Counseling Psychology Commons^™

Adolescent Perceptions Of Dating Violence: A Qualitative Study, Sarah Taylor, Carrie A. Calkins, Yan Ruth Xia, Rochelle L. Dalla

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Scholars have identified dating violence as a public health issue among adolescents. Yet, minimal research has detailed adolescents’ perceptions of dating violence, specifically gender differences in perceptions. Research suggests that in order for dating violence prevention and intervention to be effective, services need to be delivered in a manner that is understood by adolescents. Therefore, this study used a qualitative phenomenology study to investigate adolescents’ perceptions of dating violence, including gender differences in adolescents’ perceptions. Thirty adolescents between the ages of 14 and 19 from a Midwest public high school participated in focus groups. Focus group participants were asked semistructured …

The Effects Of Transracial Adoption On Adjustment And Identity Development, Krystle Dandridge

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A plethora of studies have focused on transracial adoption. While these studies have looked at identity development and/or adjustment, they lacked the investigation into some possible causes to include feelings of belongingness as well as socioeconomic status. The current study explored the lack of cultural socialization and belongingness of people adopted into an environment culturally dissimilar from their birth culture. The nonexperimental, correlational design study examined the relationship between adjustment and identity development, and the impact of transracial adoption when considering socioeconomic status and skin tone. The New Immigrant Survey Skin Color Scale, Multiethnic Identity Measure, and Measure of Psychosocial …

Familial Factors Predicting Attitudes Toward Domestic Violence In African American Adolescents, Cassandra Clarke-Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teen dating violence is more prevalent among African Americans than any other racial group in the United States leading to serious health consequences for victims. However, limited data exists on how African American adolescents' attitudes and perceptions regarding dating violence are formed, and whether they are influenced by family members. The purpose of this nonexperimental correlational study was to determine whether nonverbal or verbal communication from family members predicted adolescents' attitudes and perceptions toward dating violence. Survey data from 84 African American men and women ages 18 to 24 were collected using the Normative Beliefs About Aggression Scale, the Acceptance …

Stress And Marital Satisfaction Of Parents With Children With Fragile X Syndrome, Jacqueline Del Fierro Avila

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Raising a child with a pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), particularly that of Fragile X Syndrome (FXS), is challenging, as it comes with parental stressors for both mothers and fathers. Research on these stressors has been limited to only the stressors that mothers of children with a PDD experience and has failed to thoroughly examine the experiences and stressors of fathers of children with a PDD, particularly that of FXS. Using Hill's ABC-X family stress theory, this quantitative research study investigated the effects of marital satisfaction due to the amount of shared childcare responsibilities and parental stress among the mothers and …

Lived Experiences Of Same Sex Attracted Men With Competing Spiritual And Sexual Identities, Robert Hedge

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study focused on understanding the lived experiences of men from a conservative Christian background who had disidentified as gay and subordinated their sexual identity to their spiritual identity. The study was intended to create understanding of the social, cultural, and valuative frameworks that informed and guided their attempts at resolving the conflict between spiritual and sexual identity. The study included three research questions: What are the emergent core themes associated with competing spiritual and sexual identities? How has the response of their faith community affected their struggle? How has the response of the gay community affected their struggle? Through …

The Experiences Of Parenting Coordinators Working With Couples Engaged In Intimate Partner Violence, Ann M. Ordway

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In families where parents present with intimate partner violence dynamics, courts routinely impose restraints restricting communications between those parents. However, the same courts also routinely fashion arrangements whereby those same parents share custody of their children. Children in families with this dynamic are often used as communication facilitators and triangulated by parental conflict. This grounded theory study generated a theory about parenting coordination work with high conflict couples with intimate partner violence dynamics. This theory may have utility for parenting coordinators working more effectively with the described population. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 professional parenting coordinators who have worked …

Development And Formative Evaluation Of The Speak7 African American Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Program, Mikeiya Y. Morrow

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a complex issue among African American children, who experience significantly higher rates of CSA (Sedlak et al., 2012). Despite this, a dearth of research has examined CSA prevention among African American children. Moreover, there are no established culturally sensitive prevention programs targeted at addressing CSA among this demographic. This study addressed a significant gap in the literature by developing and evaluating the Speak7 African American Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Program (Speak7). Speak7 is a culturally sensitive, adult-focused CSA prevention program that aims to enhance the CSA prevention competence of adults who provide for African American …

