<p> This critical analysis of the literature explores the potential of liberation psychology to address the sequelae of historical trauma in Native American communities. 21st century Native America faces significant health and wellness challenges including socio-economic disparities, interpersonal violence, substance abuse, psycho-spiritual distress, and physical health issues (Brave Heart, 2004; Dickerson &amp; Johnson, 2010; Manson, 2000; Manson, Beals, Klein, Croy, &amp; AI-SUPERPFP, 2005; United States Department of Health and Human Services, 2001). The literature questions the validity of mainstream psychological science to effectively conceptualize and treat Native Americans, and calls for the identification of specific, culturally relevant interventions to increase physical and psychological wellness (Duran, 2006; Manson, 2000; Wendt &amp; Gone, 2011). The concept of historical trauma helps to elucidate the psycho-spiritual distress experienced by many Native Americans, including internalized oppression, as the sequelae of unhealed wounds from 500 years of physical and cultural genocide (Brave Heart, Chase, Elkins, &amp; Altschul, 2011; Duran, 2006; Gone &amp; Alcantara, 2007; Manson, 2000; Struthers &amp; Lowe, 2003; Whitbeck, 2006). Duran, Firehammer, and Gonzalez (2008) suggest a liberation psychology approach may alleviate suffering related to historical trauma. This dissertation further integrates the literature on the historical trauma response with the literature on liberation psychology. Native American wellness goals are identified in the literature of scholars, researchers, practitioners, activists, community members, and allies. Concepts and strategies from a liberation psychology framework are then explored for their potential to help illuminate challenges, address needs, and support goals, in alignment with cultural values and work currently being done in this field. Implications in the areas of epistemology, research, clinical practice, practitioner training, and public acknowledgement are explored in depth, and recommendations for incorporating liberatory strategies in therapeutic interventions are made. This dissertation also identifies its own theoretical and methodological limitations, and proposes areas for future investigation. Emerging hypotheses suggest that incorporating liberatory practices in therapeutic work with Native American communities may offer a congruent and compatible pathway to promote psychological well-being in this community.</p>

<p> Two six-week research studies in two different geriatric facilities were conducted on how art making affects the anxiety levels, depression levels, and symptomology of geriatric patients with a diagnosis of COPD. There were 10 participants total between the two studies, all with varying stages of COPD and different symptoms of depression and anxiety.</p><p> The participants attended a one-hour creative arts therapy group once a week for six weeks. During each week, a different art directive was presented with new materials and new themes. Through pre- and post- self assessments each group, research showed how these art materials, discussions, and directives affected their medical and emotional symptoms. Research demonstrated how medical and emotional symptoms are intertwined, often greatly affecting one another. Providing art directives and group support, this study provided ways to observe how affecting one symptoms may possibly benefit other underlying symptoms and even a person's well-being as a whole.</p>

<p> Having a partner as a part of the military induces a level of great stress. There is an absence of literature focusing on the unique circumstances that Reservist and National Guard soldiers and their families face with deployment. This project aimed to explore the unique challenges of part-time military families, looking specifically into how partners of reservist military and regular military soldiers significantly differ in their description of the deployment experience and relational/marital satisfaction, as well as if deployment experience factors or certain demographic characteristics of partners of soldiers predict reported rates of marital satisfaction. A snowballing method to recruit participants was used in which participants accessed an internet-based survey, which consisted of demographics, deployment information, and contact during deployment, and the Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale (RDAS). Dyadic adjustment of regular army and reservist partners revealed a minor difference of relational cohesion based on partner's military affiliation. Differences in reported martial satisfaction were also found to be influenced by age and the interaction of age and partner's military affiliation. Partners of regular army soldiers also indicated having a greater number of resources available for support during deployment and utilizing a greater number of methods to maintain contact during deployment. Qualitative analysis of participants' descriptions of challenges and recommendations suggested parenting and childcare to be the most common challenge among regular and reservist components. Partners of regular army soldiers also appeared to frequently specify the need for social supports to be military affiliated. Limitations and contributions of findings are also discussed.</p>

