Latest content added for UNT Digital Library Collection: UNT Theses and Dissertationshttps://digital.library.unt.edu/explore/collections/UNTETD/browse/?sort=date_d&fq=str_degree_discipline:Clinical+Psychology2024-01-27T21:11:54-06:00UNT LibrariesThis is a custom feed for browsing UNT Digital Library Collection: UNT Theses and DissertationsThe Competency Pipeline: Examining the Association of Doctoral Training with Early Career Outcomes2024-01-27T20:49:55-06:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2256297/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2256297/"><img alt="The Competency Pipeline: Examining the Association of Doctoral Training with Early Career Outcomes" title="The Competency Pipeline: Examining the Association of Doctoral Training with Early Career Outcomes" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2256297/small/"/></a></p><p>Participants from earlier nationwide studies on predictors of internship match were contacted 7-10 years after obtaining their doctoral degree to gather additional data concerning their attained early career competencies and benchmarks (e.g., scores on the national licensing exam). In this sample (N = 190), licensure exam scores were significantly positively associated with scores obtained on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), family of origin socioeconomic status, and student debt load. However, obtained licensure scores were not found to be significantly associated with any pre-doctoral training variables (e.g., intervention/ assessment hours, number of integrated reports, number of publications, rank order of matched internship site) or most post-doctoral early career activities. Weak positive associations between licensures scores and engaging in teaching / supervision / consultation services were observed. Few self-reported early career competencies were found to be weakly positively associated with scores on the national licensing exam (i.e., integrity, seeking supervision, scientific mindedness, evidence-based practice). Significantly inverse associations were found between national licensing exam scores and self-reported competencies in the areas of management and systems change. Findings are discussed and implications for the national licensing exam considered.</p>Exploring Psychological Intimate Partner Violence Using Brief Expressive Writing Essays2024-01-27T21:11:54-06:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2256939/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2256939/"><img alt="Exploring Psychological Intimate Partner Violence Using Brief Expressive Writing Essays" title="Exploring Psychological Intimate Partner Violence Using Brief Expressive Writing Essays" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2256939/small/"/></a></p><p>Non-physical intimate partner violence (NPIPV) is the most pervasive type of abuse, yet literature has predominantly focused on physical IPV victimization. This study employed a mixed-methods design utilizing archival expressive writing data previously collected to identify the presence of NPIPV victimization. Participants wrote about their experience after a relationship dissolution using the expressive writing paradigm. They were asked to share their deepest thoughts and feelings across two sessions. A constructivist grounded theory approach established the theoretical framework for coding the presence of NPIPV acts between romantic partners. Four themes of NPIPV were established (degradation, isolation, control, and jealousy). Disclosure of NPIPV and other themes were also evident in these data. Quantitative analyses assessed changes in participants' psychological distress after completing a brief writing intervention. The intervention increased the likelihood of NPIPV victimization being mentioned from Time 1 to Time 2 writing sessions. This study increases clinical awareness regarding NPIPV by providing insights into this longest-sustained IPV subtype. All participants reported a reduction in avoidance symptoms after completing the writing intervention. Finally, gender continues to complicate this field as researchers must acknowledge both the existence of men's victimization experiences and the greater severity of women's victimization. Clinical implications demonstrate a strength in narrative therapy when processing relationship dissolution particularly when NPIPV victimization is present.</p>Differences in Socio-Cognitive Processes among Individuals Exhibiting Characteristics of Grandiose and Vulnerable Narcissism: A Multimethod Approach2023-09-21T06:35:13-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2178811/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2178811/"><img alt="Differences in Socio-Cognitive Processes among Individuals Exhibiting Characteristics of Grandiose and Vulnerable Narcissism: A Multimethod Approach" title="Differences in Socio-Cognitive Processes among Individuals Exhibiting Characteristics of Grandiose and Vulnerable Narcissism: A Multimethod Approach" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2178811/small/"/></a></p><p>This study explored how well specific socio-cognitive processes (i.e., interpersonal problems, empathy, hostile attributional biases, envy/jealousy) predicted the manifestations of both grandiose and vulnerable narcissism. Additionally, we explored the impact of both forms of narcissism on the presence of maladaptive social behaviors (i.e., the perpetration of psychological abuse). We found that domineering interpersonal behaviors and a propensity to fantasize predicted significant unique variance in grandiose narcissism; envy of others, hostile attributional biases, and a propensity to fantasize predicted significant unique variance in vulnerable narcissism. Additionally, while domineering interpersonal behaviors and hostile attributional biases predicted significant variance in psychological abuse perpetration, only vulnerable narcissism added significant unique variance to its regression model. Lastly, only domineering interpersonal behaviors, envy of others, and hostile attributional biases predicted significant unique variance in psychological abuse victimization; narcissism was nonsignificant. The results of our study will contribute to an increased understanding of the nature of both grandiose and vulnerable narcissism and the impacts these personality styles have on an individual's ability to function effectively in interpersonal relationships.</p>The Examination for the Professional Practice of Psychology (EPPP): An Examination of Criterion Validity2023-09-21T06:35:27-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2178813/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2178813/"><img alt="The Examination for the Professional Practice of Psychology (EPPP): An Examination of Criterion Validity" title="The Examination for the Professional Practice of Psychology (EPPP): An Examination of Criterion Validity" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2178813/small/"/></a></p><p>The Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) is a requirement for licensure as a psychologist across the entire United States as well as in numerous territories and provinces. Despite many longstanding criticisms and findings of bias, the EPPP is being expanded (adding a second, putatively competency-based, portion to the overall exam) and rebranded as the Enhanced EPPP. A review of literature reveals strong skepticism surrounding these developments, particularly with respect to the issue of criterion validity. The current study sought to examine the criterion validity of the EPPP by (1) drawing archival competency assessment data from existing measures (convergent validity) and (2) gathering new neurocognitive and emotional intelligence data, along with demographic data (discriminant validity), with copies of EPPP score reports from individuals who have recently taken the EPPP. Competency ratings did not significantly positively correlate with EPPP scores and, instead, indicated the opposite trend. Analyses also revealed a significant relationship between ethnicity and exam scores, with White individuals scoring higher than other ethnicities. Finally, performance on neurocognitive tests significantly positively correlated with exam scores, indicating that general test taking abilities play a larger role than abilities and competencies unique to the psychology field. Given the gatekeeping role the EPPP plays in the profession of psychology, external validation of the EPPP is of vital importance and was not supported in this study. Implications for the exam and the field are discussed.