Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Does Self-Compassion Buffer Against The Potential Effects Of Perfectionism And Psychopathology On Non-Suicidal Self-Injury?, Natasha Bourgoin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

University students with increased rates of reported perfectionism, anxiety, and depression, are vulnerable to non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). However, not all students with psychological distress engage in NSSI, suggesting protective factors may help to mitigate this risk. The present study examined the relation between perfectionism and NSSI, via the mediating effects of anxiety and depression, and the moderating role of self-compassion. Participants were 338 university students (67% female; 87% White) who completed several self-report measures. Students with greater perfectionism reported higher levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms and, in turn, more NSSI engagement. Self-compassion and several self-compassionate domains attenuated connections between …

Learning To Be Trauma-Informed: An Examination Of Individual-Level Factors Predicting Perceptions Of And Response To Trauma-Informed Practice Trainings, Kelly Daniel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Trauma is a substantial threat to public health. As such, significant effort has been exerted into developing interventions which mitigate the consequences of trauma. Trauma-informed practice (TIP) aims to alleviate the effects of trauma by building policies and practices focused on safety, trust, transparency, support, collaboration, and empowerment. This study investigated how individual-level factors, including readiness for organizational change, perceived benefit of TIP training, and personal trauma history affect one’s ability to apply a TIP lens in a sample (n =100) of members of a graduate-level college. Further, it explored if one’s perceptions of and response to trauma-informed practice training …

Adolescent Externalizing Symptoms And Parent Emotion Socialization: An Examination Of Longitudinal Effects And Differences By Adolescent Sex, Cheston West

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adolescence is an important developmental context with several changes in social and emotional functioning. Though adolescents are gaining independence from their caregivers, they still engage in dynamic interactions with their caregivers who remain key figures in their lives. When adolescents express emotions, caregivers engage in various behaviors in response to these expressions, a process known as emotion socialization. This process has mostly been examined as a parent-driven construct in which parent emotion socialization impacts child-level outcomes, namely internalizing symptoms, with limited research on externalizing symptoms. However, available literature demonstrates that child-level characteristics (e.g., externalizing symptoms) are linked to differences in …

Investigating Exoneration Patterns Among Juveniles, Kristin Mahan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Exoneration from crime has been studied among adults, but exoneration of juveniles (i.e., persons under age 18) has not been analyzed as a separate entity, despite distinct legal systems and developmental considerations. Wrongful conviction, while not always indicative of innocence, devastates lives of convicted individuals and their families, while increasing public mistrust and sometimes failing to convict truly guilty individuals. This devastation, as well as vulnerability to wrongful conviction, is significantly increased for youth who miss out on crucial developmental years, milestones, and opportunities.

In the current study, I examined differing and intersecting contributors (i.e., individual characteristics, crime characteristics, legal …

How Does Psychopathology Impact The Trajectory From State To Trait Mindfulness?, Veronica O'Brien

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has found that higher levels of trait mindfulness protect against psychopathology (e.g., Chiesa & Serretti, 2013; Desrosiers et al., 2013; Sevilla-Llewellyn-Jones et al., 2018); however, the research on state mindfulness and psychopathology is more mixed. These mixed findings suggest that some clients with higher levels of psychopathology may have greater difficulty engaging with mindfulness practice thereby hampering their progression towards trait mindfulness and its associated benefits. The present study sought to explore how psychopathology (i.e., anxiety, trauma, alcohol use, and depression) relates to the growth of state and trait mindfulness. The present study recruited 274 participants from a …

Perceived Credibility Of Allegations Of Sexual Assault Across Victim Race And Mental Health History, Liyah C. Morgan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous research examined the effect of victim gender and rape myth acceptance (RMA) on perceptions of victim credibility; however, little attention has been given to the impact of victim race and mental health history, and even fewer studies have explored the intersection of these two identities. The primary purpose of the current study was to identify factors affecting understanding of perceived credibility of victims of sexual assault, specifically in terms of victim race and mental health history. The study also examined the role of RMA on perceptions of credibility and explored participant attitudes related to color-blind racial attitudes and mental …

