<p> Research shows that there has been a significant increase in mental health issues within the college student population. Applying recovery-oriented principles as defined by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) may be an effective approach to creating and adapting mental health resources for college students. In the current study, literature on the following was reviewed: (a) the college culture, (b) the prevalence of mental health issues for college students, and (c) recovery-oriented principles. Then, a critical analysis of the literature was conducted based upon the following recovery-oriented principles: (a) encouraging a holistic approach, (b) self-responsibility and self-empowerment, (c) strengths-based practice, (d) cultural sensitivity), and (e) family support. Findings indicate that holistic resources highlight individual needs and creativity; programs that encourage self-responsibility underscore the importance of self-screenings; strengths-based approaches are centered around building self-esteem and increasing positive emotions; culturally sensitive resources are often group-oriented and acknowledge multiple facets of diversity, and programming that promotes family support emphasizes psychoeducation and stigma reduction. Based upon the integration of these findings, adaptations of current efforts on campus to promote these principles, as well as new ideas, are provided.</p>

<p>This dissertation provides readers with a general framework for understanding drug addiction from a Winnicottian perspective that can help clinicians to better understand and work with clients who struggle with drug addiction. The underlying purpose of developing such a framework is not to formulate a ?master theory? that is applicable to all cases of addiction or that claims to encompass all of the myriad facets of addiction?such an endeavor would prove impossible, reductionistic, and hubristic. Rather, this dissertation uses Winnicott?s theories to identify and explore emotional, psychological, interpersonal, and developmental components of addictive processes that are present in some?but not all?cases of addiction. Although etiological factors play a prominent role in this dissertation, I argue that a Winnicottian approach can help clinicians to work with clients regardless of how much is known about their pasts and illustrate that a Winnicottian perspective need not be reductionisitc. I developed this model by applying the insights gleaned from primary and secondary literature to a case study. More specifically, I analyze the case utilizing three especially prominent themes in Winnicott?s theory: being, aggression, and creativity. Doing so enabled me to conclude the following regarding addiction: From a Winnicottian perspective, an individual?s relationships with drugs of abuse are both interpersonal and regressive in nature and are founded upon the need to experience the personal aliveness that accompanies the actualization of one or more developmental potentials.

<p> A traumatic and life-altering event, such as sexual assault, can adversely affect a survivor&rsquo;s psychological well-being. In conjunction with an individual&rsquo;s natural resources, religious and/or spiritual resources can provide additional and critical support as the realities of the Interpersonal trauma come to fruition. However, many mental health professionals do not feel comfortable or prepared to include spiritual or religious issues, within the therapeutic relationship. The objective of this research study was to examine the connection between a female sexual assault victim&rsquo;s perceived God-image, attachment to a perceived God-image, and her experienced psychological distress, when processing Interpersonal trauma. This study employed Bowlby&rsquo;s attachment theory and Rizzuto&rsquo;s God-image theory. A convenience, nonprobability sample of 132 women, 18 years or older, who had experienced a sexual assault (but not within the past two years), completed a demographic questionnaire, Froese and Bader&rsquo;s God Questionnaire, and Lovibond and Lovibond&rsquo;s Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21). Data was analyzed using a MANOVA. The data concluded a lack of significant difference between the participant&rsquo;s perceived God image, her attachment to a God-image, and her selfreported levels of psychological distress due to the traumatic, Interpersonal experience. In the future, qualitatively analyzing this population would further explore valid themes and personal perspectives on the relationship between perceived God-image, an individual&rsquo;s attachment to a God-image, and her experienced psychological distress, which may further be used to inform mental health professionals on the most conducive treatment for sexual assault survivors. </p>

