<p> This study explored gay fathers&rsquo; experiences disclosing to their children about the role of a gestational surrogate in their child&rsquo;s birth. Content from semi-structured interviews conducted with a sample of nine gay male fathers, who had at least one child with the aid of Assisted Reproduction Technology (ART) and a gestational surrogate, after coming out, was analyzed using a thematic analysis. The ART procedure to create their families involved an ovum donor, who provided the ovum, and a gestational surrogate; both individuals were previously unknown to the prospective father. The interview protocol explored gay male parents&rsquo; experiences relating to telling their children about the role of surrogacy in their child&rsquo;s birth, that included: a) reasons and motivations for deciding to tell or not tell their children about the surrogacy; b) dilemmas they faced; c) questions and the context in which they were asked by their children; d) what information parents told or planned/not planned to tell; e) how this newly shared information was received by their children; f) the parents' subjective experiences surrounding disclosure. A total of four organizing themes and twelve primary themes were identified. Analysis revealed overall participants were mindful of the complexity and potential sensitivity of the topic and purposefully cultivated an approach of age-appropriate discussions. The fathers viewed transparency with their child as essential to enhancing their children&rsquo;s self-esteem and confidence, and for developing a solid sense of self and belonging in the family. They also sought to normalize their child&rsquo;s experience and develop openly communicative parent-child relationships. Study results can be used to help potential same-sex parents understand dynamics of surrogate options and what to consider in disclosing their family story. Health workers can use results to better understand nontraditional families considering ART and help surrogates gain an understanding of they fit within these families and may be integrated into the family story.</p><p>

<p> <i><b>Introduction:</b></i> Preconception interventions targeting substance use as well as effective contraception are important to improve the health of both the mother and her offspring, or to reduce unintended pregnancies. Computer-delivered interventions have been shown to be effective in the reducing the risk of alcohol-exposed pregnancies. However, little is known about the effect of specific computer-delivered intervention components and if/how they contribute to the desired intervention outcome. This study experimentally evaluated the contribution of two common intervention factors (empathy and video) of a motivational e-intervention for marijuana and contraception use. </p><p> <i><b>Methods:</b></i> One hundred sixty-six females who reported using marijuana in the last 6 months and having intercourse without reliable contraception in the last 12 months were recruited from a large urban university. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four intervention conditions: empathy, video, both empathy and video, or neither. The main and interaction effects of empathy and video on pre-post intervention change of intent to use marijuana in the next 30 days and intent to contact a physician about making an appointment to discuss contraception methods in the next 30 days was evaluated. </p><p> <i><b>Results:</b></i> The main effect of empathy and the main effect of video on mean change of intention to use marijuana in the next 30 days was not statistically significant, (<i>F</i>(1,162) = .063, <i> p</i> = .802, partial &eta;² = .000, and _F(1,162) = .198, <i>p</i> = .657, partial &eta;² = .001), respectively. The main effect of empathy and the main effect of video on mean change of intention to contact a physician to schedule an appointment to discuss contraception in the next 30 days were also not statistically significant, (<i>F</i>(1,162) = .004, <i>p</i> = .987, partial &eta;² = .00 and <i>F</i>(1,162) = .540, _p = .464, partial &eta;² = .003), respectively. The interaction between empathy and video for both the pre-post intervention change of intention to use marijuana in the next 30 days and for pre to post intervention change of intention to contact a physician to schedule an appointment to discuss LARC in the next 30 days was not significant. </p><p> <i><b>Conclusion:</b></i> Continued research is needed to evaluate the contributions of empathy and video in computer-delivered intervention in order to identify and optimize the factors that contribute to the videos effect. Examining the effectiveness of specific components will contribute to a greater understanding of how behavioral health interventions can employ technology in ways that are increasingly evidence-based and optimally effective. </p><p>

<p> The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the construct of recovery from comorbid homelessness and substance misuse in Anchorage, AK. We conducted 23 semi-structured key- informant interviews with men in Anchorage who self-identified as recovered, or in recovery, from comorbid homelessness and substance misuse. Participants described their personal experience of recovery from this life experience, and offered a subjective definition of what recovery meant to them. The study was grounded in an interpretive phenomenological approach to understand individual perspectives on recovery as experienced by men in Anchorage who self-identified as in recovery or recovered from comorbid substance misuse. We found a progression of common factors occurred across the participants&rsquo; experiences in recovery: <i> turning point, recovery process</i>, and <i>transformation</i>. The data also indicated three critical elements to recovery from comorbid homelessness and substance misuse: resolving problematic substance use patterns (via abstinence or reduced use); engaging in active coping strategies to promote healing; and fostering meaningful, genuine interpersonal relationships. The present study asserts that social service providers, organizations, and researchers working with people experiencing comorbid homelessness and substance misuse can best serve this population by addressing the recovery preferences of consumers and offering a continuum of recovery options, rather than attempting to identify a singular or empirically best intervention.</p><p>

