Counseling Psychology Commons^™

Showpony, George Theodore Ellington

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

The poetry collection Showpony focuses on the real-life experiences of a woman in her twenties during the 1970s, who is treated by psychiatrist Dr. Robert J. Stoller at UCLA in a desperate attempt to make her normal. Mrs. G struggles with homicidal and suicidal thoughts, psychosis, as well as her homosexuality and transgender identity. Showpony examines the ways in which psychology has pathologized these experiences and the ramifications for patients, particularly those who have been publicly showcased as examples of their conditions used to train future students. The collection critiques the exploitation of patients by psychiatrists and psychologists, highlighting unethical …

Adolescent Cyberbullying And Polysubstance Use: Unpacking Sex Differences, Maggie K. Richardson, Osayande Agbonlahor, Joy L. Hart, Meman Diaby, Delvon T. Mattingly

Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications

The rise of social media platforms has heightened cyberbullying among adolescents, closely tied to negative mental health outcomes. Substance use, including alcohol, cannabis, and tobacco, also remains a significant concern for this population. This study examines the relationship between cyberbullying and substance use, exploring potential sex differences in these associations. We analyzed data from the 2021 Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey (ABES) (n = 6,740 students in grades 9–12). We used multinomial logistic regression models to assess the relationship between past-year cyberbullying and current patterns of substance use (exclusive, dual, and poly), adjusting for sociodemographic factors, screen time, and mental …

The Conditional Effects Of Gender On Predictors Of Sport Injury-Related Growth, Amilya J. Bryant

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Sport injury-related growth (SIRG) describes an athlete’s perceived psychological benefits from a sport injury. The present study examines a sample of 54 collegiate athletes who have sustained a sport-related injury and their perceived SIRG. Expanding upon previous literature, this study compares internal and external resources as predictors of SIRG– specifically, athletic identity and spiritual well-being, and social support. Preliminary subscale analyses isolated existential well-being (EWB) and the social identity (SI) dimension of athletic identity as the internal resources. Subsequent regressions confirmed EWB, SI, and social support as predictors of SIRG. Exploratory subgroup and moderation analyses revealed that gender moderated the …

My Autobiography Of Listening: A Worksheet, David Keck

C. Listening for One’s Own Voice

This 1-page worksheet provides a framework for exploring the ways in which a person's experiences shape their listening habits and capacities. It helps users answer the question, "How did I come to listen this way?"

Emotion Regulation Difficulties And Substance Use: The Role Of Conscientiousness, Caitlyn M. Donnelly

Theses and Dissertations

Difficulties in emotion regulation have been consistently linked to substance use among college students. However, individual differences may influence this relationship. Conscientiousness, a personality trait characterized by self-control, planning, and goal-directed behavior, has been proposed as a potential protective factor. The present study examined associations among difficulties in emotion regulation, conscientiousness, and substance use behaviors, as well as whether conscientiousness moderates the relationship between emotion regulation difficulties and substance use. Using a quantitative, cross-sectional, correlational design, data was collected from college students recruited through a university participant pool. Participants completed self-report measures of emotion regulation difficulties, conscientiousness, and substance use …

Building Resilience And Academic Belonging Through An Educational Intervention For Latine Families, Britney Ramos

Theses and Dissertations

Latine students continue to experience disparities in college persistence and completion despite the growing rate of enrollment in higher education. Previous research has focused on the importance of family involvement, culturally responsive programming, and the sense of belonging for Latine students. However, continued research is needed to better understand how family-centered programs support both Latine youths’ sense of belonging and their perceived preparedness for college. This study focuses on how participation in the Juntos Para Una Mejor Educación program relates to Latine youths’ sense of belonging and perceived preparedness for college, as well as how family expectations shape these outcomes. …

The Effects Of A Work-Strengths Affirmation Intervention On Death Anxiety: Meaning And Self-Esteem As Mediators, Begüm Orhan

Theses and Dissertations

Death anxiety is a transdiagnostic construct and a universally experienced existential fear that has been linked to a wide range of psychological difficulties, including anxiety, depression, and impaired well-being. Despite its widespread impact, empirical research on targeted interventions for death anxiety remains limited. The present study aimed to address this gap by developing and evaluating an online, single-session, theory-based (i.e., Terror Management Theory, positive psychology) intervention focused on affirming personal strengths in the context of one's work. The intervention was designed to target work-strengths (i.e., leadership, adaptability)—an intersection of positive and vocational psychology.