</p>Intergenerational Differences in Barriers that Impede Mental Health Service Use among Latinos2023-09-21T06:35:09-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2178809/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2178809/"><img alt="Intergenerational Differences in Barriers that Impede Mental Health Service Use among Latinos" title="Intergenerational Differences in Barriers that Impede Mental Health Service Use among Latinos" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2178809/small/"/></a></p><p>Research has extensively documented the mental health disparities that exist for ethnic and racial minorities living in the United States. With respect to Latinos, such disparities are marked by less access to care and poorer quality of mental health treatment. Studies on Latino mental health have found differences in mental health service utilization among ethnic subgroups and among different generations of Latinos. However, empirical data examining specific attitudes and barriers to mental health treatment among different generations of Latinos are limited. This study explored the relationships between Latino generational status, mental health service utilization, psychological distress, and barriers to mental health treatment. An online survey (N = 218) included samples of first-generation (n = 67), second-generation (n = 86), and third-generation or beyond Latinos (n = 65). Results indicated first-generation Latinos had the lowest rate of mental health service utilization and reported greater linguistic and structural knowledge barriers, however, they had lower perceived social stigma of mental health services when age at migration was considered. Implications of these findings for research, mental health service providers and mental health policy are discussed.</p>The Intersection of Miranda and Race/Ethnicity: Effects of Perceptions of Police Officers and Stereotype Threat2023-02-09T17:14:45-06:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2048648/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2048648/"><img alt="The Intersection of Miranda and Race/Ethnicity: Effects of Perceptions of Police Officers and Stereotype Threat" title="The Intersection of Miranda and Race/Ethnicity: Effects of Perceptions of Police Officers and Stereotype Threat" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2048648/small/"/></a></p><p>The decision of the landmark United States Supreme Court case Miranda v. Arizona (1966) established procedural safeguards to protect custodial suspects' 5th and 6th Amendment rights through requiring provision of what is now known as the Miranda warnings prior to interrogation. Suspects may elect to waive their rights once informed; however, research indicates that many individuals have inadequate knowledge and appreciation of their Miranda rights and consequences of waiving them. Miranda abilities and individual factors are critical factors in determining the validity of Miranda rights waivers. Researchers implicated many factors as influencing waiver decisions (e.g., intellectual ability, psychopathology, age); however, the differential impact of racial/ethnic identity is relatively unexplored. The importance of the investigation of race/ethnicity in Miranda abilities and decisions is underscored by the established differences in perceptions of police officers for racial/ethnic groups. Additionally, scholars have identified a potential presence of stereotype threat contributing to detrimental interrogation decisions. The current study advances previous research through examining the influence of racial/ethnic identity on Miranda abilities and waiver decision. This study also seeks to further the understanding of the effects of perceptions of police officers and presence of stereotype threat through investigate the role of those variables in Miranda abilities and decisions. Using a diverse sample via MTurk, the purpose of the study is to investigate these relevant factors in the intersection of Miranda and race/ethnicity to help inform researchers, forensic practitioners, and policy-makers.</p>Common Strategies for Regulating Emotions across the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) Model2022-09-03T11:03:23-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1986674/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1986674/"><img alt="Common Strategies for Regulating Emotions across the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) Model" title="Common Strategies for Regulating Emotions across the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) Model" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1986674/small/"/></a></p><p>The hierarchical taxonomy of psychopathology (HiTOP) is a novel classification system that adopts both a dimensional and hierarchical approach to psychopathology to address shortcomings. However, the HiTOP framework is descriptive in nature and requires additional research to consider potential mechanisms for the onset and maintenance of psychopathology, such as cognitive-behavioral emotion regulation strategies. To redress this gap, a sample of 341 adults who endorsed ongoing mental health concerns completed self-report measures of emotion regulation strategies and psychopathology. The data revealed a three-spectra HiTOP model consisting of internalizing, thought disorder, and antagonistic externalizing. Results found that psychopathology was most strongly associated with avoidance, catastrophizing, expressive suppression, and self-blame. In contrast, adaptive strategies were generally unrelated to the HiTOP spectra. This pattern was strongest for internalizing, distress, and detachment. Fewer, yet noteworthy unique relationships between the strategies and specific spectra/subfactors were also found. These findings suggest that psychopathology may be best conceptualized as an overutilization of maladaptive emotion regulation strategies. Furthermore, the results indicate there is added benefit to considering these strategies within a hierarchical approach to psychopathology. These associations alert clinicians to potential treatment targets and contribute to an ongoing literature that seeks to identify underlying mechanisms of the structure of psychopathology.</p>Cross Validation of the Juror Questionnaire of Values and Viewpoints: Sentencing Decisions and Impression Management in Eligible Capital Jurors2022-09-03T10:03:52-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1985322/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1985322/"><img alt="Cross Validation of the Juror Questionnaire of Values and Viewpoints: Sentencing Decisions and Impression Management in Eligible Capital Jurors" title="Cross Validation of the Juror Questionnaire of Values and Viewpoints: Sentencing Decisions and Impression Management in Eligible Capital Jurors" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1985322/small/"/></a></p><p>The current dissertation had three primary objectives, categorized into two MTurk studies with capital juror-eligible community members: (a) cross-validate the psychometric properties of the JQVV, (b): explore the role of legal attitudes via the JQVV in mock capital sentencing decisions, and (c): examine the JQVV's ability to detect juror social desirability in capital voir dire. Impressively, Study 1 (N = 552) and Study 2 (N = 313) provided strong and consistent evidence for the JQVV's reliability and construct validity. In the mock juror paradigm, punitive legal attitudes on the JQVV (i.e., Crime-Neg, Convict, and Death-Pos), did not directly affect sentencing decisions, however they indirectly influenced the perception of nearly all other legally relevant variables (e.g., evidence type). For example, participants with more punitive criminal justice attitudes evaluated aggravating evidence more favorably which, in turn, increased death sentence verdicts. Study 1 also underscored the concerningly low levels of comprehension jurors have regarding judicial instructions and other relevant legal knowledge (e.g., the definition of aggravating). In Study 2, the support-life and support-death groups evidenced divergent patterns of social desirability, although support-death participants did not dramatically alter their scores between the genuine and social desirability condition. Additionally, the JQVV Pros-Cyn and Justice-Pos scales were moderately effective at identifying social desirability, marking the first ever questionnaire to examine juror response styles. Implications for research, professional practice in capital jury selection, and legal policy are discussed.