural leadership—the …

Disability And Human Trafficking: Prevention Education And Professional Training, Andrea Nichols, Sarah Slutsker, Melissa Oberstaedt

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

Aim: This pilot study aimed to explore the intersection of disability and anti-trafficking prevention and training efforts from the perspectives of human trafficking survivors with disabilities and the professionals who work with them to inform further research.

Methods: The current study draws from in-depth interviews with seven participants, including two survivors and five professionals who regularly worked with human trafficking survivors with disabilities. Data analysis involved independent co-coding of transcribed interviews by a three-member research team to identify core themes and subthemes.

Results: The results showed a lack of human trafficking prevention education for people with disabilities, as well as …

Venezuelan Migrants In Prostitution: A Personal Decision?, Yazmin Maria Lucila Cadena Camargo, Izara Maite Mondragon Moreno, Isabela Osorio Jaramillo, Paula Angélica Suárez Álvarez, Andrés Duarte Osorio, Carlos Gómez-Restrepo

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

This paper explores the multifaceted experiences of Venezuelan migrant women engaged in prostitution, framed through three critical moments: the “decision to enter in prostitution,” the unique abuses faced, and the resultant consequences on mental, physical, and social health. The study highlights how socioeconomic vulnerabilities—exacerbated by migration and poverty—significantly influence the likelihood of entering prostitution. It also shows how traumatic experiences, particularly in childhood and adolescence, coupled with a lack of support networks, contribute to a heightened risk of exploitation. Eleven life stories were collected through a phenomenological approach, revealing a common narrative of abuse, poverty, and the search for survival …

A 3-Item Short Version Of The Fear Of Missing Out (Fomo) Scale For Trait And Time-Intensive Designs: Measurement Invariance And Psychometric Properties, Eva M. Hisham, Andree Hartanto, Nadyanna M. Majeed

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Research on Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) has gained prominence alongside the rise of digital connectivity and social media, which offer individuals continuous access to others’ experiences in real time. Importantly, it has been increasingly recognised as an important psychological construct, closely associated with various problematic digital behaviours. As the fields of media psychology and human-computer interaction increasingly adopt time-intensive methodologies (e.g., daily and weekly studies) to capture dynamic experiences of technology use, there is a growing need for brief yet psychometrically-sound measures of FoMO suitable for such designs. The present work reports the development of a 3-item FoMO scale …

Gnome Logic: Evidence-Based Strategies For High-Impact Medical Education Pathways, Barbra A. Roller, Sasha R. Sioni

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Socioeconomic inequities divert underrepresented talent from the physician pipeline. Integrating Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), leaky-pipeline diagnostics, and 14 years of mixed-methods research on Florida International University’s pathway program, we present a logic model aligning Goals, Needs, Objectives, Methods, and Evaluation (GNOME). GNOME links diagnosed barriers to SCCT-aligned supports and pre-specified metrics, yielding gains in self-efficacy, application intent, and matriculation. The model offers a practical, cost-effective roadmap for institutions seeking a more equitable medical workforce.

Promoting Educative Antiracism Dialogue And Activism Through Community Engagement, Greg Bartley, Danielle Ligocki, Robert A. Martin, Chaunda L. Scott

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

This article highlights lessons learned from bringing together antiracist/activist faculty representing the Initiative to Eradicate Racism at Oakland University and community members from the Pontiac Collective Impact Partnership. We use Byrd and Scott’s (2010) Critical Racism Pedagogy Model as a lens to understand how university/community partners can discuss social issues in productive and engaging ways. Specifically, this partnership demonstrates how faculty and communities can work collaboratively to create communities of practice with parallel antiracism/activist goals.

Structurally Framing Service Learning As Teaching Excellence: An Examination Of Collaborative Efforts Between Community Engagement And Faculty Development Centers, James Morgan Lewing, Lisa Bunkowski

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

This study explores collaborations between faculty development centers and service learning and community engagement structures at public institutions awarded the Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement. Utilizing semi-structured interviews with five chief academic officers, none of the respondents stated intentional collaborations were present at their respective institutions. The study underscores the need for strategic alignment to institutionalize community engagement, avoiding siloing and enhancing sustainability through faculty development initiatives that promote teaching excellence.

Preparing Future Educators: Using Service-Learning In Mathematics Courses For Prospective K-12 Teachers, Sayonita Ghosh Hajra, Brianna Davis, Jose Alanis, James Tokunaga

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Although experiential learning is widely recognized for its benefits, its implementation in content-focused mathematics courses for prospective teachers remains limited. To address this gap, this paper explores the integration of service-learning into three distinct mathematics courses for prospective teachers, detailing how it was implemented in each course. Results highlight opportunities for learning, particularly in developing agency, a sense of belonging, competence, and enriched experience among prospective teachers.

Cultivating Community Resilience Through Youth Engagement, Elizabeth K. Anthony, Allison Mullady, Kendelle Brown, Michelle Blagg-Catone, Stephanie Castillo

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

This article presents the impact of Arizona State University’s Design Studio for Community Solutions (DSCS) on youth engagement and community resilience. Through a mixed-methods approach, the study assesses the impact of DSCS programs on youth engagement and community resilience. The findings highlight best practices, underscoring the importance of consistent communication, trust-building, and community representation. Additionally, the research offers nuanced recommendations for future investigations, emphasizing the importance of continuous data collection and periodic assessments to drive ongoing improvement and address unmet community needs.

Gathering At The Table: Using Food To Heal On One’S Grief Journey, Jamie B. Daugherty, Jada Staat, Julie Rachford

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

This research study explored the registered dietitian nutritionist’s (RDN) role and impact while supporting those on their grief journey. Data collection methods included a focus group, journaling, workshop evaluations, and photo elicitation. Qualitative data analysis highlighted three themes emerging from a six-week culinary nutrition education support workshop: providing intention, building community, and showcasing RDNs as encouraging companions, by contributing their skills of nutrition education and hands-on culinary applications, supporting individuals continuing to grieve.