<p> Conventional studies of veterans&rsquo; longitudinal mental health approach the topic through the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) lens. This qualitative study shifts the focus from a PTSD psychosomatic-centric approach to a psycho-spiritual examination of the sequela of war in the veteran psyche: this approach has been named in recent literature, <i>moral injury</i>. Utilizing a methodological approach situated in the philological region of hermeneutics, a Reductionist dialectic was selected. This study illustrates that the quotidian war poetry read by this researcher exhibits psycho-spiritual moral injury. The relevant emergent themes of the study include: (a) the function of memory, of not-forgetting, (b) the psychological torment of psychic dismemberment, (c) the acknowledgment of suffering in archetypal salt, and (d) the not-forgetting component of psychic re-memberment necessary for resolving moral injury. Reorienting the focus from PTSD to moral injury, this study finds critical implications to helping war veterans with their sequela of war. For instance, conventional treatments for PTSD such as prolonged exposure (PE) or cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), while effective for treating the co-morbid symptoms of PTSD, do not address the profound insights which can be gleaned from re-examination of the phenomena in terms of moral injury. Most importantly, moral injury as a psycho-spiritual dilemma is something for which the veteran must embrace primacy in seeking resolution, working outside of the typical evidenced-based therapies. This comports with the alchemists who cautioned: Only by working with intense focus on self-transformation can the lapis philosophorum be achieved. </p><p>

<p> Contacting one&rsquo;s values and engaging in behavior consistent with those values, referred to as valuing, is associated with improved physical and mental health (Nygren et al., 2005), increases in quality of life (Plumb &amp; Hayes, 2008), and increases in overall well-being (Reker et al., 1987), among many other positive outcomes. But those areas of life that are valued tend to elicit unwanted, negatively evaluated experiences, often resulting in experiential avoidance (Michelson et al., 2001). Experiential avoidance has been associated with the etiology and maintenance of many psychological struggles, particularly anxiety-related struggles (Kashdan et al., 2006; Eifert &amp; Forsyth, 2007; Hayes et al., 1999; Hayes et al., 1996). Given that anxiety is a negatively-evaluated experience that is often avoided, exploring the relationships between anxiety, experiential avoidance, and valuing appeared needed. The current study examines the relationships between anxiety, experiential avoidance, and valuing with college students using both retrospective assessments through initial questionnaires and immediate assessments through the use of ecological momentary assessment. As predicted, results indicated a significant positive relationship between anxiety and experiential avoidance. Results also indicated a negative relationship between experiential avoidance and valuing. Further, anxiety disrupted progress toward values the most when experiential avoidance was high while anxiety and experiential avoidance both independently facilitated more perceived obstacles toward values. Implications for future studies using of multiple methods of assessment, including ecological momentary assessment, along with a multidimensional conceptualization of valuing, are discussed.</p>

Thesis (PH.D.) -- Syracuse University, 2006 / "Publication number AAT 3251786."

<p> This dissertation investigates the mental health needs of the growing Somali population in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota by examining clinicians&rsquo; views of the challenges they experience conducting mental health assessments for Somali clients. The research describes the development of a multicultural competence model and recent attempts to improve multicultural competence in assessment and treatment strategies. Specific emphasis is placed on the foundation of current theories supporting diagnoses and treatment issues through a review of current literature on cultural aspects of Somali mental health conceptualization. The researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with eight mental health providers who have worked with Somalis, seeking information for how clinicians handle culturally-specific challenges during the assessment process. Results suggest best practice for assessing Somali clients ought to involve the use of trained full-time interpreters. It is also beneficial for clinicians to be aware of the differences in mental health and illness conceptualization between Somali and Western cultures. Findings show strong support for establishing a trusting triadic relationship with the clinician, client, and interpreter. Using slow-engagement practice, indirect open-ended questions, predicated on previous relationship, will improve rapport and obtain desired information. Results from this study have informed the development of a culturally sensitive diagnostic protocol, providing guidance on how to collect information in a manner that helps ease the Somali client into the assessment process. The culturally sensitive form, described in Appendix F, must be used in conjunction with the education of all parties. This research has implications for those seeking to conduct culturally sensitive assessment and treatment by reducing incongruent cultural practices and promoting culturally competent service for Somalis.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to explore the experience of healing and transformation that occurs for wounded healers who brings their ancestral story and related traumas and resiliencies to consciousness. The primary research questions guiding the study were: What is the journey of healing that occurs for wounded healers exploring their ancestral story and related intergenerational traumas and resiliencies? What is the transformation that happens in the course of this healing? </p><p> Using narrative and art-based methodologies, the study involved interviewing six healing professionals who had consciously addressed the wounding passed down to them from previous generations. Themes of healing and transformation were identified using Riessman&rsquo;s (2008) coding and narrative analysis, Lieblich&rsquo;s (1998) holistic-content approach to narrative, and art-based inquiry. </p><p> The findings indicate that on the journey of bringing ancestral story to consciousness the participants experienced healing and transformation in the following ways: breaking ancestral patterns, receiving support from the ancestors, reclaiming ancestral heritage, deepening awareness of the healing power of nature, acquiring a new sense of identity, and finding purpose. Additional research comparing the particular types of modalities involved in healing and transforming ancestral trauma would be of benefit.</p><p>

