Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Community psychology'

Although Hope-Focused Couple Approach (HFCA) has been extensively researched in the United States, and demonstrated efficacy as an empirical supported couple enrichment intervention (Jakubowski, Milne, Brunner, & Miller, 2004), there are not enough studies with different populations. This project attempts to implement the HFCA with Brazilian Christian couples in collaboration with local churches in Brazil. In order to accomplish this goal, the author developed a hope-focused couples workshop leader's manual that is sensitive to the Brazilian cultural and social context.

Community psychology is a unique field of psychology that perceives individuals as linked to their context. The role of psychologist within this branch of psychology is viewed as one who is responsible for addressing the individual, as well as the social patterns and structures that adversely affect well-being. The use of community gardens as a therapeutic tool may serve as a two-fold intervention that can be used at both the individual and community levels. This doctoral project explores the therapeutic benefits of community gardening through the lens of the community psychology perspective. Framed within a community psychology perspective in which clients are inextricably linked to their social and physical context, engaging with nature through community gardening may lead to healthier client outcomes. A literature review was conducted to inform the author of current data related to the study of community gardens and their impact on mental health. The reviewed data pointed to the impact of community gardens on individual physical and mental health, and the social and physical community contexts that additionally affect mental health. Additional consultations with experts in the field were used to corroborate and extend research findings in the literature. The information collected from the current body of literature and consultations were presented as a professional presentation to mental health workers to increase their knowledge of the therapeutic benefits of community gardening. The limitations of the current body of literature, considerations for application in clinical practice, and recommendations for future areas of study were also considered.

Indirect exposure to a traumatic event is associated with the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Indeed, emerging research demonstrates that exposure to media coverage of violent acts has the potential to cause PTSD symptoms. Theoretical conceptualizations for the development and maintenance of trauma- and anxiety-related disorders suggest that avoidance behaviors of trauma-related stimuli may ultimately lead to the development and maintenance of PTSD symptoms through negative reinforcement processes. Assessing learned associations between environmental stimuli and anxiety may help identify those at risk for the development of PTSD such that those individuals with more learned associations between environmental stimuli and anxiety may engage in greater avoidance behaviors. A highly publicized traumatic event occurred in Lafayette, Louisiana in the summer of 2015. Following the trauma, the community held several vigils and slogans, and banners were displayed throughout the city to show support for the victims. For some individuals, these community support stimuli may have been associated with comfort; however, some may have developed associations between these community support stimuli and the traumatic event and anxiety. As such, the current study sought to examine the learned associations between community support stimuli and comfort and anxiety. Additionally, this study sought to explore the relation between these learned associations and avoidance behaviors, as well as PTSD symptoms. Overall, participants exhibited greater implicit associations between community support stimuli and anxiety stimuli than with community support stimuli and calm stimuli (M = 0.10, SD = 0.31, 95% CI [0.05, 0.16]). These associations did not predict PTSD symptoms or avoidance behaviors. Findings indicate that although community support stimuli were associated with anxiety, these associations may not contribute to the development and maintenance of PTSD symptoms. Rather, community support stimuli may serve to facilitate effective coping strategies through exposure to anxiety- and fear-eliciting stimuli.

The purpose of the current study was to assess a model of college completion at a 2-year community college based on Tinto's Theory of Student Drop Out and current factors known to impact college completion. A freshman cohort (n = 2,846) that attended a large-urban community college was assessed. Logistic regression analysis found student age and math proficiency when entering college were significant factors in the model. The older the student was when first enrolling, the lower their likelihood of completing college. The more remediation a student needed in math skills, then the less likely she or he was in completing college. Placement into developmental (remedial) English writing courses did not seem to suppress completion, and was a non-significant finding in the model. Reading proficiency and participation in a student success course (first-year seminar) were not significant factors in the model, though estimated coefficients aligned with research literature.

Connections within communities have been recognized as a protective factor in the experience of collective trauma, yet many interventions have not accounted for the potential disruptions to connections within communities. The purpose of this dissertation project is to broaden the knowledge of ways to generate community connectedness through culturally appropriate and systemic interventions directed at social networks and communities, and the methodologies to implement them. One of the most notable findings following terrorism and immense psychosocial trauma is that family, community, and social network supports are the most significant factors in promoting recovery and preventing long-term mental health difficulties. This project utilized a content analysis of theoretical foundations and professional counselor competencies, which provided empirical evidence as to how community connectedness emerges following a collective trauma event. Given the significance for building community connectedness into collective trauma responses (Breckenridge & James, 2012; Charuvastra & Cloitre, 2008; Flynn, 2007; Hobfoll et al., 2007; Landau, 2012; Mears, 2008; Saul, 2014; Saul & Bava, 2009; Shultz, Cattaneo, Sabina, Brunner, Jackson, & Serrata, 2016), and the call for more leadership from counselors by CACREP (2016) in the area of disasters and crises, this project provides an instructional manual for mental health professionals who are called upon after a collective trauma. This instructional manual offers interventions and models to facilitate long-term post disaster recovery after a collective trauma.