<p> This qualitative study explores the lived experiences of Chinese immigrants who have successfully adjusted and resettled in the United States. Immigration and its related processes can be stressful and traumatic; migration entails challenges affecting one's sense of personal identity and psychological well-being. This study represents an attempt to obtain a deeper understanding of immigration's challenges, the psychological coping mechanisms used to meet those challenges, and the factors that contribute to successful adjustment and resettlement in the United States.</p><p> Participants were recruited through the researcher's social and professional network, using snowball sampling. Data were obtained from semi-structured interviews with 11 adult immigrants of Chinese descent who (a) immigrated to the United States more than five years prior to the study, (b) self-identified as having adjusted well, and (c) reestablished their lives in the United States and viewed it as their "home." Grounded theory-based qualitative analysis was applied to the interview transcripts to identify codes, themes, and categories describing the participants' experiences and psychological processes of immigration and resettlement. </p><p> Data analysis produced eight thematic categories. The eight thematic categories identified as helpful toward understanding the complex process that Chinese immigrants undergo during adjustment and successful reestablishment of their lives in the United States were (a) migratory loss and grief; (b) acculturative stress; (c) self-determination in reestablishing "home" in the United States and mastering related challenges; (d) learning new skills and learning about U.S. culture; (e) expanding and making use of interpersonal relationships and support systems; (f) use of emotional-focused coping; (g) maintaining positive attitudes and outlooks; and (h) feeling at "home" and well-adjusted in the United States. </p><p> A conceptual model was then developed to describe (a) causal conditions that underlie the development of Chinese immigrants' coping and adjustment strategies, (b) the phenomenon that arose from those conditions, (c) the coping and adjustment strategies employed, (d) contextual and intervening conditions that influenced strategy selection, and (e) the consequences of adopting the chosen strategies. In addition, a "Success of Immigration" scale was used to assess the level of successful adjustment. Clinical implications of the study and suggestions for future research are also discussed</p>

<p> Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has emerged as one of the most commonly diagnosed disorders and has been shown to have a negative impact on quality oflife, adversely affecting individuals scholastically, socially, and financially as adolescents and into adulthood. The goal of this study was to identify predictors of depression amongst children with ADHD to better develop early treatment methods. Analysis of the 2009 California Healthcare Interview Survey (CHIS) was conducted in identifying determinants of depression. Two hypotheses were tested. The first found that gender was a predictor of depression; however, the hypothesis that girls had a higher chance of developing depression was not supported. The second produced an insignificant relationship between depression and race, failing to support the assumption that Hispanics would be more susceptible to depression. Further discussion was provided on possible applications to clinical methods and implications to future research.</p>

<p> The present study examined the influence of attachment style, social support, and family resiliency on levels of stress, depression, and anxiety in parents who have children with autism. The study concentrated on investigating the impact of attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, social support from family and friends, and family resiliency on stress, depression, and anxiety in parents who have children with autism. One hundred and eighty-nine participants, who were parents of children with autism and belonged to various local and national parent support organizations, filled out an online survey provided to them via email, newsletter, or group forum. Results showed that attachment avoidance, social support from friends, and family resiliency are significant predictors of stress. Furthermore, attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, and family resiliency were indicated as being significant predictors of anxiety and depression. The findings from this study suggest that attachment style, family resiliency, and social support outside the family are important factors to consider in the psychological well-being of parents who have children with autism.</p>

<p> The aim of this study was to contribute to the literature on the relationship between client pretreatment expectations and psychotherapy attendance. It investigated the construct validity of the Milwaukee Psychotherapy Expectancy Questionnaire - Brief (MPEQ-B; Marsden, 2014) and the value of Therapeutic Relationship Expectations and Change Expectations as predictors of intake attendance and the number of therapy sessions attended. Adult clients (n = 102) calling to schedule an intake appointment at a local community mental health center completed a survey of pre-treatment expectations (MPEQ-B) and psychological distress (Outcome Rating Scale, Miller &amp; Duncan, 2000). Other variables (e.g., wait-time, previous therapy experience, number of sessions attended, and demographic variables) were collected from the clients' electronic medical record (EMR). Confirmatory factor analysis of the MPEQ-B supported a two-factor model, which was consistent with previous research (Marsden, 2013; 2014). Logistic regression revealed that client Change Expectations was the only variable to uniquely predict intake attendance. Pre-therapy attrition was more likely for clients with higher ratings of Change Expectations. Multiple regression results indicated that only previous therapy attendance was a statistically significant predictor of number of sessions attended. Overall, these findings advance the literature on client expectations as a multidimensional common factor related to client therapy attendance (intake session and total number of sessions attended). These results also highlight the need for programmatic research using the Milwaukee Psychotherapy Expectancy Questionnaire (MPEQ; Norberg, Wetterneck, Sass, &amp; Kanter, 2011) and MPEQ-B, as well as measures of other types of client expectations, to better understand the influence of client expectations on a range of clinical variables.</p>