Resilience And Grit In Children And Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Danielle Oehring

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Resilience is the way in which an individual positively adapts to challenging or difficult life experiences. This process is marked by adjustments to external and internal demands through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility. Grit is perseverance and passion for long-term goals. Although grit and resilience have been researched in children and adolescents, there is a gap in the literature for how these variables relate to developmental disorders, like autism spectrum disorder, in children and adolescents. This study aimed to explore the relationship between autism spectrum disorder and internalizing and externalizing symptoms and whether grit and resilience moderates these relationships. Based …

The Moderating Effects Of Self-Compassion On The Relationship Between Shame And Depression In Military Populations, Sarah Foran

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. Military has faced a continuous rise in mental health concerns reported by service members and veterans (Currier et al., 2017; Rosenheck & Fontana, 2007). Studies of military personnel have found that up to 15% of service members meet the criteria for experiencing depression (Shen et al., 2012). Often, individuals with military experience face numerous stressors that positively contribute to this experience of depression and feelings of shame (Bradbard et al., 2014; Litz et al., 2009). Military culture (often emphasizing shame related to mental health) has also been found to put military personnel at higher risk of experiencing depression …

Substance Misuse And Suicidal Behaviors In An Lgbtqia+ Sample: Examining The Buffering Effects Of Psychological Flexibility And Emotional Regulation, Mariano Ottone

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Suicidal behaviors among LGBTQIA+ individuals, particularly in the context of substance misuse, present a significant area of exploration for mental health research and intervention. It is particularly important to evaluate factors capable of moderating this relationship, to promote more culturally affirming prevention models. This study aimed to explore the moderating roles of emotion regulation (ER) and psychological flexibility in the relationship between substance misuse and suicidal behaviors within the LGBTQIA+ community. Data were collected from 537 LGBTQIA+ adults through an online survey platform. Participants were asked to self-report on measures assessing the constructs of interest. The analysis focused on understanding …

South Asian American Experiences Of Microaggressions And Wellbeing: The Moderating Role Of Social Support, Archita Birla

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although the South Asian American community is rapidly expanding in the United States (South Asian Americans Leading Together [SAALT], 2015), there remains a dearth of psychological research regarding the impacts on mental health and wellbeing affecting this diverse community. Racial microaggressions, or verbal or behavioral actions indicating hostile or negative attitudes toward marginalized individuals (Sue et al., 2007), negatively impact People of Color (POC) mental health and wellbeing (Forrest-Bank & Jenson, 2015a; Nadal, Wong, et al., 2015). Some research exists on South Asian American communities and microaggressions (Houshmand et al., 2014; Poolokasingham et al., 2014) but there is limited research …

Does Self-Care Moderate The Association Between Adverse Childhood Experiences, Trauma Symptoms, And Parental Reflective Functioning?, Vinaya Thomas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Unresolved adverse and traumatic experiences in parents can amplify the risk of perpetuating intergenerational transmission of trauma. Parents’ positive and adaptive practices such as self-care might act as a protective factor against this ripple effect. This study investigated whether self-care moderated the relationship between parental ACEs, post-traumatic stress symptoms, and parental reflective functioning in mothers who are experiencing high psychosocial stress (n = 59) residing in rural Appalachia. Within our sample, there was no statistically significant linear relationship between our predictors, ACE score and PTSD symptoms, and our outcome of interest, maternal pre-mentalizing. We did not find empirical support for …

Lateral Others In The Trauma Narrative: The Place Of The Sibling In Accounts Of Abuse And Neglect, Michelle Browne

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study aimed to investigate the place of the sibling in narratives of developmental trauma as well as the sibling relationship’s impact on the formation of sense of self. Another area of interest was the impact of congruence versus incongruence in the narrative between siblings. In other words, this study sought to illuminate the impact when the sibling is understood to have reached different conclusions about shared experiences of abuse and neglect.

