Thesis (Ph.D.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / Separation anxiety disorder (SAD) is the most common and impairing childhood anxiety disorder. Left untreated, SAD is associated with heightened risk for the development of additional internalizing disorders as well as impairments in educational attainment and social functioning. Numerous clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) for the treatment of childhood anxiety disorders, including SAD. However, additional research is needed to enhance the compatibility (e.g., fit of the treatment to the patient population) and ultimate uptake of evidence-based interventions for anxious youth. The current research evaluates the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of an intensive, cognitive-behavioral intervention for school-aged girls with SAD provided within the novel context of a one-week camp-like setting. This alternative treatment format was predicated on evidence supporting the need for treatments that allow for creative and developmentally-sensitive applications of intervention components, incorporate a child's social context, target relevant parenting variables, and provide additional models for treatment delivery. Twenty-nine female children aged 7 to 12 with a principal or co-principal diagnosis of SAD were randomized to an immediate treatment (n = 15) or waitlist (i.e., delayed treatment; n = 14) condition during the course of this randomized-controlled trial. Measures were administered at pretreatment/ pre-waitlist, post-treatment/post-waitlist, and six weeks following treatment to assess changes in symptom reports, functional outcomes, and overall program satisfaction. Analyses of covariance were conducted to assess effects of treatment condition and repeated measures analyses of variance were conducted to evaluate change over the three data collection time points. Relative to waitlist, children in the immediate treatment group evidenced significant reductions in SAD severity by clinician report on a diagnostic interview measure. Moreover, treatment gains strengthened over time. Contrary to hypotheses, children receiving the intervention did not display significantly greater improvements relative to waitlist on parent-rated fear and avoidance scores or on parent or child self-report measures. Potential explanations for non-significant findings are discussed. Overall, the intervention's positive therapeutic response on SAD diagnostic status and severity suggests one possible delivery model for surmounting difficulties faced in the dissemination of standard, weekly treatments for this condition. / 2999-01-01

Different theoretical approaches and interpretations offer diverse delineations and clusters of Enneagram type in terms of Horney’s interpersonal trends of moving toward, moving against and moving away from people. The present study reports the results of an empirical investigation into the relationship between Enneagram type and Horney’s interpersonal trends. A sample of 2 3 participants completed the Test of Object Relations (TOR) and 125 of these participants completed the Horney-Coolidge Tridimensional Inventory (HCTI). Two one-way, between-groups multivariate analyses of variance revealed differences between Enneagram types for each of the HCTI interpersonal trends of compliance, aggression and detachment and the TOR dimensions of separation anxiety, symbiotic merging, narcissism, egocentricity, social isolation and fear of engulfment. For each trend, an Enneagram type could be identified as a unique marker or benchmark of the trend. However, the empirical result does not offer clear support for one theoretical approach or viewpoint rather than another. / Psychology / M. A, (Psychology)

Different theoretical approaches and interpretations offer diverse delineations and clusters of Enneagram type in terms of Horney’s interpersonal trends of moving toward, moving against and moving away from people. The present study reports the results of an empirical investigation into the relationship between Enneagram type and Horney’s interpersonal trends. A sample of 2 3 participants completed the Test of Object Relations (TOR) and 125 of these participants completed the Horney-Coolidge Tridimensional Inventory (HCTI). Two one-way, between-groups multivariate analyses of variance revealed differences between Enneagram types for each of the HCTI interpersonal trends of compliance, aggression and detachment and the TOR dimensions of separation anxiety, symbiotic merging, narcissism, egocentricity, social isolation and fear of engulfment. For each trend, an Enneagram type could be identified as a unique marker or benchmark of the trend. However, the empirical result does not offer clear support for one theoretical approach or viewpoint rather than another. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Um modelo de indução de estresse/ansiedade é a separação materna. Sabe-se, a este respeito, que o desenvolvimento do comportamento emocional normal em mamíferos jovens depende da interação entre a mãe e o filhote. Além disso, eventos estressantes na infância e interrupções no cuidado materno podem levar a efeitos deletérios na resposta imune e na resistência a doenças ao longo da vida. Buscamos neste trabalho estudar os efeitos da separação materna sobre o comportamento, imunidade inata e crescimento tumoral de uma prole de camundongos machos adultos. Nossos resultados mostraram que a separação materna, em camundongos A/J, (1) não produziu alterações robustas no comportamento e em parâmetros hematológicos (antes e após o crescimento tumoral), (2) aumentou a atividade de neutrófilos sanguíneos e macrófagos alveolares (antes e após o crescimento tumoral), (3) aumentou os níveis estriatais de serotonina, seu metabólito 5-HIAA e o turnover de dopamina, (4) diminuiu os níveis séricos de corticosterona e (5) não influenciou a incidência tumoral. Em camundongos C57BL/6, a separação materna produziu um comportamento ansioso e um aumento na atividade de neutrófilos sanguíneos. Tomados em seu conjunto, parece-nos possível afirmar que a separação materna tenha produzido alterações na atividade neuroimune dos animais, modificando, nos mesmos a atividade do eixo HPA e essas alterações foram influenciadas pelas características individuais das linhagens. / Maternal separation is one model of stress/anxiety induction. We know about it that the mammals normal emotional behavior development depends on the interaction between mother and younglet. Beside this, early life stressed events can induce deletery effects in immune response and to illness resistance for all life long. In this work we searched for the maternal separation effects on the behavior, innate immunity and tumor growth in an adult male mice offspring. Our results showed that the maternal separation, in A/J mice (1) had no big effects in the behavior and in the hematological parameters (before and after the tumor growth), (2) increased the neutrophil and alveolar macrophages activity (before and after the tumor growth), (3) increased the serotonin striatum levels, the 5-HIAA metabolite and the dopamine turnover (4) decreased the corticosterone serum levels and (5) had no effects on tumor incidence. In the C57BL/6 mice, the maternal separation induced an anxiety behavior and increased the neutrophil activity. These results suggest that the maternal separation could have produced alterations in neuroimmune activity, modifying the HPA axis activity and these alterations could be influenced by individual strains characteristics.

