Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Women – Psychology'

This dissertation seeks to understand how five women currently enrolled in doctoral level psychology programs emotionally and relationally experience the process of recovery from an eating disorder. Contemporary interdisciplinary discourses are inconsistent in their discussion of recovery, with differing accounts of what constitutes recovery and the typical course of recovery. Using a voice-centered and relational approach, I interviewed five female doctoral-level students in the fields of clinical and counseling psychology about their experience of recovering from eating disorders. Interview data was analyzed using the Listening Guide Method (Brown & Gilligan, 1992; Gilligan, 2015) in order to emphasize the emotional and relational qualities of informant voices. My interest in this subject is, in part, inspired by my personal eating disorder history and doctoral training experiences. Although my personal experiences no doubt shaped what I asked and how I listened to the women in this study, I found that these courageous and honest women independently corroborated three interrelated themes. One, these women’s stories each directly addressed a controversial issue in the literature: What is the nature of eating disorder recovery? Is it an end-state or an ongoing process? Two, connection and disconnection from the self and others, which in many respects is perpetuated by societal pressures and expectations placed on women, plays a critical role in the development of eating disorders. And three, the informants highlighted the potentially critical role of self-disclosure in addressing the sensed disconnections from self and others, within both clinical-therapeutic and professional-academic relationships.

The peripartum period is a potentially difficult time in a woman's life, a time when up to 70% of women experience transient mood symptoms and approximately 15% will suffer from a severe mood event which impacts not just her, but her family as well. The symptoms and clinical features of the mood symptoms are linked to Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Bipolar Disorder (BD). Appropriate diagnosis as early as possible has a critical impact on the immediate and long-term health of the peripartum woman, especially in those with a bipolar diathesis. While treatment for BD versus MDD may be markedly different, it can be difficult to distinguish between the two, especially during a depressed episode, with postpartum onset. To date, no study has evaluated the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) for its value as a screening measure for the differentiation of BD versus MDD in the postpartum period.

This study sought to: 1) to describe the demographic differences between women diagnosed with BD versus MDD seeking treatment for a major depressive episode, with postpartum onset; 2) to characterize the features of the major depressive episode; with postpartum onset in women diagnosed with BD versus MDD; and 3) to examine scale characteristics of the EPDS as a predictor of the diagnosis of BD versus MDD.

Results revealed that postpartum depressed women diagnosed with BD reported a) an earlier age of onset, b) a greater number of prior mood episodes, c) greater incidence of psychotic symptoms in the current depressive episode, and d) lower overall scores on the EPDS versus postpartum depressed women diagnosed with MDD. There were no reliable differences between the groups on family history of a) mood disorders; b) number of generations; c) weeks postpartum at symptom onset; d) scores on a 4-item subscale of the EPDS; e) suicidal/homicidal ideation; nor the incidence of symptoms of f) atypical depression, g) generalized anxiety disorder, or h) obsessive-compulsive disorder. The findings support the use of a thorough clinical and demographic history when evaluating postpartum depressed women and the use of a measure in place of or in addition to the EPDS to ensure the appropriate differentiation of BD versus MDD.

This thesis utilizes hermeneutic methodology and a depth perspective to explore how women’s connection with their bodies impacts their growth during the individuation process. Western culture is discussed in terms of its emphasis on rational thought and progress—the realm of Yang and Logos. Although the phenomenon of the dominating masculine principle has enabled rapid technological and scientific development, repercussions may exist as a result of the suppressed Yin and Eros energies. Such ramifications are examined in relevance to Jung’s theory of individuation and the body. Separation from the body is researched through studies on objectification theory, dissociation, disordered eating, and cosmetic surgery. Alternatively, practices including yoga, Vipassana meditation, Watsu, Authentic Movement, and image-based bodywork are reviewed to illuminate the benefit of somatic connection. Results indicate that integrating the body, mind, and soul through conscious awareness can facilitate Weetern women’s journey toward wholeness.