Cleveland has experienced population loss in the past decade because of the economic and foreclosure crisis, which caused many of the residents to move away, creating an increase in vacant homes and lots. Urban community gardens are a form of greenspace that repurposes vacant homes and lots that would otherwise be potential sites for debris, dumping, arson, squatters, and crime. Other forms of greenspace have been shown to positively increase feelings of community, ties to place, and create feelings of safety while offering social space and recreation areas in urban environments. I conducted a survey at three urban community gardens in different Cleveland neighborhoods to determine who was using the gardens, how they were using them and if garden participation increased feelings of community, community strength, and improved how the participants felt about their neighbors and neighborhood. Non-gardeners were also surveyed for comparison. Survey results indicate that the gardens are similar to other forms of urban greenspace in that they serve to increase feelings of community, create ties to place by creating neighborhood satisfaction, and increasing feelings of safety. This research suggests that urban gardens are a positive way to repurpose vacant land in residential neighborhoods by offering greenspace and strengthening the community.

Key concepts in liberation psychology describe the treatment and regard for children in public school: oppression, colonization, hegemony. This study asked whether public education is experienced as oppressive, creating students who are colonized. Through a frame of liberation psychology and a depth psychological perspective, the study examines whether children are systematically "civilized" by the dominant adult population. Is the indigenous child—the child born with unique intelligence, knowledge, and desire to learn—systematically stifled within the existing educational paradigm?

Findings revealed that several practices at the Middle School enhanced learning, personal empowerment, self-esteem, and happiness, and were termed Liberatory. Most significant was whole-child value, where nonacademic strengths, intrinsic worth, and creativity were valued. Mutual, positive, connected relationship between teacher and student was primary, enhanced by trips outside of school with faculty, emphasizing character and life lessons. Acceptance permeated the peer environment.

Practices at the public High School, referred to as Oppressive, contributed to alienation, separation, fear, boredom, and disincentive to learning. Focus on right answers on tests encouraged memorization/forgetting, paradoxically described as "academic" by students, and creativity was not valued. Students cited teacher overwhelm as the main reason for the absence of connected relationship between educators and students. Judgment permeated the peer environment.

Participants were 10 females between 18 and 20 years old who attended a private middle school that practiced humanistic, whole-child learning, and a public high school in Santa Barbara, CA. A Likert survey asked 25 identical questions regarding experience of both schools, followed by in-depth interview highlighting the difference between the subject's experiences of both schools. Using hermeneutic data evaluation, Findings fell into 4 strong themes at 2 poles of experience and practice: Liberatory and Oppressive.

There was 1 significant exception to the clear pattern in Findings: a teacher within the Oppressive system used Liberatory practices effectively. Simple changes like respect, care, listening, and personal connection could increase learning and happiness in school.

It was not known if and to what extent there was a relationship between the degree to which community college students believed that learning was enhanced when teachers tailored instruction to individual learning styles and student perceived academic locus of control (PAC). Learning styles theory and locus of control theory formed the theoretical framework for this quantitative correlational and descriptive study. Two research questions guided this work: (1) Is there a relationship between the extent to which community college students believe that learning is enhanced when teachers tailor instruction to individual learning styles and student PAC? (2) To what degree do community college students believe that learning is enhanced when instructors tailor their teaching to students’ individual learning styles? The population for this study included a convenience sample of 145 students enrolled in at least one class at a large community college. The Revised Trice Academic Locus of Control Scale was used to measure students’ PAC, and Dekker et al.’s (2012) Neuromyth Survey was used to measure students’ belief in the learning styles myth. A point-biserial correlation analysis was conducted to answer the first research question, and descriptive statistics were used to answer the second research question. The results of the study showed that students strongly believed in the myth of learning styles (N = 138) but found no significant relationship between this belief and student PAC (r_PB = 0.010, p = .906). The findings of this study added to the literature on learning styles, PAC, and neuromyths and resulted in several implications for students and educators.

Keywords: neuromyths, learning styles, perceived academic locus of control (PAC)

Managing the behavioral needs of individuals with developmental disabilities has been a long-standing concern for group home managers and direct care staff. Consultee-centered consultation has a history of documented benefits for children in schools and was theorized to be beneficial to adults with developmental disabilities residing in group homes. Adults with disabilities continue to experience behavioral difficulties while staff lack the training to maintain quality support services. Caplan’s consultee-centered consultation (1993) bridges the gap between client centered behavioral consultation and consultee effectiveness in addressing client behavioral concerns. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of consultee-centered consultation on client behavior and the group home environment. Three community-based group homes were chosen to participate in this study using matched assignment. Participants included ten clients with challenging behaviors, two consultees (managers of group-homes), three data collectors and direct-care staff working with clients. This study showed encouraging support of a decrease in the frequency of challenging behaviors exhibited by clients residing in two group homes that received consultee-centered consultation for twelve and six weeks. The level of job satisfaction for employees participating in this study did not demonstrate change over the course of the 15-week study. Despite a lack of support for a change in employee satisfaction, both consultees receiving consultee-centered consultation reported that consultation helped them to address staff concerns and improvements in their level of confidence and skills.

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 & 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, & 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.