Examining Substance-Use Treatment Utilization Among Incarcerated Women In Central Appalachian Jails, Rae Lyn Glover

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Women in Central Appalachia represent a significant proportion of those engaging in problematic patterns of opioid use, which is concerning given the limited available services in the region and gender specific treatment barriers. This investigation seeks to understand the role of mental health and substance use symptoms among incarcerated Central Appalachian women and build on the conceptual model of substance use treatment utilization purposed by Leukefeld and colleagues (1998). Data for this study was drawn from a larger longitudinal investigation (NIDA 1R01-DA033866) and baseline data collected during initial interviews was analyzed. The sample included 400 women incarcerated at one of …

The Relationship Among Acculturation Orientation, Perceived Discrimination, Psychological Functioning And Gender Among South Asian And South East Asian International Students In The United States Of America, Dia Mason

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

The acculturation process for international students is influenced by several factors such as experiences of discrimination, economic condition, language fluency, and social support. Discrimination, which refers to negative or prejudicial behavior towards an individual or a group of individuals, takes place towards international students due to their poor grasp of the English Language (Lee & Rice, 2007), cultural differences (Cole & Ahmadi, 2003), and racial differences (Hanassab, 2006). Perceived discrimination (among other factors) has been identified as a potential moderator of the relationship between acculturation preferences and psychological functioning in acculturation theory (Berry, 2003). Apart from perceived discrimination, gender has …

Pill Poppin’ Nation: Substance Use, Mental Health, And Treatment Among Criminal Justice-Involved African Americans, Joi-Sheree' P. Knighton

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

The purpose of this dissertation was to examine substance use-related outcomes among criminal justice-involved African Americans using a multiple manuscript format. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has deemed nonmedical prescription opioid use an epidemic. National estimates indicate approximately 3.9% of African Americans engage in nonmedical prescription opioid use. Research suggests African Americans involved in the criminal justice system may be significantly at risk of substance use more generally; yet, there are no known estimates of nonmedical opioid use among this subgroup. Rising rates of nonmedical opioid use also has implications for discussing barriers to treatment among socioeconomically marginalized …

Healing From Racism With Compassion Meditation: Effects Of Coping On Mental Health, Courtney Chan

CMC Senior Theses

This study examines whether Compassion Meditation (CM) can help ethnic minority college students heal from race-related stress. The present study hypothesized that through participation in a CM intervention, the augmentation of adaptive coping strategies (i.e., self-compassion) and the reduction of maladaptive coping strategies (i.e., internalization, defined as self-blame, and detachment, defined as social isolation) would reduce depression and PTSD. Participants (N = 9) participated in an 8-session weekly CM intervention and completed three questionnaires at the beginning, middle, and end of the intervention. Results demonstrated that increasing self-compassion predicted decreases in depression, and that reducing coping via detachment predicted …

Examining Racism And White Allyship Among Counseling Psychologists, Kathryn H. Owen

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Historically, research has focused on White individuals’ initial responses to learning about White privilege and other indicators of early stages of racial awareness and identity development. However, the literature is relatively sparse regarding understanding the experiences of racial identity development in White individuals who are beyond initial introductions to racial awareness, such as Counseling Psychologists (CPs). The assumption is that Counseling Psychology professionals are adequately trained to provide efficacious mental health services and engage in culturally sensitive work activities; however, research indicates that Black clients, colleagues, and graduate students experience racism, such as microaggressions, when interacting with White CPs.

The …

Integrating Forgiveness Therapy And The Treatment Of Anger: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Michael Schaefer Ballard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although the costs of uncontrolled anger are well-known, interventions for anger are less frequently studied and less effective than interventions for either depression or anxiety (NAMA, 2012). One hundred eighty-seven patients requesting anger management treatment at an outpatient counseling center in Denver participated in this study. They were randomly assigned to one of two treatments: an experimental treatment integrating forgiveness therapy and anger management, or anger treatment as usual. Treatment consisted of twelve 90-minute sessions held once a week in small groups led by group facilitators. Participants in both treatment conditions reported clinically significant decreases in state anger and increases …

Just World Beliefs, Identity Development, And Social Justice Advocacy Of Counselor Trainees, Sara Rundlett

All Master's Theses

This was the first study exploring the relationship between the belief in a just world, identity development, and social justice advocacy (SJA). A mixed methods design was conducted using a nationwide sample of ninety-seven counselor-in-training participants. Hypotheses included positive correlation between identity development and SJA, negative correlation between belief in a just world and SJA, and negative correlation between belief in a just world and identity development. Results were not significant but provided implications for future research and counselor training programs.

