Counseling Psychology Commons^™

Inclusive Practices In Catholic Education: A Restorative Realignment, Carla Vellutini

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Catholic schools need to examine the barriers to, benefits of, and interventions needed when implementing inclusive practices into their institutions. Catholic schools are experiencing an increase in enrolled students identified with learning and behavioral needs; however, they frequently lack resources and expertise to provide the necessary support for these students and their families to succeed. Research studies identify teacher attitudes and perceptions regarding inclusive practices as vital factors to create successful culture change.

A single group pretest-posttest design, incorporated into this action research study, measured the attitudes and stress of teachers before and after a 14-week long intervention for eight …

“By That Daughter’S Most Devoted Affection”: Anxious And Avoidant Attachments In Opie’S Adeline Mowbray, Meghan E. Hodges

Comparative Woman

Attachment theory, or the theory that one’s personality and social development is informed greatly by the infant-parent bond, largely arises in the 1950s with the work of John Bowlby. Although the phenomenon was only then beginning to be scientifically evaluated, it has long been observed that the relationship one has with one’s parents is a determinant factor in one’s development. This work investigates the impact of the failure to heal the insecure attachment Amelie Opie’s Adeline Mowbray (1808). Adeline, having grown up in her distant mother’s intellectual shadow, develops a neurotic attachment to her mother which causes romantic maladjustment in …

Giving Retakes Their Best Chance To Improve Learning., Thomas Data Guskey

Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications

Assessment retakes can improve student learning if educators clear up a few misconceptions and avoid common missteps.

The Dance Of Storytelling: How Therapists Facilitate Clients' Narrative-Emotion Shifting In Emotion-Focused Therapy For Trauma, Mengfei Xu

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This qualitative study replicated and extended Friedlander et al.’s (2020) case study of time-limited dynamic psychotherapy (TLDP; Levenson, 2010) by investigating therapist behaviors immediately preceding client narrative-emotion shifting from problem markers to change markers in four successful cases of emotion-focused therapy for trauma (EFTT; Paivio & Pascual-Leone, 2010). The primary goal was to identify therapist behaviors in the early, middle and late phases of treatment that uniquely preceded change shifts as identified by the NarrativeEmotion Process Coding System (NEPCS; Angus Narrative-Emotion Marker Lab, 2015).

The Grass Is Greener On The Other Screen : A Moderated Mediation Analysis Of Social Media Use, Upward Social Comparison, And Social Support On Depression And Social Satisfaction Among College Students, Phoebe Edgerton Long

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Over the past decade, levels of depression and levels of social media use have risen considerably among college students in the United States. As such, a growing body of research has examined the relation between social media use and negative mental health outcomes among this population. However, research on the link between social media and depressive symptoms produces mixed and at times contradictory results. One evidenced mechanism is upward social comparison, by which a person perceives a peer to be better off than they are on social media, and subsequently makes negative evaluations about themselves. This study seeks to confirm …

Efficacy Of A Single Session Act-Based Intervention For Public Defender Attorneys: A Multiple Baseline Single Case Study, Lawrence Phillip Peterson

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Every day in the U.S., criminal courts render decisions that affect the people involved for the rest of their lives. Crucial to the functioning of these courts is the mental health of their public defender trial attorneys (Levin et al., 2012), who speak for the innocence and the rights of the accused. Since public defender work is highly demanding, both professionally and emotionally, their psychological distress is often high (Levin et al., 2012).It was reasoned that a brief training that teaches flexible responding skills could increase the psychological flexibility and decrease the general distress experienced by public defender attorneys. In …

Suicidal Ideation Of Asian College Students In The Us : The Roles Of Family Perfectionism, Imposterism, Thwarted Belongingness, Perceived Burdensomeness, And Relational Meaning In Life, Shangyun Zhou

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Suicide is the first leading cause of death for college-age individuals (17-24) in the US who identify as Asian and Pacific Islanders. Family perfectionism – discrepancy, defined as the perception of a gap between one’s performance and the family’s high standards, was found to be an important risk factor in this population due to the strong emphasis on interpersonal contexts in many Asian cultures. However, the current literature has not provided clear empirical support for the mechanisms through which family perfectionism exerts its impact on suicidal ideation. To fill this gap, the current study attempted to integrate the Interpersonal Theory …