<p> The aim of this dissertation was to synthesize information from the empirical literature, existing organizations related to sexually exploited minors (SEMs), and information collected through feedback from mental health professionals (MHPs) on their child sexual abuse (CSA) and commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) training experiences, gaps, and needs in order to produce an introductory training webinar module introducing MHPs to the foundational sociocultural and strengths-based treatment considerations while working with SEMs. The thirst for specific and evidence-based interventions from MHPs speaks to the lack of training, established standards of care, and best practices for working with SEMs. Further, the limited strengths-based training among surveyed MHPs along with the importance of adaptive skill building and empowering of vulnerable and marginalized populations amplified the need to use a strengths-based perspective. Through this introductory level training, MHPs can begin to acquire a basic understanding and appreciation of SEMs&rsquo; unique needs along with foundational skills and approaches for providing services for child survivors of CSE. The developed SEMs webinar was evaluated by an expert to receive recommendations for enhancing the webinar training and ensuring accuracy, relevance, and applicability for MHPs who work with or plan to work with SEMs in the United States. Future directions for developing the webinar training are discussed, including establishing best practices for working with CSE survivors, especially minors; creating a specialty of working with SEMs within the field; and the aggregation of existing resources into a cohesive community of specialized MHPs and allies to effectively serve the needs of SEMs across different cultures. </p><p>

<p> The current study was informed by Critical Race Theory and joins an interdisciplinary body of work of activists and scholars resisting oppressive systems. The aim of the current study was to explore the impact of anti-oppressive pedagogy on the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competency (MSJCC) of marginalized therapists. Anti-oppressive clinical training and pedagogy prepares student-therapists to self-reflect, own, and resist the impact of oppression on themselves and their clients. Critical consciousness and racial identity development are personal factors that play a role in MSJCC. As such, the role of educators and clinical supervisors may extend past &ldquo;professional&rdquo; territory. The current study examined stories of 11 marginalized therapists and focused on how personal growth related to clinical competency. All participants told critical race counterstories, that is, personal experiences of oppression that occurred within the education system. Their counterstories of racism and sexism in learning and healing spaces will be told. Of the 11 total participants, 6 student-therapists also reported exposure to anti-oppressive clinical training and/or pedagogy. Racial identity development, critical consciousness, and social justice competency development were unique themes that came up among the six participants who were fortunate to have mentors, supervisors, and peers willing to make space for personal growth in classrooms, professor offices, training spaces, and other professional territories. This study calls mental healthcare professionals to learn and work in the gray borderlands of our personal and professional development. In social justice praxis, this research was conducted with an anti-oppressive stance. With humility and accountability, I walked along the borders of student-therapist-researcher.</p><p>

<p> Research has shown that early adolescence is when risk-taking behaviors begin. The transitioning years of an adolescent moving from elementary through middle school deem to be some of the most important, influential, and challenging years not only for the teenager but the parents. As the adolescent begins the process of being independent, the parent/adolescent relationship changes. Parents start to lose self-efficacy, understanding parental involvement, struggle with communication, and understanding how to build an effective relationship with their teenager. Research has shown that effective parental involvement significantly decreases adolescent risk-taking behaviors. However, programs developed are implemented after the risk-taking behavior has negatively impacted the adolescent and family. Previous programs are based on the adolescent and not the parents. Parent Involvement for Prevention Plan (PIPP) is designed as a six-week psychoeducational program with one 90-minute session per week. The purpose of PIPP is to increase parental self-efficacy, parent/adolescent relationship, communication with the teenager, emotional regulation, and handling a crisis moment. A sub-association for the program is reducing adolescent risk-taking behaviors towards substance use/abuse for students in 5^th-8^th grade. Therefore, educating the parents on how to transition through the teen years, and how effective involvement will help decrease adolescent impulsive behaviors while increasing the parent/adolescent relationship is the purpose of the program. PIPP is designed to approach parental cognitive distortions that lead to negative self-esteem and decreased self-efficacy which negatively effects the parent/adolescent relationship. Additionally, the program incorporates motivational interviewing skills, DBT skills, and solution-focused skills to assist the parent in emotional regulation, interpersonal communication, and problem-solving skills. The PIPP program teaches parents how to effectively manage a crisis without making the crisis worse. The program goes a step further in helping the parents understand substances and reaching out to community resources for more intense help. By educating parents in their child&rsquo;s early adolescent years, the program will help build the parent/adolescent communication and relationship as a preventative in reducing adolescent risk-taking behaviors.</p><p>