College students from a large Midwestern university …

The Caregiving Experience: Comparing Stress And Quality Of Life Among Caregivers Of Children With And Without Autism Spectrum Disorder, Mona Khayal

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This comparative cross-sectional study investigated caregiving burden, quality of life, and anxiety among primary caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder compared to caregivers of typically developing children. Using Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, 66 caregivers (31 autism, 35 comparison) of children aged 6-18 completed the Zarit Burden Interview-12, WHO Quality of Life-BREF, and GAD-7. According to the results, autism caregivers reported substantially higher burden (M = 31.26 vs. 13.23, d = 2.42) and anxiety (M = 9.13 vs. 4.63, d = 1.04), with 90% exceeding clinical burden thresholds compared to 26% of comparison caregivers. Quality of life was lower across …

A Qualitative Study Of Existential Paralysis As A Pathway To Meaning And Purpose Among Generation Z, Oksana V. Panchenko

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study examines the lived experiences of emerging adults from Generation Z (N = 26) with a qualitative reflexive thematic analysis. Data was collected with an online survey and open ended prompts. Twelve themes were identified as part of data analysis: (1) Feeling Lost, Immobilized, Isolated and Overthinking, (2) Feeling Depressed and Experiencing Identity Erosion and Functional Disruption, (3) Anxiety, the Struggle for Authentic Connection, and Fear About the Future, (4) Social Media, Comparison, and Fear of Missing Out, (5) Cultural and Sociopolitical Pressures on Self-Expression, (6) Ambiguous Loss and Disconnection in Social Presence, (7) Social Skills, Self-Confidence, and Adaptation …

Doctoral Trainees’ Experiences Of Vicarious Trauma Within Inpatient Settings: An Exploratory Study, Melissa Neitlich

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Vicarious trauma (VT), first coined by Irene Lisa McCann and Anne Pearlman, is described as a pervasive and cumulative impact of working with survivors of trauma, resulting in changes to the therapist’s identity, worldview, psychological needs, beliefs, and memory. In spite of the unique vulnerabilities of doctoral trainees for experiencing VT, there is limited research on the impact of VT among doctoral trainee populations, as most of the extant literature focuses on the impact of VT in middle- to late-career psychological practice. In this primarily qualitative dissertation, I examined trainees’ experiences of vicarious trauma within various inpatient settings using the …

Toward Evidence-Based Disposition Assessment In Counselor Education: Advocating For Established Measures And Evaluating The Psychometric Properties Of The Pdca-Ra, Laura Rendon Finnell

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Professional dispositions are recognized as an essential component of counselor competence and are now explicitly included within accreditation standards. However, questions remain regarding how these characteristics should assessed in ways that are fair, systematic, and supported by empirical evidence. This two-manuscript dissertation focused on professional disposition assessment in counselor education. The first manuscript provides a conceptual examination of professional dispositions, counselor competence, and gatekeeping responsibilities while reviewing established disposition assessment instruments in counselor education. The manuscript advocates for the use of established disposition measures rather than relying solely on locally developed assessment procedures. The second manuscript presents an empirical evaluation …

Racial Discrimination And Racial Identity Among Asian College Students: The Moderating Role Of Interdependent Self-Construal, Foong Yan Lee, Qianyi Wang, Eunseon Gong

Journal of Higher Education & Student Affairs

The current study examined the moderating role of interdependent self-construal in the relationship between perceived racial discrimination and racial group identification among 130 Asian college students at a U.S. institution. Using moderation regression analyses, results indicated that perceived racial discrimination was associated with lower racial group identification, and this relationship was significantly moderated by interdependent self-construal. Specifically, racial discrimination was negatively associated with racial group identification among students reporting lower levels of interdependent self-construal, whereas this association was not significant among those with higher interdependent self-construal. These findings suggest that individual differences in self-construal shape how Asian college students interpret …

Family Routines And Cognitive Emotion Regulation: The Role Of Harsh Parenting And Family Activities, Vidhi Jain

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Cognitive emotion regulation (CER), consisting of adaptive and maladaptive strategies, is a critical developmental process linked to various well-being outcomes across the lifespan. Family contexts such as daily routines, parenting, and engagement shape the development of emotion regulation. Existing literature generally links family routines to better CER outcomes (Selman & Dilworth-Bart, 2023), but has not yet investigated the impact of routines in adverse family environments. The present study examined whether harsh parenting and the frequency of shared family activities jointly moderate the relationship between family routines and adaptive and maladaptive CER. A sample of emerging adults (N = 210; …