<p> Mental health stigma, while common, leads to harmful consequences. There is some evidence to show that education reduces stigma. The reduction, however, is short term and only observed in those who are relatively open and flexible with their beliefs. Emerging research suggests that variables such as empathy, perspective taking, and psychological flexibility may be key processes in stigma reduction. Relational Frame Theory (RFT) provides a framework for understanding the development of stigma, the role of inflexibility in maintenance of stigma, and how education that targets flexibility might facilitate reduction in stigma. Applications of RFT have resulted in the development of the Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure, a tool that can be applied for assessment of not only implicit stigmatizing attitudes, but also the flexibility with which they are held. The current study examined the impact of divergent educational experiences on mental health stigma using college students with various levels of formal education relevant to psychological difficulties both implicitly with self-report measures and explicitly with the IRAP. Also examined were empathy and psychological flexibility as moderators of the relationship between education and stigma. Data suggest that mental health bias is a function of education, but that didactic and experiential education may have differential effects. Increases in education and empathy factors were associated with reduced stigma measured explicitly; however, these variables did not correlate with the measure of implicit stigma. Additionally, when empathy moderated the relationship between education and implicit stigma, high levels of empathy were associated with increases in implicit stigma. Inconsistencies in results from implicit and explicit measures indicate a clear need for continued research in this area to more fully understand mental health stigma and to develop reduction interventions. </p>

<p> Psychological struggle seems to be an inherent part of the human experience. Unfortunately, the public attitude towards the obese focuses more on negative stereotypes (e.g., undisciplined, ugly, stupid, and lazy) than on the underlying psychological components that lie at the heart of the struggle. Negative stereotypes like these have an affect upon the way the obese think about themselves and may lead to self-stigmatization, which in turn may interfere with a person's attempt to gain control of their health and emotional well-being when eating is used to relieve the associated distress. Many people who struggle with their weight are found to be very rigid in their thought processes regarding food. Perhaps it is not the content of food and body-related cognitions that is important, but the inflexibility with which they are held.</p><p> The current study will investigate the relationships among avoidant eating behavior, perceived stigmatization, self-stigmatization, and psychological flexibility. Participants will be recruited from a population of obese individuals who are seeking help at a bariatric clinic, and from Facebook. Participants will initially complete a packet of questionnaires on psychological flexibility, perceived stigmatization, self-stigmatization, and eating behavior online. Then for seven days they will receive four text messages a day for seven days, three of which will provide them with a link to the Periodic Assessment of Stigmatizing Experiences, and one text message providing a link to the Daily Eating Survey. It is hypothesized that 1) Perceived stigmatizing experiences (i.e., a fear of enacted stigma from society) will predict disordered eating 2) Weight- and food-related psychological inflexibility will moderate the relationship between perceived stigmatizing experiences and disordered eating 3) Self-stigma (i.e., self-devaluation due to perceived stigmatization from society) will moderate the relationship between perceived stigmatizing experiences and disordered eating 4) Psychological inflexibility will predict increased perceived self-stigma.</p>

<p> Although researchers have focused a vast amount of research on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) with diverse groups, few have addressed specific ethnic groups such as Puerto Ricans. This study explored the concerns of Puerto Rican mothers of children diagnosed with ADHD. This research addressed how factors such as acculturation and cultural beliefs within Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Model impacted the process that Puerto Rican mother experienced while obtaining treatment for their children diagnosed with ADHD. Utilizing a qualitative research method and Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Model, the narratives of ten mothers of Puerto Rican descent with children between the ages of 7&ndash;11 were questioned. The questions consisted of semi-structured interviews to assess how culture and acculturation within an ecological system impacted the process of obtaining mental health services by Puerto Rican mother's children for their children diagnosed with ADHD. </p><p> The results yielded eight themes that were embedded within Bronfenbrenner's Ecological System's theory that emphasized the importance of how Puerto Rican culture and acculturation level impacted the process of obtaining services. The mothers narratives exposed the barriers and the fears they faced as Puerto Rican mothers with children diagnosed with ADHD within the Unites States. Recommendation supported the need to address the barriers and fears that Puerto Rican mothers faced as they sought treatment for their children diagnosed with ADHD. Future research suggest further exploration of this research to empower this population and enhance the process to obtain treatment. </p><p> <i>KEYWORDS:</i> attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Puerto Ricans, acculturation,Bronfenbrenner's Ecological System Model, Latinos, treatment process, mothers</p>