abstract: Although it has been established that children raised by lesbian and gay (LG) parents are comparable in psychological adjustment to those raised by heterosexuals, there are unique stressors that these families must face as members of a social minority group. For example, chronic exposure to stigma and discrimination has been associated with several poor psychological and behavioral outcomes in children, as well as high levels of stress experienced by LG parents. Thus, the current study sought to examine LG parents' coping actions and parenting strategies as used during and after an act of antigay discrimination which also involved their children, or as these involved an act which their children witnessed. This study also sought to define the parenting needs of LG parents. The research plan utilized an integrative mixed methods approach to examine the qualitative text narratives of 43 LG parents (29 mothers and 14 fathers) ranging in age from 28-56 years old with school-aged children (6-12 years). Results revealed that LG parents' negative emotion-based coping actions predicted higher depressive symptoms (&beta;= .41,t(33) = 3.17, p < .01), LG parents' avoidant/escape coping actions predicted lower parenting self-agency (&beta; = -.34, t(33) = -2.23, p < .05), and LG parents' engagement in understanding and coping with discrimination parenting strategies predicted lower post-traumatic stress problems in their children (&beta; = -.33, t(33) = -1.96, yp = .059). Last, a family needs assessment survey was used to determine the unique parenting needs of these LG parents. The results of this survey indicated that LG parents endorsed the following three topic areas as most important to them: (a) LG Family Community Services, (b) Information about Child Development, and (c) Explaining LG Family to Others. These findings reinforce existing knowledge in terms of the effects of discrimination on LG parents and their children. Indeed, results indicate the importance of providing LG parents with adaptive discrimination coping and parenting strategies, as well as offering valuable information concerning their specific needs. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Psychology 2014

abstract: Despite the compelling nature of goodness of fit and widespread recognition of the concept, empirical support has lagged, potentially due to complexities inherent in measuring such a complicated, relational construct. The present study examined two approaches to measuring goodness of fit in mother-child dyads and prospectively explored associations to mother-child relationship quality, child behavior problems, and parenting stress across the preschool period. In addition, as goodness of fit might be particularly important for children with developmental delays, child developmental risk status was considered as a moderator of goodness of fit processes. Children with (n = 110) and without (n = 137) developmental delays and their mothers were coded while interacting during a number of lab tasks at child age 36 months and during naturalistic home observations at child age 48 months. Mothers and father completed questionnaires at child ages 36 and 60 months assessing child temperamental characteristics, child behavior problems, and parenting stress. Results highlight child-directed effects on mother-child goodness of fit processes across the early child developmental period. Although there was some evidence that mother-child goodness of fit was associated with parenting stress 2 years later, goodness of fit remains an elusive concept. More precise models and expanded developmental perspectives are needed in order to fully capture the transactional and dynamic nature of goodness of fit in the parent-child relationship. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Psychology 2014

<p> Creativity is perhaps the most important factor contributing to human happiness and adaptation, and yet there is little known about initiating and maintaining creative states commonly referred to as flow. In a time of global population expansion, economic uncertainty and political chaos, the challenges we currently face are without precedent. Creativity is implicated in workplace success, healthy psychological functioning, and the maintenance of healthy interpersonal relationships (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990). Psychologists, medical doctors and researchers are beginning to recognize the healing power of creative flow and understand its ability to advance the field of psychology and improve people&rsquo;s lives. This research is an investigation into the mind-body connection through a practice of Hatha Yoga and its impact on the creative process. This study purposes to evaluate the efficacy of integrating a practice of Hatha Yoga with positive psychology, mindfulness, and art therapy directives into an intervention to beneficially influence the creative process and increase overall well-being in adults.</p><p>

<p> According to the pediatric medical traumatic stress model, pediatric medical experiences can create posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in pediatric patients and in their parents and siblings. While the impact of traumatic medical experiences has been studied in parents of children with a variety of pediatric conditions, little is known about how the resulting PTSS may affect parenting. The relational PTSD model suggests that suboptimal parenting patterns can result from parental PTSS. One condition with high potential for traumatic medical events is critical congenital heart disease (CHD), which requires open heart surgery during infancy. This qualitative study examined the experience of parental PTSS and parenting in a sample of parents (N=12; 4 fathers, 8 mothers) of children with critical CHD. Using interpretive phenomenological analysis, focus group data were analyzed to determine 1) the ways in which CHD has affected parents&rsquo; lives; 2) the parents&rsquo; experience of PTSS related to CHD; 3) parenting patterns; and 4) the relationships between parental PTSS and parenting patterns. The following themes emerged: seeking/receiving social support, giving back, positive changes, overprotective and permissive parenting, and lasting effects of the traumatic medical experiences. Parents reported experiencing PTSS from all four PTSD symptom clusters. In addition, vicarious trauma and continuous traumatic stress were reported. Parents reported parenting patterns of overprotection and permissiveness; overprotection was suggested by the relational PTSD model. Finally, parenting a child with CHD was found to be a gendered experience, with fathers and mothers reporting different experiences on a variety of themes. Clinical considerations include the importance of parent to parent support, the different experiences of fathers and mothers, and the need to screen for PTSS among parents of children with CHD. Future research should consider quantitative studies with larger samples to assess the relationship between PTSD and parenting in this population. </p><p>