This study is grounded in the literature on siblings from psychoanalytic, attachment, and family systems perspectives. A series of narrative interviews were conducted with participants who identified …

Understanding The Supervision Of Counselors In A Grief Process Who Have Experienced A Client’S Death By Suicide., Sean Abaray

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the grief experiences of counselors in supervision who have experienced a client's death by suicide. Given that this phenomenological study aimed to explore a new phenomenon of study, the researcher utilized van Manen’s lived existentials as a process for data analysis. The first chapter of the dissertation introduces the problem and includes the research question. The question is: “How do counselors who have experienced a client's death by suicide experience supervision as they work to deal with the loss?" Following this chapter, the researcher reviews relevant literature selections. During the methodology chapter, the researcher describes …

The Impact Of Kangaroo Care (Kc) On Parent Stress, Infant Neurobehavioral Regulation, And Parent-Infant Attachment In Very And Extremely Preterm Infants, Justine Vecchiarelli

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the high-risk population of infants born atinfants, developmental delays in infants, and parent-infant relationship disruption. Kangaroo care (KC) has shown promise as an intervention to buffer these adverse effects, however, KC engagement in NICUs is obstructed by lack of clear guidelines. Furthermore, limited research exists on KC including infants born atoutcomes, infant behavioral/developmental outcomes, and parent-infant relationship outcomes conjointly. The aim of this study was, therefore, to examine the impact of kangaroo care engagement on precursors of adverse outcomes including parent stress, infant neurobehavioral organization, and parent-infant bonding with the intent of informing clinical practice. Data was …

Self-Efficacy Towards Teaching, Critical Thinking Dispositions, And Supervision Of Teaching Among Ces Doctoral Students, Brenda Everett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

According to the 2024 CACREP Standards (2023), “ethical behavior, diversity, equity, inclusion, and critical thinking” are essential for counselor preparation. Thus, doctoral students must be equipped to teach and incorporate “culturally sustaining content and strategies across the eight foundational curriculum areas” into counselor training upon graduation (Section 3, p.12). Given the increase in counselor education programs (Field et al., 2020) and the need for self-efficacious counselor educators (Association for Counselor Education and Supervision [ACES] Teaching Initiative Taskforce, 2016) in these programs to teach the next generation of counselors-in-training, there is a continuous need in the literature for research on self-efficacy …

A Radical Ethnography Of Asian American Mental Health, Sofia Huang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Anti-Asian racism and violence in the U.S. both historically and currently impacts the Asian American community, leading to widespread fear and negative mental health consequences for Asian Americans. This has been widely discussed in the media due to the rise in anti-Asian rhetoric and attacks during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, psychological literature does not typically address the effects of the history and politics of Asian America on Asian American mental health. In particular, psychological literature does not engage with radical political perspectives which situate Asian American mental health within the broader context of structural oppression and processes of racialization. This …

Effect Of A Systematic Mindfulness Intervention On Student Internalizing, Externalizing, And Adaptive Behaviors, Akshita Nayyar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

According to Bouchrika (2020), on a scale of 10, American teens rated their stress rate at an average of 5.8, whereas the average stress rate for adults is 3.8. Children with more school problems tend to have more negative and fewer emotions at school and at bedtime (Bai & Repetti, 2017). The most common stressors reported by school-aged children include excessive homework, unrealistic expectations from parents and coaches, peer pressure, standardized testing, and after-school activities (Ryan-Wenger et al., 2005). Schools can address these concerns by providing mental health services within their school settings by collaborating with community agencies within their …

Rhetorical Tapestries Of Water Injustice: The Framing Of (In)Access And (In)Justice In The Struggle For Water Security In The United States, Carla R. Richards

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation argues that access to clean water is a fundamental human right and a cornerstone of environmental justice. It critiques existing communication and rhetorical scholarship for overlooking the environmental dimensions of water access and justice. This gap hinders progress toward equity for marginalized communities disproportionately burdened by water insecurity.