Graduate Students And Geropsychology: Growing Need And Lacking Interest, Samantha Marie Hague

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

As the population of older adults continues to grow with time, the need for geropsychology clinicians also grows. Many barriers exist that contribute to why elderly individuals are not receiving adequate psychological treatment. This study explores why graduate psychology students are often disinterested in working with older adults and whether it is possible that student interest could increase with more geropsychology graduate coursework and practicum training opportunities. This study also explores the possible connection between quality of elderly relationships and interest in working with the elderly. The results of this study support that Clinical and Counseling Psychology graduate programs lack …

Double Whammy: Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis Of Older African Americans Experiencing Hiv & Age Related Comorbidities, James W. Chavers

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

HIV among older African Americans represents one of the fastest and largest growing populations of infected groups in America (CDC, 2008). With the availability of anti-retrovirals (ARV), or AIDS cocktail drugs, HIV has become a chronic illness. As African Americans are living longer with HIV, they are encountering the diseases that are consonant with aging. The effect of aging with HIV and an age-related comorbid condition can be physically and emotionally debilitating. Many of these older adults are also dealing with poverty, stigma, poor healthcare access, and limited social support. The purpose of this study was to explore how these …

Women’S Choice In College Stem Majors: Impact Of Ability Tilt On Women Students’ Educational Choice, Audie Jane Willis

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This quantitative study explored the impact of ability and ability tilt on the choice of an academic program in STEM majors for female college students who have not been identified as profoundly or highly gifted. A math tilt would be an ability tilt slanting toward math. The career development theory that provided a framework for this study was the Theory of Work Adjustment. Three bodies of literature were reviewed, (a) Self-efficacy as a variable in college major or career choice, (b) life-style preference, and (c) ability tilt and ability. A Chi Square Test of Independence determined that significantly more women …

Communication Training And Nonemergency Transportation Driver Perception Of Challenging Behavior, Priscilla Wright

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nonemergency transportation drivers play a critical role in helping individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) gain access to community integration opportunities. Challenging behaviors can limit access to enrichment opportunities and possibly increase the likelihood that individuals with ID will be isolated from community enrichment activities. The purpose of this study was to determine if positive behavior support training improved nonemergency transportation drivers' perceptions of challenging behaviors displayed by individuals with ID. For purposes of this study, perception was defined as staff (driver) beliefs about the causes of challenging behavior. A convenience sample of 52 nonemergency transportation drivers was chosen from a …

Understanding The Mental Health Needs Of Immigrant Women With A History Of Trauma, Shalunda D. Allen Sherrod

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A significant percentage of undocumented immigrants who come to the United States include women suffering from trauma and abuse. In Southwest Texas, many immigrant women begin their stay in the United States, as residents of an immigration Residential Detainment Center (RDC). Social workers in RDCs are challenged to understand their roles and responsibilities in treating the mental health need of these women. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of social workers, in RDCs, regarding their roles and responsibilities in meeting the mental health needs of immigrant women with a history of personal trauma. Using action research …

The Effect Of Emotionally Validating And Invalidating Responses On Emotional Self-Efficacy, Gregory Witkowski

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The power of abuse, either in childhood or in adulthood, is clear in many cases. Yet certain types of abuse are harder to detect and understand. Emotional invalidation is one type of abuse that is characterized by an incongruence or minimization of another person's emotions. This experimental study explored effects of emotional invalidation and emotional validation on people's level of emotional self-efficacy. Participants (n = 230) were recruited through Quest Mindshare using a survey created through SurveyMonkey, and randomly placed into 3 groups. All participants were given a survey that asked them to choose how certain pictures made them feel. …