</p>Effects of Enculturation in Neuropsychological Test Performance on the African Neuropsychological Battery in African Americans and First-Generation Sub-Saharan African Immigrants to the United States2022-09-03T10:03:52-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1985325/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1985325/"><img alt="Effects of Enculturation in Neuropsychological Test Performance on the African Neuropsychological Battery in African Americans and First-Generation Sub-Saharan African Immigrants to the United States" title="Effects of Enculturation in Neuropsychological Test Performance on the African Neuropsychological Battery in African Americans and First-Generation Sub-Saharan African Immigrants to the United States" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1985325/small/"/></a></p><p>This study used an archival data set of 26 healthy adult immigrants from a sub-Saharan African country to the United States (Mage 39.0, SD = 11.36; Meducation 16.33, SD = 2.88; 40.7% male). Additional archival data was used for 32 healthy African American adults (Mage 34.06, SD = 11.18; Meducation 16.16, SD = 2.49; 53.1% male). A bivariate correlation indicated that acculturation to African culture, as measured by the mBIQ (M 49.29, SD = 8.66), was significantly positively correlated with ethnicity, r = .632, p = .000, ηp2 = 0.399. Two-way ANOVAs revealed that African Americans were able to name more animals than African immigrants (F(1, 54) = 4.82, p = 0.32, ηp2 = 0.82) and exhibited greater organizational skills during a task of cognitive set shifting and problem solving than African immigrants, regardless of level of acculturation (F(1, 54) = 4.47, p =.039, ηp2 = 0.078). In contrast, African immigrants scored higher than African Americans on indigenous fruit (F(1, 54) = 7.60, p =.008, ηp2 = 0.123) and object naming (F(1, 54) = 5.59, p =.022, ηp2 = 0.094). Results of the study concluded that there are small variance effects in language tasks as well as strategy-based approaches to tasks of novel problem solving. Implications of these findings are discussed relative to future research as well as clinical practice in the assessment of culturally dissimilar people across a racially homogenous population by pushing the field forward with diversified approaches to neuropsychological testing.</p>Examining the Role of Emotion Dysregulation and Rumination in the Relationship between PTSD Symptom Severity and Sleep Disturbances2022-09-03T10:03:52-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1985316/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1985316/"><img alt="Examining the Role of Emotion Dysregulation and Rumination in the Relationship between PTSD Symptom Severity and Sleep Disturbances" title="Examining the Role of Emotion Dysregulation and Rumination in the Relationship between PTSD Symptom Severity and Sleep Disturbances" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1985316/small/"/></a></p><p>Emotion dysregulation and rumination are involved in the development, maintenance, and treatment of both posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and sleep disturbances. We examined if and how these factors influenced the nature of the relationship between PTSD symptom severity and subjective sleep disturbances among trauma-exposed individuals. Using data gathered from a community sample of 199 trauma-exposed individuals (Mean age = 35.48; 59.80% female), we examined whether there were stronger significant associations between greater PTSD symptom severity and poorer sleep quality/lower sleep quantity at higher (vs. lower) levels of (1) negative emotion dysregulation and positive emotion dysregulation (both included in the same model) and (2) rumination. Participants recruited via Amazon's Mechanical Turk completed the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, Brief Version of the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale – Positive, Ruminative Thought Style Questionnaire, and sleep quality/quantity items from the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Results of simple and additive multiple moderation analyses showed that neither negative/positive emotion dysregulation nor rumination moderated the relationships between PTSD symptom severity and sleep quality/quantity. Exploratory analyses showed that negative emotion dysregulation (when examined independently) moderated the relationship between PTSD symptom severity and sleep quality. There were also significant associations between poorer sleep quality/lower sleep quantity and greater PTSD symptom severity at low to average levels of negative emotion dysregulation coupled with any level of positive emotion dysregulation. Findings inform theoretical perspectives on the PTSD-sleep relationship and clinical applications of targeting emotion dysregulation and rumination in the treatment of PTSD symptoms and sleep disturbances for trauma-exposed individuals.</p>Executive Functioning Processes in Simple and Complex Theory of Mind Tasks2022-09-03T10:27:39-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1985747/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1985747/"><img alt="Executive Functioning Processes in Simple and Complex Theory of Mind Tasks" title="Executive Functioning Processes in Simple and Complex Theory of Mind Tasks" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1985747/small/"/></a></p><p>Using a multimethod-multimodal approach, this study compared the contributions of executive function (EF) abilities (Go No-Go, Visual Search, 2-Back task, and Task Switching) to narrative comprehension tasks (False Belief, Strange Stories, Self-Reported Theory of Mind Inventory [TOMI-SR]) and a narrative production task (interpersonal decentering) in a sample of young adults. Separate regression models were conducted for each theory of mind (ToM) measure with EF measures as predictor variables and empirically selected demographic variables controlled. As expected, in this college student sample (N = 110), False Belief demonstrated a ceiling effect and was not associated with any EF ability. Task Switching and 2-Back accounted for significant variance in Strange Stories. No EF task significantly predicted performance on TOMI-SR or interpersonal decentering. Both story comprehension tasks (False Belief and Strange Stories) were significantly associated, but these tasks were not correlated with either self-reported ToM or interpersonal decentering. Several unanticipated demographic associations were found; having more siblings and English proficiency accounted for significant variability in Strange Stories; education, presence or absence of self-disclosed autism diagnosis and mental health diagnosis explained a large portion of variance in TOMI-SR; interpersonal decentering maturity differed significantly between cisgender men and cisgender women. Lastly, interpersonal decentering number of interactions demonstrated an advantage for individuals without diagnosed or suspected autism diagnosis. This study raises critical concerns regarding measurement method error variance and variability of task demands in explaining cognitive mechanisms relevant to social cognitive processes.