Um modelo de indução de estresse/ansiedade é a separação materna. Sabe-se, a este respeito, que o desenvolvimento do comportamento emocional normal em mamíferos jovens depende da interação entre a mãe e o filhote. Além disso, eventos estressantes na infância e interrupções no cuidado materno podem levar a efeitos deletérios na resposta imune e na resistência a doenças ao longo da vida. Buscamos neste trabalho estudar os efeitos da separação materna sobre o comportamento, imunidade inata e crescimento tumoral de uma prole de camundongos machos adultos. Nossos resultados mostraram que a separação materna, em camundongos A/J, (1) não produziu alterações robustas no comportamento e em parâmetros hematológicos (antes e após o crescimento tumoral), (2) aumentou a atividade de neutrófilos sanguíneos e macrófagos alveolares (antes e após o crescimento tumoral), (3) aumentou os níveis estriatais de serotonina, seu metabólito 5-HIAA e o turnover de dopamina, (4) diminuiu os níveis séricos de corticosterona e (5) não influenciou a incidência tumoral. Em camundongos C57BL/6, a separação materna produziu um comportamento ansioso e um aumento na atividade de neutrófilos sanguíneos. Tomados em seu conjunto, parece-nos possível afirmar que a separação materna tenha produzido alterações na atividade neuroimune dos animais, modificando, nos mesmos a atividade do eixo HPA e essas alterações foram influenciadas pelas características individuais das linhagens. / Maternal separation is one model of stress/anxiety induction. We know about it that the mammals normal emotional behavior development depends on the interaction between mother and younglet. Beside this, early life stressed events can induce deletery effects in immune response and to illness resistance for all life long. In this work we searched for the maternal separation effects on the behavior, innate immunity and tumor growth in an adult male mice offspring. Our results showed that the maternal separation, in A/J mice (1) had no big effects in the behavior and in the hematological parameters (before and after the tumor growth), (2) increased the neutrophil and alveolar macrophages activity (before and after the tumor growth), (3) increased the serotonin striatum levels, the 5-HIAA metabolite and the dopamine turnover (4) decreased the corticosterone serum levels and (5) had no effects on tumor incidence. In the C57BL/6 mice, the maternal separation induced an anxiety behavior and increased the neutrophil activity. These results suggest that the maternal separation could have produced alterations in neuroimmune activity, modifying the HPA axis activity and these alterations could be influenced by individual strains characteristics.

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This study outlines and evaluates a school-based group intervention programme, offering support and teaching problem-solving skills, for children of divorce. The effect of the programme on children's beliefs about divorce and their self-concept is empirically investigated. A sample of 17 latency age children was divided into an experimental group and a wait-list condition control group. The results indicate that a group intervention programme can contribute towards positive changes in children's beliefs about divorce and improvements in their self-concept. Treatment effects for children of divorce are not only associated with the fonnal group intervention programme. Children in both groups improved on several measures from first to second testing and several explanations are offered for these findings. This study suggests that group interventions can contribute to improved adjustment outcomes for children of divorce, by helping children develop more realistic beliefs about divorce and by improving their self-concept / Social Work / M.A. (Social Science) in Mental Health

This study outlines and evaluates a school-based group intervention programme, offering support and teaching problem-solving skills, for children of divorce. The effect of the programme on children's beliefs about divorce and their self-concept is empirically investigated. A sample of 17 latency age children was divided into an experimental group and a wait-list condition control group. The results indicate that a group intervention programme can contribute towards positive changes in children's beliefs about divorce and improvements in their self-concept. Treatment effects for children of divorce are not only associated with the fonnal group intervention programme. Children in both groups improved on several measures from first to second testing and several explanations are offered for these findings. This study suggests that group interventions can contribute to improved adjustment outcomes for children of divorce, by helping children develop more realistic beliefs about divorce and by improving their self-concept / Social Work / M.A. (Social Science) in Mental Health

M.A. (Social Work) / This dissertation centers on attachment. The focus is on four adolescent girls and how their attachment style is impacted by the experience of parental separation. A qualitative research process is applied by means of a two-part semi-structured interview. The first interview focuses more on the experience of the parental separation, and the second interview on the present social attachments of the adolescent girl. This study is informed by phenomenology as it analyses the adolescent experience of the parental separation by means of the change in the physical and emotional presence of her mother and father. It then explores her subjective experiences with and perception of her attachment to others. The study endeavours to reach a deeper understanding of how a break in the relationship with a parent as a consequence of a parental separation, even at the adolescent phase of development, can impact the adolescent's inner sense of security and in turn, other present social attachments. In light of the above, past literature together with attachment theory research on initial attachments with one's main care-givers is reviewed, looking at the development of a secure versus insecure attachment style. It is hoped that this dissertation serves to enrich the existing body of knowledge on attachment with regards to parental separation, and is of use to clinical professionals in the field.