Masculinity And Colorectal Cancer Screening Intent Among Men: Examining Moderated Mediational Effects, Michael G. Verile

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Masculinity has been theorized to affect engagement in health behaviors and may be helpful in predicting men’s colorectal cancer (CRC) screening intentions. Christy and colleagues’ (2014) proposed a model in which masculinity and social support predict men’s CRC screening intentions by way of engagement in health behaviors, cancer fear, and cancer-related stigma. This study examined how the theory might differ for males based on previous colonoscopy status. 422 men above the age of 45 were recruited using an online survey. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling to test a modified version of Christy and colleagues’ (2014) theory. A modified …

Applying The Theory Of Planned Behavior To Intentions To Seek Couple Therapy : The Role Of Attachment, Relationship Satisfaction, And Expectations, Allison Ann Megale

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Although the negative consequences of relationship distress on mental health symptoms have been amply documented (e.g., Beach & Whisman, 2012), many distressed couples do not seek professional help (Cicila et al., 2014). While previous studies identified various barriers to help seeking, such as financial concerns and a lack of childcare (Williamson et al., 2019), there is limited knowledge of psychological factors that encourage distressed couples to seek help. Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB; Azjen, 1991), the present study examined several predictors of a person’s intention to seek couple therapy. Participants were a convenience sample of 665 adults …

The Lived Experiences Of Minority Widowers With Dependent Children, Cathy-Ann L. King

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Spousal death is a traumatic event well documented amongst clinical professionals because of its impact on a man’s physical and mental health. However, prior research on widowers has focused predominantly on white middle-class males. Little is known about the black indigenous people of color (BIPOC) male experience with spousal death, especially from those who are raising their dependent children. This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to understand the lived experiences of BIPOC male widowers and their children. BIPOC widowers experiencing the trauma of this life-changing event without professional assistance are at higher risk of emotional, physical, and mental distress. Attachment theory …

Firefighters’ Views Associated With Mental Health Counseling, Jessica H. Ridgway

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Decades of research show that firefighters’ trauma-filled tasks and work environments are associated with decreases in the quality of their everyday lives. Firefighters experience trauma on a regular basis which is leading to mental health issues contributing to work and non-work-related issues. Since stigma is present toward mental health counseling, firefighters are not always seeking the help they need. Through qualitative research, the purpose of the study was to explore thoughts and views of experienced, male firefighters to establish ways of improving their life quality. Semi structured interviews were used to gather data from nine participants regarding their views on …

Clinical Counseling Supervisors’ Perspectives Of Gatekeeping During Prelicense Supervision, Marquita R. Garrett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThis interpretive phenomenology qualitative study explored the clinical counseling supervisors’ perceptions of gatekeeping during the supervision of postgraduate prelicense counselor trainees, specifically around problems of professional competence (PPC). This study aimed to address a gap in research surrounding gatekeeping relative to the specific needs of postgraduate prelicense counselor trainees. Exploring the gaps in gatekeeping, specifically around PPC regarding ethics and multiculturalism in clinical supervision, might increase the necessity for professionalism and recommendations for continuity across state lines. Data were collected from nine participants through Zoom interviews and analyzed using an interpretive phenomenological approach. Selection criteria included clinical counseling supervisors with …

Managers' Experiences Coordinating Peer Mediation Programs In Schools, Ingrid Jeannis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Peer mediation (PM) programs implemented in schools promote resolution of disputes and conflicts among peers. Several benefits have been associated with young children involved in these programs including reductions in physical aggression, as well as learning skills involving communication, problem solving, and decision making. While positive outcomes have been observed, less was known about manager experiences involving coordinating PM programs. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore manager thoughts and experiences regarding their roles in PM programs and how they perceived strengths and weaknesses of these programs. The social learning theory was the theoretical framework for this study. …

The Self-Efficacy Of Counselors Providing Telemental Health Services During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Chelsea Threadgill