</p>Prediction is Not Enough: Towards the Development of a Multi-Faceted, Theoretical Model of Aggression and Violence2022-09-03T10:03:52-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1985320/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1985320/"><img alt="Prediction is Not Enough: Towards the Development of a Multi-Faceted, Theoretical Model of Aggression and Violence" title="Prediction is Not Enough: Towards the Development of a Multi-Faceted, Theoretical Model of Aggression and Violence" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1985320/small/"/></a></p><p>Violence and aggression continue to be both public health and economic concerns. The field of violence prediction has undergone a series of changes in an attempt to best assess risk including using unstructured clinical judgment, actuarial measures, and structured professional judgment. Although prediction has become more accurate with improved measures, a new generation has recently emerged with an emphasis on understanding violence, as opposed to merely predicting it, to shift the focus towards violence prevention. In addition to the creation of measures, researchers have sought to identify specific risk factors for aggression and violence including static and dynamic risk factors. Despite research demonstrating associations between neuropsychological and social-cognitive factors, violence risk measures continue to omit these variables. The current study developed a multi-faceted, theoretical model of aggression including social-cognitive, neuropsychological, personality, and psychiatric factors. A community, male sample (N = 1,192) collected through Amazon's MTurk responded to a series of self-report measures and neuropsychological tasks. Utilizing structural equation modeling (SEM), I created a model predicting aggression. Several important paths were significant including from entity theory to aggression, mediated by hostile attribution bias, schizotypy to aggression, mediated by both hostile attribution bias and disinhibition, substance use to aggression mediated by disinhibition, and psychopathy to aggression directly. This model provides a framework for future research that focuses on process factors of violence and aggression.</p>Queer Resilience: A Mixed Methods Examination of LGBTQ+ Positive Identity, Community Connectedness, and Mental Health Outcomes in Sexual Minority Emerging Adults2022-09-03T10:59:15-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1986595/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1986595/"><img alt="Queer Resilience: A Mixed Methods Examination of LGBTQ+ Positive Identity, Community Connectedness, and Mental Health Outcomes in Sexual Minority Emerging Adults" title="Queer Resilience: A Mixed Methods Examination of LGBTQ+ Positive Identity, Community Connectedness, and Mental Health Outcomes in Sexual Minority Emerging Adults" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1986595/small/"/></a></p><p>Despite significant progress in the acceptance and celebration of LGBTQ+ individuals, there is overwhelming evidence that sexual minorities still face disproportionate levels of health inequity compared to their heterosexual peers. Relative to their heterosexual peers, LGBTQ+ emerging adults may encounter unique challenges with discrimination, stigma, and limited social support as they navigate changes in their educational and occupational environments. Additionally, within the broader public health and LGBTQ+ mental health literature, little is known about the mental health service utilization of sexual minority emerging adults. To address these empirical gaps, a sample of 98 LGBTQ+ emerging adults completed self-report measures of heterosexist discrimination experiences, mental health symptoms, LGBTQ+ positive identity, LGBTQ+ community connectedness, and mental health service utilization. The present study found that LGBTQ+ positive identity and LGBTQ+ community connectedness did not attenuate the significant positive relationship between discrimination and negative mental health outcomes. The present study also found that LGBTQ+ positive identity predicted greater likelihood of mental health service utilization, whereas LGBTQ+ community connectedness did not. Finally, exploratory qualitative analyses yielded deeper understanding of relationships between LGBTQ+ positive identity, LGBTQ+ community connectedness, mental health service utilization, and resilience among sexual minority emerging adults. Implications and future directions for empirical research and clinical practice with LGBTQ+ emerging adults are discussed.</p>Construct Validity of the I-SIP and Its Clinical Utility in Differentiating between Factitious Psychological Presentations (FPPs) and Malingering2021-08-26T20:03:07-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1833422/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1833422/"><img alt="Construct Validity of the I-SIP and Its Clinical Utility in Differentiating between Factitious Psychological Presentations (FPPs) and Malingering" title="Construct Validity of the I-SIP and Its Clinical Utility in Differentiating between Factitious Psychological Presentations (FPPs) and Malingering" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1833422/small/"/></a></p><p>Forensic researchers and practitioners continue to face challenges when attempting to differentiate deceptive response styles, notably when comparing malingering and factitious disorder. However, due to the great disparities in research available, forensic examiners may not be adequately informed for considering factitious presentations as a competing hypothesis to malingering. De-emphasis of factitious disorders may also be attributed to the lack of empirical research and poor conceptual understanding of the disorder. Velsor and Rogers conducted a thorough review of various factitious motivations, drawing a parallel to Rogers' explanatory models of malingering. Due to the need for a systematic measure of FPPs, the Inventory of Self and Interpersonal Problems (I-SIP) was developed, largely based on the explanatory models of FPP. The current study employed a construct validity approach to the I-SIP to examine its convergent and discriminant validity in a sample of 80 inpatients from a private psychiatric hospital. Providing strong evidence of construct validity of the I-SIP, dramatic differences emerged between malingered and factitious presentations with extremely large effect sizes (ds = 1.09 – 3.62). In particular, results indicated strong support for the nurturance explanatory model of FPPs, as over-investment in treatment providers was an especially strong discriminator (d = 3.62). Moreover, results highlighted the potential problem of misclassification of response styles, as the SIMS did not effectively distinguish between simulation groups. To avoid diagnostic issues, arguments are presented for the consideration of FPPs as a dimensional construct that vary over time and circumstances. Professional implications are discussed, including practical guidelines for evaluating FPPs in clinical and forensic contexts.