Exploring Relational Leadership And Psychological Safety During Ai Integration In The Workplace, Solmaz Kaynama

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study explores employee psychological safety, or its lack, during artificial intelligence (AI) integration in the workplace through a relational leadership lens. The population included employees of for-profit business corporations currently integrating or adopting AI technologies (N = 14). Participants completed in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Results showed eight themes: relational leadership creates a psychologically safe workplace climate; unsupportive and dysfunctional leadership erodes trust and psychological safety; psychological safety determines whether employees speak up openly or hold back; employees’ experience daily work through workplace culture, pace, and remote or hybrid conditions; AI may delivers immediate productivity benefits while introducing new psychological and …

The Lived Experience Of Tenders Of Community Grief Rituals, Margaret Y. Wilson

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this research study is to gain an understanding of the lived experience of tenders of community grief rituals, and how tenders make meaning of their experiences. This study utilized photo elicitation and a reflexive thematic analysis. Participants (N = 11) provided one to three photographs that captured their experience of grief and/or tending grief rituals. The results identified 10 themes supported by subthemes: (a) Grief Tender Wisdom About the Nature of Grief, (b) Life’s Many Experiences are Sources of Grief, (c) The Multifaceted Impacts of Grief-Body, Anger, Compassion, Empathy, Resilience, Gratitude, Joy, and Love, (d) The Nuances …

The Impact Of The Covid-19 School Shutdown On Standardized Test Scores In Rural And Nonrural Areas, Cory Laflamme

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The novel Coronavirus of 2019 (COVID-19; Gillings School of Global Public Health, n.d.) caused an extensive disruption of education systems worldwide. Elementary and secondary schools began to close to students and staff to protect them from potential exposure to the virus (Masonbrink & Hurley, 2020). Nearly 1.6 billion students in over 200 countries had their learning impacted on some level, causing changes in traditional educational practices (Pokhrel & Chhetri, 2021). One profound change in educational practice was the shift from face-to-face learning to online learning alternatives. Using the State of New Hampshire data allowed for a unique analysis of how …

The Effect Of Paternal Engagement On The Sexual Self-Concept Of Black Female Adolescents, Amelia Flynn

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Black women in the U.S. continue to experience disproportionately high rates of unintended pregnancies, with a 64% rate reported in 2011 (Finer & Zolna, 2016). Positive sexual self-concept (SSC) is linked to healthier sexual behaviors, yet research on SSC development has largely overlooked the role of fathers and systemic influences, particularly within Black families. Grounded in an ecological framework, this study examines the impact of father-daughter engagement on SSC among Black female adolescents, considering paternal residential status and socioeconomic class as key contextual factors. The study revealed that when middle class father-daughter engagement is high, daughters’ sexual self-esteem is lower. …

Bipoc Supervisors And Their Cross-Ethnoracial Supervisees: An Exploratory Dyadic Interdependence Study On Cultural Humility, Ethnocultural Empathy, Supervisory Alliance And Ethnoracial Identity Development, Karen Andal Neri

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

There is an ongoing need for more relational, process-oriented multicultural supervision training models and research to address multicultural issues through a sociocultural perspective in cross-ethnoracial supervision. BIPOC therapists have often reported inadequate multicultural education and training as well as responsiveness from their White supervisors. As supervisors themselves, BIPOC therapists are often overlooked and understudied in the couple/marriage, family therapy (C/MFT) field, which remains predominantly Eurocentric. As a process-oriented model, multicultural orientation (MCO), especially its primary organizing pillar, cultural humility, appears highly relevant to BIPOC supervisors working across ethnoracial and cultural lines with their supervisees. However, neither the MCO nor broader …

Impact Of Therapeutically Applied Role-Playing Games (Ta-Rpg) For Individuals At The Intersection Of Sexual And Gender Minorities (Sgm) And Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd), Alexander S. Gelernter

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who also identify as sexual and gender minorities (SGM) may experience intersecting challenges related to communication, social belonging, masking, identity development, and access to affirming clinical spaces. Although role-play and therapeutically applied role-playing games (TA-RPGs) have been described as promising experiential approaches, limited research has examined how ASD/SGM individuals themselves understand role-playing games (RPGs) or evaluate their possible therapeutic use. This qualitative study explored how young adults with ASD level 1 who identify as SGM describe their experiences with RPGs and how they appraise the potential usefulness, risks, and conditions of TA-RPG. Five participants …

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 …