<p> Personal biases exhibited by mental health professionals can adversely affect treatment outcomes (Servais &amp; Saunders, 2007; Currin, Waller, &amp; Schmidt, 2009). Eating disorders are often stigmatized and ultimately marginalized even within professional realms, thereby presenting (1) an unnecessary barrier to treatment and (2) adverse consequences for affected individuals (Hackler, Vogel, &amp; Wade, 2010; Roehrig &amp; McLean, 2010; Ebneter, Latner, &amp; O'Brien, 2011; Walker &amp; Lloyd, 2011). Conjunctively, the presence of weight discrimination has increased drastically in recent years. (Bannon, Hunter-Reel, Wilson, &amp; Karlin, 2009). This study assessed levels of weight-related and eating disorder-related stigma in a sample of clinical psychology doctoral students.</p>

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Fairleigh Dickinson University, 2001. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 62-06, Section: B, page: 2966. Chairperson: Christopher A. Capuano. Available also in print.

<p> Children with autism are at an increased risk of experiencing coping challenges in healthcare environments. Since Child Life Specialists [CLSs] seek to maximize development and coping in hospitalized children, their understandings of autism are key to intervention. To better understand CLSs' perceptions of autism, this researcher surveyed 126 CLSs using a combined qualitative and quantitative questionnaire. CLSs were expected to express both strengths-based and deficit-based perceptions of autism, with more strengths-based perceptions from CLSs with education or training in disability or access to a special educator. Overall, participants expressed more strengths-based sentiments. No differences were found among CLSs based on education or access to a special educator. However, having a relative with autism was associated with more positive feelings about autism. Additionally, participants drew from child life theory; education, training, and experience; and their understandings of autism to inform their interventions with this population. This research adds to the current literature on perceptions of disability among healthcare professionals and opens the door for future research on how those perceptions are established.</p>

<p> Growing media attention and a high diagnosis rate of autism places significant demand on the service industry to provide qualified staff to work with individuals who have autism. Discrete trial instruction (DTI) is one of the most sought-after treatment approaches for those individuals. However, there is a gap in research regarding the efficacy of training methods for those who train direct staff to implement DTI. This quantitative study used an applied behavior analysis basis, deriving from foundations of behavior theory, to compare the abbreviated feedback form (AFF) to the lecture test model (LTM) to understand which will improve direct staff's ability to implement DTI more efficiently from baseline. The AFF provided for trainees a list of skills to implement tasks that have multiple steps. The LTM provided trainees a lecture of skills to understand basic applied behavior analysis, autism, and DTI. Four participating staff's baseline and training data were analyzed by comparing their scores to the set criterion from the AFF. The data were analyzed by both the program supervisor and the researcher, with inter-observer agreement reached. Using a single-subject, AB design, data demonstrated that staff who were trained using the AFF had significant improvement from baseline, compared to staff trained using the LTM. Supervisors who use the AFF to more efficiently and rapidly train staff may decrease the time gap between service recommendation and implementation, making needed treatment more readily available and efficacious to children diagnosed with autism. Improvements in staff skill set will likely have a direct correlation on the improvements and long term outcomes for those being treated.</p>