Elite athletes are constantly in search of methods that optimize training, including physical and mental strategies that enhance performance. It is well known that thoughts and feelings, particularly during the stress of competition, can impact performance (Weinberg & Gould, 2014). Trainers and athletes seek methods that will help them manage inner states and responses related to thoughts, emotions, and attention. Such methods often focus on developing self-awareness of thoughts, emotions, and physiological states and are designed to lead to self-regulation, or the ability to manage those states and responses during training and competition. Two techniques that have received attention in sport research are biofeedback and mindfulness training. Biofeedback leverages technology to monitor a person’s physiological reactions and display them in a simple, easy to understand manner. This allows for greater self-awareness and self-regulation of physiological responses. Mindfulness training relies on present-moment, non-judgmental awareness of thoughts and feelings. To date, a number of studies have reported some benefits for athletes’ physiological or psychological outcomes, but few report actual sport performance changes (Blumenstein & Orbach, 2014; Sappington & Longshore, 2015). A new self-regulatory strategy, mindfulness-based biofeedback, seeks to integrate the features of mindfulness training into a traditional biofeedback intervention protocol (Khazan, 2015). Athletes learn skills in present-moment, physiological and cognitive self-awareness, and consequently, self-regulation. To date, only a few studies have discussed this new technique in sport (Khazan, 2016), and none present empirical evidence for its effectiveness. The current study used a single-subject design to explore a mindfulness-based biofeedback intervention with female soccer athletes (n=4), using direct measures of physiology, psychology, and sport performance. Physiological outcomes included heart rate, heart rate variability, respiration rate, skin conductance, and skin temperature. Psychological outcomes included scores on the CSAI-2, and the MAAS. Sport performance was measured using the Loughborough Soccer Passing Test (LSPT). Clear performance improvements were seen for all athletes, with physiological and psychological results being more variable. Physiological parameters showed improvement, while psychological variables were mixed with some signs of increased anxiety, decreased self-confidence, and decreased mindfulness. Although outside confounding factors could have contributed to increases in anxiety, decreases in mindfulness may have actually been an indication of the development of improved self-awareness. Athletes appeared to have benefited from the mindfulness-based biofeedback intervention. As this study was the first to examine mindfulness-based biofeedback training in a sport setting, the stage has been to set to more fully explore this promising athletic mental training technique.

The fifth and most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), has presented revised diagnostic criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The impact of the new diagnostic criteria upon the day-to-day experiences of mental health professionals, including diagnosis, treatment, and insurance billing has remained unclear. Using the adaptive information processing model as a theoretical framework, this multiple case study explored how licensed clinicians experienced utilization of the revised diagnostic criteria for PTSD. Fifteen mental health practitioners who had experience in the treatment of clients presenting PTSD symptoms were interviewed. Data from participant interviews were analyzed and themes developed. Participants agreed with the removal of Criterion A2 (in which the individual must experience intense fear, helplessness, or horror at the time of the event), the addition of a dissociative subtype, and separate criteria for PTSD in children. However, clinicians strongly disagreed with the changes to Criterion A, which defines trauma as directly experiencing the event, witness the event as it happens to others, or learning about the event happening to close friends or family. In the case of the event happening to close friends or family, the event must be violent or accidental. Additionally, an individual may experience repeated extreme or repeated exposure to aversive details of the event (for example, first responders). Results of this study uncovered gaps between the DSM-5 criteria and the experiences of clinicians in the diagnosis of PTSD. This contributes to the ongoing debate about the appropriate definition of trauma in the DSM-5 and supports the need for continuing research.

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Research has limitedly explored how colorism shapes the mental health and well-being of South Asian women across the diaspora. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenology study was to understand how South Asian women experience colorism and how these experiences shape their mental health and well-being. A total of 14 participants were interviewed. Semi-structured interviews and an artifact symbolizing experiences of colorism served as the methods of data collection. Critical Race Theory and Womanism were employed as the theoretical framework and the lens in which data was analyzed. A total of six main themes emerged in the study. The themes and subthemes for each were: (1) Perceptions of Beauty Standards (Fairness as the Beauty Standard and Family as Influential Sources), (2) Understanding Colorism vs. Racism (Skin Tone Discrimination with South Asians, Internalized Anti-Blackness, Racialized Experiences, Understanding One’s Privilege), (3) Engagement in Strategies to Maintain/Modify Skin Tone (Avoiding Sun Exposure and Engaging in/Learning About Skin Lightening Behaviors), (4) Prominence in Shaping Self/Well-being (Negatively Shapes Sense of Self, Emotional/Mental Well-Being, and Learned to Embrace Self), (5) Learned to Navigate Colorism Experiences (Self-Directed Support Strategies, Reliance on Formal Supports, Friendships as a Source of Support, and Seeking Support), (6) Prominence in Shaping View of Others (Changed View of Others and Advocating for Others). Implications and limitations are addressed. Keywords: Colorism, South Asian, diaspora, mental health, well-being

This transcendental phenomenological study sought to understand the experiences of graduate counselor students during the development of their ethnic and racial identity (ERI). The research questions for the study were: How do counseling students experience ethnic and racial identity development during their graduate program and what is the meaning made by graduate students in their experiences with ERI development in their graduate program? Participants were recruited from a CACREP accredited graduate counseling program and the purposive sampling technique was used to identify those who have experience with the phenomena. In-depth, open ended questions were utilized to gather comprehensive descriptions of the participants' experience. The Modified Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen was used for the data analysis procedure (Moustakas, 1994). Findings included: Shifting Perspective of ERI, ERI Complexity, Personal ERI Development, Integrating ERI into Clinical Work, Faculty Support and Peer Support. Future research and implications for counseling institutions are discussed.

This study is a Narrative Analysis of the hidden strengths and positive qualities inherent to identified psychiatric diagnosis. Seven individuals were interviewed on two occasions and also corresponded with me via email and telephone. Analysis of individual narratives yielded common thematic elements and common plot points, these factors were further analyzed and contemplated in the light of their implications for the Counseling profession. an informed critique of the research design is presented, followed by implications and suggestions for future research.

There are a multitude of factors that influence college students’ mental health. Among such factors, there is little research on the influence of family functioning, social competence, and social support on the mental health of college students. This quantitative research study examined the relationships among the identified variables utilizing structural equation modeling. Results indicate that although there are relationships between each variable, the a priori theoretical model established by the researcher did not fit the data well. Implications for mental health practitioners and researchers are explored in light of the researcher’s findings.

Mindfulness has received growing attention as an empowering approach for the treatment of addiction and mental health disorders in the criminal justice system. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, this study explored the teaching practices of volunteers who currently facilitate mindfulness programs in correctional settings. A total of fifteen volunteer meditation teachers and three former group members were interviewed. The researcher utilized interview data to construct a grounded theory which conceptualizes the barriers volunteers face, helpful facilitation strategies, and factors which promote and threaten the engagement of group members. The results of this grounded theory illustrate culturally responsive facilitation strategies and empowering ways volunteers share mindfulness teachings with individuals who are incarcerated. Limitations and suggestions for future research are presented, along with implications for the counseling profession.

This study explores the confluence of Narrative Inquiry's three commonplaces of temporality, sociality, and place on the experiences of five combat veterans with combat-designated Military Occupational Specialties (MOS) across the lifespan. In particular, the study examines the longitudinal components of Moral Injury (MI) before, during, and after combat operations. Chapter 4 explores the individual narratives of the participants, Chapter 5 examines common narrative threads between participants, and Chapter 6 is the author's subsequent extrapolations on the subject matter given his own experiences as a combat veteran of the Iraq War.