</p>Examining the Clinical Utility and Predictive Validity of Dimensional Models of Psychopathology2021-08-26T20:54:52-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1833523/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1833523/"><img alt="Examining the Clinical Utility and Predictive Validity of Dimensional Models of Psychopathology" title="Examining the Clinical Utility and Predictive Validity of Dimensional Models of Psychopathology" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1833523/small/"/></a></p><p>The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders arranges co-occurring clusters of symptoms into distinct disorder categories, which theoretically have specific etiologies, pathologies, and treatments. However, researchers and clinicians alike have consistently found DSM diagnoses to have high rates of comorbidity, low diagnostic specificity, and no disorder has proven to be a discrete category. There is mounting evidence that dimensional taxonomies more accurately capture the underlying structure of mental illness and clinical presentations. The recently proposed hierarchical taxonomy of psychopathology presumes to address the issues of categorical nosologies using a data driven approach to create a dimensional model of psychopathology. However, heretofore there are no empirical examinations of HiTOP's ability to predict psychotherapy treatment outcomes. This study compared the predictive validity DSM, RDoC, and HiTOP criteria using natural language processing on free text narrative notes. Of the three GMM run, only the model using DSM criteria as predictors had adequate model fit. Additionally, none of the nosologies significantly predicted treatment course. Implications for the application of RDoC and HiTOP are discussed.</p>Exploring the Connections between Personality, Social Cognition, and Prejudice2021-08-26T20:52:56-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1833517/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1833517/"><img alt="Exploring the Connections between Personality, Social Cognition, and Prejudice" title="Exploring the Connections between Personality, Social Cognition, and Prejudice" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1833517/small/"/></a></p><p>Very few studies have attempted to directly explore the relationship between psychopathic traits and prejudice. Among the scant studies that do exist, interpretation is often clouded by measurement limitations. The current study surveyed a large sample of adults from the general U.S. population to further our understanding of the associations between psychopathic traits and prejudicial attitudes, as well as critical constructs linked to prejudice. By using modern and well-validated measures of the target constructs new relationships were documented for the first time. A path analytic framework was utilized to represent the network of construct inter-relations. Finally, the current study examined the relationships between psychopathic traits, in relation to the other members of the Dark Triad and positive human traits, referred to as the Light Triad, as well as how the latter may serve as ‘buffers' from prejudicial attitudes.</p>Exploring the Relationships between Psychopathic Traits and Ethnocentric Attitudes2021-08-26T20:03:07-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1833417/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1833417/"><img alt="Exploring the Relationships between Psychopathic Traits and Ethnocentric Attitudes" title="Exploring the Relationships between Psychopathic Traits and Ethnocentric Attitudes" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1833417/small/"/></a></p><p>The current study employed both a variable- and person-centered approach to analyze data taken from a large sample of U.S. adults (N = 602, 59% males). For the former, structural equation modeling was utilized to empirically articulate the links between the four facets of psychopathy (interpersonal, affective, lifestyle, antisocial) and the six facets of ethnocentrism. For the person-centered approach, descriptive discriminant analysis was used to assess for differences in psychopathic trait profiles between those elevated or low in ethnocentric attitudes. Consistent with expectations, the affective dimension positively predicted denigration of out-group members whereas the lifestyle domain negatively predicted all facets of ethnocentrism. Unexpectedly, the antisocial facet positively predicted group cohesion and devotion towards one's ethnic in-group. Additionally, those elevated in ethnocentrism had higher interpersonal and affective scores and lower lifestyle scores relative to those low in ethnocentric attitudes. Results are discussed in the context of risk assessment for hate-based violence and the overlap in the nomological network of psychopathy and prejudicial attitudes.</p>Facets of Positive Affect and Emotion Regulation in Daily Life2021-08-26T20:03:07-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1833424/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1833424/"><img alt="Facets of Positive Affect and Emotion Regulation in Daily Life" title="Facets of Positive Affect and Emotion Regulation in Daily Life" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1833424/small/"/></a></p><p>Positive affect, which has been broken down into four lower-level facets (i.e., joviality, attentiveness, self-assurance, serenity), has demonstrated numerous ties to physical and mental health. The experience of positive affect can be regulated by emotion regulation strategies. However, few studies have assessed their relationship, and no studies have examined the relationship using the lower level facets of positive affect. The link between positive affect and emotion regulation may be of particular importance for individuals at increased risk for bipolar disorder, as both are disrupted in individuals with the condition. The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between positive affect and emotion regulation while also exploring whether risk for bipolar disorder moderated their relationship. Undergraduates (N = 155) completed measures of emotion regulation, affect, and bipolar disorder risk at baseline. Using ecological momentary assessment (EMA), participants completed surveys 3 times a day for 7 days. Hierarchical linear models were estimated and revealed significant effects between certain baseline emotion regulation tendencies (experiential avoidance/ psychological inflexibility, rumination, behavioral social avoidance) and daily positive affect facets as well as between daily emotion regulation use (i.e., reappraisal, acceptance, reflection, savoring, mindfulness social support, suppression, rumination, procrastination) and daily positive affect facets. Bipolar disorder risk was not found to moderate the relationship. Findings support the use of strategies emphasized in evidence-based treatments and highlight the importance of daily practice of emotion regulation skills.</p>The Impact of a Peer Mentor Intervention on Internalized Stigma, Mindfulness, and Adherence to Antiretroviral Medication among Adolescents Living with HIV in Zambia2021-08-26T20:03:07-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1833418/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1833418/"><img alt="The Impact of a Peer Mentor Intervention on Internalized Stigma, Mindfulness, and Adherence to Antiretroviral Medication among Adolescents Living with HIV in Zambia" title="The Impact of a Peer Mentor Intervention on Internalized Stigma, Mindfulness, and Adherence to Antiretroviral Medication among Adolescents Living with HIV in Zambia" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1833418/small/"/></a></p><p>Based on a step-wedge randomized control trial (intervention n = 136; comparison n = 137), this study investigated the impact of a peer mentor intervention for youth living with HIV aged 15-24 years in Ndola, Zambia. Using piecewise hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), change in internalized stigma predicted change in mindfulness, and mindfulness was a significant predictor of better self-reported adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) across both intervention groups. Intervention group membership did not predict rate of change in mindfulness, but predicted a reduction in internalized stigma and an increase in self-reported ART adherence. Following the peer mentor intervention, internalized stigma was significantly lower in the intervention group than the comparison group. Findings highlight the need to develop and implement interventions specific to adolescents living with HIV with a biopsychosocial approach that attends to both the physical and psychological needs specific to adolescents. Our findings support the inclusion of mindfulness-based components in interventions targeting ART adherence for adolescents living with HIV.