<p> Since publication in 2005, the Young Schema Questionnaire Short-version 3^rd Edition (YSQ-S3) has increased in popularity over the years among psychologists in Europe and the U.S.; yet to date it has not been normed within a U.S. sample. A sample of 148 participants completed eight demographic questions, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder -7 (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire -9 (PHQ-9), and YSQ-S3 via Survey Monkey.</p><p> Participants were classified into clinical and non-clinical groups depending on responses to the GAD-7, PHQ-9, and demographic questions. YSQ-S3 results were analyzed via SPSS 23.0 to conduct descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, and exploratory analyses to test the following hypotheses: (a) There will be significant mean score differences between the clinical and non-clinical participants on each YSQ-S3 schema except entitlement/grandiosity and unrelenting standards/hypercriticalness; and (b) That the clinical sample will have a higher number of schemas active. An additional goal was to produce preliminary cut-off scores for distinguishing pathological from normal scores for the schema-based scales.</p><p> Results indicated significant differences between clinical and non-clinical participants on YSQ-S3 mean scores with moderate to mostly large effect sizes. Due to substantial overlap between the two groups, we were unable to establish cut-off scores for the YSQ-S3 subscales. Regression analyses demonstrated perfect classification for anxious participants for the Early Maladaptive Schemas (EMS) and weaker classification in predicting depression and the comorbidity of anxiety and depression in participants.</p><p> The main limitation to our study was that schemas are commonly conceptualized as a partially unconscious phenomenon; thus the self-report approach of the YSQ-S3 may not readily capture schemas (Bowlby, Ainsworth, Boston, &amp; Rosenbluth, 1956), and we lacked a severe clinical group.</p><p> Results indicated that at least in the present sample the YSQ-S3 was only somewhat able to effectively distinguish the normal group from those with mixed anxiety and depression for individual schemas. Due to overlap between the clinical and normal samples and absence of an established method, we were unable to propose preliminary cutoff scores on the YSQ-S3 subscales, or suggest a difference in EMS quantity between pathological and normal samples.</p><p>

<p> Research on microaggressions has consistently lacked focus on microaggressions experienced by persons with mental illness. What little research has been conducted has examined microaggressions as reported by the victim. The current study aimed to explore mental illness microaggressions by examining the view of the committer (i.e., the person enacting the microaggression), the role specific prejudicial beliefs (i.e., <i>authoritarianism, social restrictiveness, benevolence</i>) play in microaggressive behavior, and whether level of intimacy of interpersonal contact is related to reduced mental illness microaggressions. Participants for this study were recruited using Amazon&rsquo;s Mechanical Turk; they completed a series of questionnaires and were compensated for their work. Results indicated there is a positive relationship between the likelihood of mental illness microaggression perpetration and the prejudicial beliefs <i>authoritarianism</i> and <i> social restrictiveness</i> while there is an inverse relationship between mental illness microaggression enactment and the prejudicial belief <i> benevolence.</i> This study determined that social restrictiveness accounts for the most variance when predicting potential perpetration of mental illness microaggressions. Additionally, results of this study determined there is a negative relationship between mental illness microaggression enactment and level of intimacy of interpersonal contact with mentally ill individuals, suggesting that interpersonal contact may be an effective strategy for reducing mental illness microaggressions.</p>