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, counselors have had to adapt and evolve to meet the needs of clients and the growing need for mental health services. In addition to a lack of experience providing telemental health (TMH) services, many counselors had received little or no TMH training or continuing education prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Counselor self-efficacy (CSE) may be an important factor in determining how counselors have been impacted by the increase in provision of TMH services, and the areas where they are needing more support. The purpose of this quantitative study was to …

Internalized Homonegativity And The Mental Health Of Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Individuals: An Integrative Treatment Approach, David Kearby

DSW Capstone Projects

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals (LGBI) have a higher rate of mental health disorders than the general population. The mental health disparities experienced by LGBI are positively correlated with higher internalized homonegativity (IH) levels, which impacts their functioning at the unconscious, cognitive, and interpersonal levels. Thus, effective interventions targeting the mental health of LGBI must consider IH's intrapsychic, cognitive, and interpersonal nature. An integrative psychotherapy approach addressing the mental health and IH of LGBI is needed to address the intrapsychic, cognitive, and interpersonal factors at play.

Product one of this capstone is a systematic literature review that identified psychotherapeutic interventions …

Human Service Student's Preparedness For Assessing Suicidality: Recommendations For Human Services Education, Narketta Sparkman-Key, Jeffrey Moe, Bianca Augustine, T'Airra Belcher

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Suicide continues to be a public health concern, with suicide rates increasing. Human service professionals are among the helping professions tasked with assessing and addressing suicidality. Despite the well-documented benefits of suicide assessment and training for those within the helping professions, there remains a dearth of literature specific to suicide prevention in the preparation of human services students. To address this gap, the current study used the SIRI-2 to assess the preparedness of human services students (n = 98) to assess and address client suicidality. Findings indicated that participants’ responses were less competent than area experts. Furthermore, student participants’ responses …

Rebranding The Battle Against Clinician Burnout, Taylor Albitar

DSW Capstone Projects

The purpose of this capstone project is to take a deep dive into the issue of burnout among marginalized healthcare providers. This paper will dissect key points in history that target wellness and define terms that are relevant to understanding the effects of burnout on a person’s work-life balance. It will be divided into several sections, including an overview of the problem and contributing factors, a thorough review of relevant literature, a conceptual idea that will explore both the problem at hand and theories that can help with its effects, and finally a practice application that will serve as the …

Sociocultural Predictors Of White Veterans’ Attitudes Towards Va Mental Health Care, Elyssa Christine Berney

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

U.S. Veterans are less likely to seek help than their civilian counterparts despite having higher levels of self-reported distress, in part due to comparatively poorer attitudes towards seeking mental health treatment. While some aspects of cultural socialization (e.g., gender role expectations, certain types of stigma) have been established to influence Veterans’ attitudes towards mental health treatment, other aspects of health care access (e.g., trust in health care institutions or individual providers) may benefit from increased focus. Additionally, one aspect of cultural socialization that is understudied in white Veterans is that of racial-cultural socialization (i.e., whiteness). Much of the research into …

Mental Health Stigma In South Asians With Crohn’S Disease, Bansi Patel

Scripps Senior Theses

Chronically ill individuals often face comorbid mental illnesses. Mental illness symptoms can cause their chronic illness symptoms to worsen; the converse is also true. Such is the case with Crohn’s disease (CD) patients. The present literature lacks research on the relationship between CD and mental illness symptoms. Additionally, the literature lacks chronically ill participants who are South Asian Americans (SAA). SAA often face more mental health stigma than their white peers which can worsen one’s mental illness symptoms. This study examines the impact that mental health symptoms have on the psychological distress faced by SAA who are diagnosed with CD. …

The Relationship Between Religiosity And Tobacco Use In A Mexican Spanish Speaking Sample In The United States, Lauren Hales

Master's Theses

To address disparities in minority mental health access and treatment, this study examined the relationship between tobacco use and religiosity, focusing on a Mexican Spanish speaking sample. Based on past research, it was hypothesized that religiosity would act as a protective factor against tobacco use characteristics. Participants were recruited through Amazon’s M*Turk survey platform. The sample included 144 adults aged 18+, currently residing in the US, who speak Mexican Spanish, have had an interaction with a medical provider in the last six months, and have used tobacco daily at some point in the last six months. Along with demographic information, …