</p>Parenting Styles and Psychopathic Traits Demonstrate Differential Relationships and Measurement Invariance across Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Male Offenders2021-08-26T20:03:07-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1833419/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1833419/"><img alt="Parenting Styles and Psychopathic Traits Demonstrate Differential Relationships and Measurement Invariance across Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Male Offenders" title="Parenting Styles and Psychopathic Traits Demonstrate Differential Relationships and Measurement Invariance across Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Male Offenders" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1833419/small/"/></a></p><p>Using a strong invariance structural equation modeling approach, the current study explored the role of parental styles, along with age and IQ, on the expression of psychopathic personality facets in a large (N = 734) male sample of Hispanic and non-Hispanic offenders. Multiple group confirmatory factor analyses revealed evidence of strong invariance across ethnic groups for the psychopathy and parenting scales (CFI = .95; RMSEA .03). Person-centered analyses examining psychopathic versus non-psychopathic cases demonstrated that the former reported greater levels of dysfunctional parenting, particularly abuse. Structural equation modeling results highlighted differential relationships between the variables of interest as a function of race/ethnicity.</p>"They Understand the Lyrics, but Not the Music": Differences in Prosodic Output across Psychopathic Subtypes2021-08-26T20:03:07-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1833421/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1833421/"><img alt=""They Understand the Lyrics, but Not the Music": Differences in Prosodic Output across Psychopathic Subtypes" title=""They Understand the Lyrics, but Not the Music": Differences in Prosodic Output across Psychopathic Subtypes" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1833421/small/"/></a></p><p>This person-centered analytic approach identifies homogeneous offender subtypes in terms of psychopathic trait profiles and facilitates examination of correlates that may be linked with specific subtypes. Prosody is an external correlate that contains a wealth of information relevant to disruptions in cognition and affect and may offer novel insight into different psychopathic subtypes. The current study examined prosodic output in a male offender sample (n = 469) within the context of the clinical Psychopathy Checklist – Revised interview (PCL-R; Hare, 2003). Audio recorded speech samples were drawn from offender responses to affectively-charged PCL-R interview questions representing differing levels of valence and arousal. Generally consistent with previous literature, LPA results indicated that a four-class solution yielded the best model fit for the allocation of individual cases to subtypes with high overall classification accuracy (85%). Results of external validation analyses using mixed effects multivariate analysis of variance revealed significant two- and three-way interactions (psychopathy subtype x valence x arousal) for both speech production and variability indices that helped differentiate the subtypes. Overall, the current study suggests that meaningful differences exist in terms of prosodic output within psychopathic offender subtypes, which may be related to dysfunction in underlying affective processes. Implications of these findings and future directions for research are discussed.</p>The Applicability of the PICTS-SV in Offenders with Severe Substance Use Histories2020-09-07T10:29:05-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1707337/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1707337/"><img alt="The Applicability of the PICTS-SV in Offenders with Severe Substance Use Histories" title="The Applicability of the PICTS-SV in Offenders with Severe Substance Use Histories" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1707337/small/"/></a></p><p>Two important developments are addressed by this dissertation. First, the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles-Simplified Version (PICTS-SV) was examined in relation to the original PICTS. Second, the vulnerability of the PICTS-SV to intentional risk minimization (RM) was tested. Two separate studies recruited a total of 150 offenders from a court-mandated residential substance use treatment facility. As expected, Study I established the PICTS-SV's good concurrent validity with the PICTS, especially at the broad composite scale level. For Study II, criminal thinking failed to show the anticipated convergence with HCR-20 risk classifications or forensic correlates. Potential explanations, including a restricted range of risk levels in this sample, are discussed. As a particular strength, the findings highlight that the PICTS-SV, in contrast to many risk measures, displays robust resistance to RM distortion, although revisions to its Df-r validity scale are warranted. These results overall demonstrate strong evidence of the PICTS-SV's utility for assessing a dynamic criminogenic need to inform effective interventions and accurate risk determinations.</p>Assessment of Feigned Neurocognitive Impairment in Retired Athletes in a Monetarily Incentivized Forensic Setting2020-09-07T10:29:05-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1707383/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1707383/"><img alt="Assessment of Feigned Neurocognitive Impairment in Retired Athletes in a Monetarily Incentivized Forensic Setting" title="Assessment of Feigned Neurocognitive Impairment in Retired Athletes in a Monetarily Incentivized Forensic Setting" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1707383/small/"/></a></p><p>Compromised validity of test data due to exaggeration or fabrication of cognitive deficits inhibits the capacity to establish appropriate conclusions and recommendations in neuropsychological examinations. Detection of feigned neurocognitive impairment presents a formidable challenge, particularly for evaluations involving possibilities of significant secondary gain. Among specific populations examined in this domain, litigating mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) samples are among the most researched. One subpopulation with potential to contribute significantly to this body of literature is that of retired athletes undergoing fixed-battery neuropsychological evaluations within an assessment program. Given the considerable prevalence of concussions sustained by athletes in this sport and the substantial monetary incentives within this program, a unique opportunity exists to establish rates of feigning within this population to be compared to similar forensic mTBI samples. Further, a fixed battery with multiple validity tests (VT) offers a chance to evaluate the classification accuracy of an aggregated VT failure paradigm, as uncertainty abounds regarding the optimal approach to the recommended use of multiple VTs for effort assessment. The current study seeks to examine rates of feigned neurocognitive impairment in this population, demonstrate prediction accuracy equivalence between models based on aggregated VT failures and logistic regression, and compare classification performance of various individual VTs.