This project proposes a communication approach that prioritizes culturally relevant strategies to empower these communities in advocating for their environmental rights and health needs. By bridging the communication and environmental justice fields, this project equips communities with the tools to demand fair solutions. It ultimately calls for a transformative shift …

Shame, Guilt, And Behavioral Responses To Conflict In Organizational Life: A Correlational Study, Lori Anne Shaw

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the relationship between self-conscious emotions, namely shame and guilt, and constructive and destructive behavioral responses to conflict among working adults in the United States. Researchers have underscored the importance of task-focused conflict and adaptive leadership in fostering positive conflict outcomes. However, the connection between shame and guilt and behavioral responses has yet to be explored. Drawing upon the Conflict Dynamics Profile and the Test of Self-Conscious Affect-3, this correlational study examined the associations between shame and guilt and 15 distinct behavioral responses to conflict among a sample of 203 participants, mostly women employed full-time. The cross-sectional survey …

Patterns Of The Use And Perception Of Cannabis Among College Students In Tennessee, Jayla Ruffus-Milner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cannabis has been historically difficult to research due to its federal scheduling. However, as legalization of cannabis medically, recreationally, or both in states across the country has increased, so has the need to address the research gaps that persist. The purpose of this study was to explore the patterns of cannabis use and perceptions of college students in Tennessee, which encompass a demographic of mainly young adults who are typically associated with high usage patterns. The study uses quantitative data collected from an online survey sent to a university in East Tennessee to evaluate associations between students’ age, gender, race/ethnicity, …

Evaluating The Impact Of An Experimental Intervention On Reducing Social Anxiety Through Impression Efficacy Changes, Alexandria Dismuke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Social anxiety is a prevalent and harmful experience, predicting negative outcomes even for those not reaching clinical levels. While evidence-based treatments are well-documented for Social Anxiety Disorder, simple and accessible interventions for subclinical samples are a valuable endeavor for research. The current study aimed to test an experimental task for reducing social anxiety through increasing participants’ impression self-efficacy. A secondary goal was to explore the impacts of and responses to positive and neutral feedback. The primary hypothesis was that condition would predict changes in social anxiety indirectly through changes in impression self-efficacy. Participants (n=127) completed a structured interaction with a …

Enhancing Ethical Competency: A Review Of Ethical Instruction For Law Enforcement, Alexis Turner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As public confidence in policing has dropped, demand for ethical behavior from law enforcement officers has grown, and correspondingly, a better understanding of ethics training and ethical acquisition processes has become paramount. Though much literature exists on related topics, understanding of the ethics training for law enforcement officers as it currently exists, has remained murky. This research aimed to gain a better understanding of ethics training for law enforcement in the United States, and as such, to fill the aforementioned gap in the literature. Four research questions were explored in this study including the understanding of current pre-service and in-service …

The Impact Of Perceived Administrative Support On Teacher Burnout, Madison L. Kelly

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teachers are crucial to many facets of life (Güneyli, 2012). Due to current occupational requirements and emotional demands, many educational professionals experience burnout (Roethler, 2021). Burnout occurs when daily occupational challenges overpower one's ability to maintain a healthy emotional state and meet professional demands (Roethler, 2021). Previous studies have been conducted on the levels of teacher stress and burnout (Agyapong et al., 2022; Chang, 2009; Lindqvist et al., 2021; Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2021), while few studies explored the impact of administrative support and its contribution to burnout within the teacher population (Howard et al., 2017; Jacob, 2007; McCray-Davis, 2022; Tickle …

College Students' Perceptions Of The Student-Teacher Relationship, Lauren E. Biggs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Humans, as social creatures, pursue relationships with others to fulfill various needs. As such, when we enter school, we naturally seek to establish relationships with teachers, who act as significant individuals in our lives. In general, research has shown that students with close, warm relationships with their teachers tend to experience more favorable outcomes related to academic achievement, behavior, and social-emotional factors. Students with more negative relationships with their teachers conversely tend to experience poorer outcomes. Though decades of research have consistently shown this correlation, few studies have examined the relationships between college students and their professors. The current study …