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological research was to explore the influence of the Catholic Church teachings and culture on the recovery and healing of women survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA). This study intended to identify which attributes of Catholicism these survivors consider salient. Narratives of 8 women raised as Catholics who were abused sexually as children and experienced a minimum of two years of psychotherapy were collected in individual interviews and then analyzed.

A review of the vast array of studies on the long-term effects of CSA reveals numerous psychological, social, and behavioral difficulties in adults, ranging from poor self-esteem and depression to sexual disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Briere & Elliott, 2003; Kim, Talbot, & Cicchetti, 2009; Lemieux & Byers, 2008). The available literature rarely considers whether religious factors themselves play a role in the creation or maintenance of the difficulties from which these women later suffer. I speculated that the healing of the woman and her presenting problems are compounded when she is engaged in what may be called traditional psychotherapies. In addition to the tenacious suffering that may emerge during the psychotherapy process, the Catholic survivor may be struggling with issues such as the perpetual silence of the church, the belief that faith comes from the leaders of the institution, the idea that God cannot be separated from a sense of religion, and the need to first acknowledge sins before the Lord. The focus of this research was to explore the women's lived experiences of recovery within the broader context of Catholicism. To best support clients, it is essential to develop openness to cultural variability and an ability to reach clients within their own cultural frameworks. The current study forms part of a body of work on the developmental and cultural aspects of spirituality and their interaction with healing from trauma. A willingness to learn from the client about her experiences, coupled with professional training and consultation may facilitate improvement in clients who suffered trauma and for whom religion and spirituality have played an important role in their lives.

This study explored the possibility that social connection is one element that can contribute to persistence in a simple meditation exercise using Beary, Benson, and Klemchuk’s relaxation response exercise with the addition of a social element. Participants were 82 females, ages 30 to 65, with English as a first language, naive (less than 2 months experience) to meditation, who were drawn from the general population. They were screened to exclude hospitalized individuals and those who have been treated for a psychological condition within the last three years. Participants were randomized to two groups. Each group received written instructions, with the control group receiving generic instructions only and the experimental group receiving the same instructions with the addition of a social element. It was expected that the group receiving instructions with a social element would show greater persistence (i.e., participate more often in the exercise and continue to use the exercise over a longer time span) at a minimum p value of .05 and with at least a small effect size. It was expected that attachment type would moderate persistence, so attachment type was measured. The persistence data were not normally distributed, so a nonparametric equivalent to a t test, a Mann-Whitney U, was used to compare the persistence means for the experimental group and the control group. No significant effect was found. The sample obtained had too few individuals by attachment type per group to permit analysis of moderating effects of attachment type.

This study hypothesized that differences in sex behaviors of men and women with sex addiction would mirror sex behaviors differences characteristic of men and women in general. A sample of 45 persons with sex addiction was obtained from social media websites. A validated sexual addiction questionnaire and gender-specific sex behavior questionnaire (GBQ) were administered. Results confirmed that all subjects had sex addiction. Sex addiction scores for men were universally higher than for women across all domains of sex addiction; all differences were statistically significant. Of 22 GBQ questions, 16 trended in the predicted direction; six did not. The proportion of endorsements in line with the hypothesis was significantly different from chance, suggesting that differences in sex behaviors of men and women with sex addiction mirror those of men and women in general. Four findings differed from the hypothesis, however. First, men with sex addiction had fewer relationships at one time than women. Second, men were less likely than women to seek escort or phone services, pay for sexually explicit phone calls, or use personal ads to find partners. Third, men and women equally endorsed being more likely to have sex with someone they know rather than anonymous sex partners. Fourth, women more often reported having one-night stands than men. These gender-specific behaviors deviate from past research, suggesting that men and women with sex addiction may choose some sexual behaviors atypical of their gender. Cultural and technological changes that may be impacting these novel sex behaviors were explored.