</p>Association of Trainee Psychotherapist Competency and Client Outcomes2020-09-07T10:29:05-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1707414/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1707414/"><img alt="Association of Trainee Psychotherapist Competency and Client Outcomes" title="Association of Trainee Psychotherapist Competency and Client Outcomes" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1707414/small/"/></a></p><p>Client outcomes in psychology training clinics have been shown to be generally worse than other outpatient settings. Although this finding has been repeatedly demonstrated, no consensus of cause has emerged in the literature. One possible explanation of such findings may relate to psychotherapist effects, a historically neglected variable that has received increased attention in more recent literature. Among psychotherapist effects researched, competency has emerged as a compelling factor worthy of more research. Given that most growth in competence occurs during graduate training, investigating the relationship between competency and client outcome offers great potential benefit for informing optimal training, nature of client symptom improvement, and a more accurate depiction of differences in psychotherapist effects across training and non-training settings. The purpose of this study was to explore the trajectory of competence development during doctoral training in health services psychology and to investigate the association of trainee competency to the psychotherapy outcomes evidenced by their clients. Practicum evaluations of 36 trainees and outcome data (using the Outcome Questionnaire-45.2) from 244 adult clients were included in analyses. Results of the study suggest there is a positive relationship between cumulative semesters of training and competency scores (rs[118]= .34, p < .001). Notably, there was no significant difference in psychotherapy outcome between low and high trainee competence. The results of the current study, relevant literature and limitations are discussed. Suggestions for future research are proposed.</p>An Investigation of the Influence of Attributional Complexity, Intolerance, Optimism, and Experiential Avoidance on Personal Psychological Distress2020-09-07T10:29:05-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1707413/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1707413/"><img alt="An Investigation of the Influence of Attributional Complexity, Intolerance, Optimism, and Experiential Avoidance on Personal Psychological Distress" title="An Investigation of the Influence of Attributional Complexity, Intolerance, Optimism, and Experiential Avoidance on Personal Psychological Distress" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1707413/small/"/></a></p><p>The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of low attributional complexity, intolerance, optimism, and experiential avoidance (EA) on psychological distress (stress, anxiety, and depression); specifically, the mediating role of EA in these relationships was examined. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was utilized to test the hypothesized model. The overall model accounted for 62% of the variance in psychological distress. The direct negative effect of intolerance on psychological distress and the mediator effect of EA on the relationship between optimism and psychological distress were found. These results and their implications, along with study limitations and future directions are discussed.</p>The PICTS, Trauma, Experiential Avoidance, Criminal Thinking and Behavior in an Online Community Sample2020-09-07T10:29:05-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1707261/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1707261/"><img alt="The PICTS, Trauma, Experiential Avoidance, Criminal Thinking and Behavior in an Online Community Sample" title="The PICTS, Trauma, Experiential Avoidance, Criminal Thinking and Behavior in an Online Community Sample" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1707261/small/"/></a></p><p>This study sought to generalize the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles (PICTS) factor structure using the PICTS-Layperson (PICTS:L) in a community sample. The current study also sought to replicate previous findings that criminal thinking mediates the relationship between trauma and criminal behavior. Additionally, this study sought to explore if and/or how experiential avoidance (EA) contributes to the relationships between post-traumatic symptoms (PTS) and criminal thinking, and criminal thinking and criminal behavior. Community members recruited through Mturk, completed online measures of PTS, EA, criminal thinking, criminal behavior, and a demographics questionnaire. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), which was conducted to assess the PICTS:L factor structure in an online community sample, demonstrated the hierarchical second order factor structure was a good fit after problem items were removed. Mediation analyses results found that criminal thinking mediated the relationship between PTS and criminal behavior therefore replicating previous findings. Moderated mediation analyses were conducted to determine if EA moderates the relationships between PTS and criminal thinking, and criminal thinking and behavior. Findings suggest that EA plays a significant role, particularly for women who endorse relatively low EA. These and exploratory findings, limitations, implications, and future directions for work in these areas are discussed.</p>Validation of an Outcome Tracking System for Use in Psychology Training Clinics2020-09-07T10:29:05-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1707394/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1707394/"><img alt="Validation of an Outcome Tracking System for Use in Psychology Training Clinics" title="Validation of an Outcome Tracking System for Use in Psychology Training Clinics" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1707394/small/"/></a></p><p>The ability to monitor client change in psychotherapy over time is vital to quality assurance in psychotherapy as well as the continuing improvement of psychotherapy research. Currently there is not a free and comprehensive outcome measure for psychotherapy that meets current research and treatment goals. This study took further steps to validate a suite of measures to aid in treatment and research, theoretically based in the research domain criteria (RDoC) and the phase model of change frameworks. Items previously tested in a community sample were further tested in a clinical population in psychotherapy training clinics and a community clinical sample Data was analyzed using bi-factor confirmatory factor analysis and multidimensional item response theory. Additional exploratory analyses were conducted to explore differential item functioning in these samples.</p>Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch? The Importance of Object Relations in Modern Assessment2019-08-29T10:25:12-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1538686/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1538686/"><img alt="Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch? The Importance of Object Relations in Modern Assessment" title="Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch? The Importance of Object Relations in Modern Assessment" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1538686/small/"/></a></p><p>The Social Cognition and Object Relations Scale—Global (SCORS-G) is a relatively new scoring system for the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) that provides information about an individual's functioning in a variety of domains, including intrapsychic and interpersonal. Participants in this archival study had been administered a variety of measures as part of a routine clinical assessment, including the TAT, Rorschach, Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2, and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. Selected TAT stories were rescored using current SCORS-G scoring criteria. This dissertation evaluated the factor structure of the SCORS-G in an outpatient sample with a principal component analysis (PCA), finding support for a two-component solution. The SCORS-G was then compared to well-established measures of personality functioning, social cognition, and object relations using correlational analyses, with mixed results. Lastly, support was found for using the SCORS-G as a tool for discriminating individuals with a history of violent or problematic relationships from those without such a history. Implications for card selection based on card pull and the impact of bland protocols were explored.