An Exploratory Study Of Flora Poaching In Central Appalachia, Mckinley Bowers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions of flora poaching among conservation officers, park rangers and botanists within Central Appalachia. Though some work has sought to understand poaching in other forms, such as animal poaching, little is known regarding the poaching of plants. This is especially true within the Appalachian Region. Several research questions were explored in this study, including the types of flora being poached, the characteristics of poachers, poaching tactics utilized, and deterrence measures that are currently in place. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 20 individuals working in the field. Findings contribute to the …

Co-Rumination, Psychological Inflexibility, And Internalizing Symptoms In Adolescence, John Parigger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Two risk factors for anxiety and depression in adolescence were examined: co-rumination, which occurs when friends excessively talk about problems; and psychological inflexibility, which occurs when one avoids negative feelings and fails to act on values. I hypothesized that psychological inflexibility would exacerbate the effect of co-rumination on adolescent anxiety and depression. Participants were 167 adolescents (Mage = 14.60 years, SD = 1.3; 65.7% cisgender males) who completed standard measures as part of an online survey. Results indicated no moderation effect, but there were main effects of co-rumination and psychological inflexibility on depression symptoms. Co-rumination may relate to …

African American Women’S Experience With Invisibility And Hypervisibility In The Workplace: Does It Matter To Career Advancement?, Elisha R. Peters

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Black women continue to be underrepresented in senior leadership positions in the workplace although they are the most educated in the workplace. This study explores the lived experience of African American women who work for the federal sector and their career advancement into leadership and managerial positions. A qualitative method was used, and the participants consisted of Black women who worked for the federal sector who had either promoted to a leadership position within the last 3 to 5 years or aspired to be in a leadership position.

Interviews were conducted via Zoom, and in vivo coding was used to …

Culturally Responsive Leadership For Newcomer Students: A Case Study Of An Elementary Newcomer Program School Leadership Team, Ahmad Fayaz Amiri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study focuses on the pivotal role of an urban elementary school leadership team with a newcomer program. It aims to uncover how school leadership decisions, practices, and policies address the diverse needs of newcomer students. Challenges faced by newcomers, including economic and social needs, cultural adjustments, and potential feelings of alienation despite academic success, are explored. The tension between preserving home culture and adapting to a new one adds complexity to newcomer students’ identity formation.

This study examines the practices of a newcomer school leader who addresses the diverse needs of vulnerable newcomer students. With schools being …

A Critical Policy Analysis Of Universal Preschool In Colorado: Its Roots, Intentions, And Development, Jamita Horton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

High-quality preschool experiences are essential for preparing four-year-old children for a successful transition to kindergarten, benefiting them academically, emotionally, socially, and physically. However, access to such preschools remains limited, particularly for children from marginalized communities. This qualitative critical policy analysis examines transitioning from the targeted Colorado Preschool Program (CPP) to a universal preschool approach through the 2022 Colorado House Bill 1295: Department of Early Childhood and Universal Preschool Program. Drawing on Young and Diem's (2017) framework for critical policy analysis, this study explores the roots, development, and potential implications of the universal preschool policy.

This study analyzes documents and audio …

The Effects Of Covid-19 On Asian American Perception Of Mental Health, Emily Tseung

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study describes a qualitative study using a grounded theory, constructivist approach, which sampled (N = 6) Asian American college students who lived in the United States during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Research shows that COVID significantly impacted the Asian American perception of mental health, including mental health help- seeking behaviors and discrimination experienced. The long-term effects of this are still largely unknown. In depth, semi-structured interviews were used to explore the lived experiences of these Asian Americans. Qualitative analysis revealed thematic differences for the following themes: (a) experience with mental illness, (b) mental health help- seeking …