</p>Bipolar Spectrum Traits in Day-to-Day Life: Ecological Momentary Assessment of Reward Sensitivity, Circadian Timing, and Experience of Reward in the Environment2019-08-29T10:25:12-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1538648/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1538648/"><img alt="Bipolar Spectrum Traits in Day-to-Day Life: Ecological Momentary Assessment of Reward Sensitivity, Circadian Timing, and Experience of Reward in the Environment" title="Bipolar Spectrum Traits in Day-to-Day Life: Ecological Momentary Assessment of Reward Sensitivity, Circadian Timing, and Experience of Reward in the Environment" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1538648/small/"/></a></p><p>The current study examined 236 undergraduate students in a week long twice-per-day ecological momentary assessment exploring the influence of baseline reward sensitivity and interactions between circadian variables (i.e., total sleep time, sleep quality) and daily measures of reward. Though primary study findings did not support reward sensitivity related moderation of sleep-reward pathways, a number of notable findings emerged. We found evidence of specific domains of reward sensitivity (anticipatory reward and reward responsiveness) which are uniquely related to daily experiences of reward. In addition, bidirectional circadian-reward pathways were found between sleep quality and daily rewards which suggests pathways towards reward-related engagement. Evidence also supported interactions between sleep quality and total sleep time on experience of daily reward, further highlighting the complexity of sleep-reward pathways and their relevance to mood symptoms.</p>An Examination of Risk and Resilience Factors Predicting Executive Functioning in Women following Psychological Trauma2019-08-29T10:25:12-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1538680/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1538680/"><img alt="An Examination of Risk and Resilience Factors Predicting Executive Functioning in Women following Psychological Trauma" title="An Examination of Risk and Resilience Factors Predicting Executive Functioning in Women following Psychological Trauma" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1538680/small/"/></a></p><p>Psychological trauma may affect higher-order executive functions, which include selective attention, inhibition, and task-switching processes. Difficulty in these executive processes can in turn influence individuals' daily functioning and may also negatively affect the psychological treatment of post-trauma symptoms. Women may be most at risk for developing problems with executive functioning following trauma, consistent with their overall greater risk of developing post-trauma symptoms. Yet, little is understood about the influence of psychological variables, premorbid functioning, and specific trauma factors in determining post-trauma cognitive functioning in women. Additionally, individual variability in susceptibility to psychological distress and neuropsychological deficits following trauma remains an open area of study. The present study investigated the relationship between psychological and trauma factors with neuropsychological outcomes in women with trauma histories as well as individual variability in risk for poor neuropsychological outcomes. In total, 60 participants' data (age M = 29.73, SD = 10.91) were included in analyses. The final sample consisted of 33 community members recruited from the UNT Psychology Clinic and the UNT student body and 27 veterans recruited from the Veterans Affairs North Texas Healthcare System (VANTHCS). Regression and path analysis identified premorbid intellectual functioning as a predictor of better neuropsychological outcomes and anxiety and depression symptoms as risk factors for worse neuropsychological functioning. Person-centered cluster analyses focused on individual differences in outcomes identified three groups differing in psychological distress and neuropsychological functioning. Additional analyses identified differences in trauma exposure, psychological functioning, and neuropsychological performance between subgroups of civilians and veterans and those with and without a history of PTSD.</p>An Experimental Study of Mindfulness and Acceptance-Based Skills for Internalized Ageism in Older Adults and College Students2019-08-29T10:25:12-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1538734/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1538734/"><img alt="An Experimental Study of Mindfulness and Acceptance-Based Skills for Internalized Ageism in Older Adults and College Students" title="An Experimental Study of Mindfulness and Acceptance-Based Skills for Internalized Ageism in Older Adults and College Students" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1538734/small/"/></a></p><p>This project explored whether mindfulness and acceptance-based practices (MABPs) for older adults would reduce the negative effects of ageism and negative attitudes and beliefs related to aging. In addition, state affect and stress were explored. This study used an experimental design to compare two groups of older adults and two groups of undergraduate students – those who received a MABP and those who did not, after being presented with negative ageist stereotypes. Condition and condition by age sample comparisons revealed several findings. Following the MABP, undergraduates who received a MABP had significantly lower ageism scores than did undergraduates who did not. Older adult findings were opposite of proposed hypotheses, with older adults having higher scores on ageism after receiving the MABP, as compared to the scores of older adults who were in the comparison condition. Differences in state mindfulness were seen between conditions, with the MABP condition exhibiting more state mindfulness than in the comparison condition. However, there was no significant condition by age sample interaction effect. Change scores for state affect after the MABP were non-significant at either level of analysis, and older adults showed no difference in digit span stress scores based on their condition assignment. Exploratory analyses revealed some research consistent, as well as nuanced, findings. These findings suggest that undergraduates may respond to MABPs for recontextualizing aging, discrimination, and stigma. These findings also suggest that older adults may employ different coping strategies when confronted with ageism in an experimental context when asked to reflect, as oppose to participate in MABPs. Overall, a need for aging education, experimental research with older adults, and empirical understandings of MABPs for age-related issues, is needed. Limitations and future directions are discussed.</p>External Validation of the MMPI-A-RF with Youth with Mental Health Needs: A Systematic Examination of Symptom-Based Correlates and Interpretive Statements2019-08-29T10:25:12-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1538766/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1538766/"><img alt="External Validation of the MMPI-A-RF with Youth with Mental Health Needs: A Systematic Examination of Symptom-Based Correlates and Interpretive Statements" title="External Validation of the MMPI-A-RF with Youth with Mental Health Needs: A Systematic Examination of Symptom-Based Correlates and Interpretive Statements" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1538766/small/"/></a></p><p>Over the last several decades, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory - Adolescent (MMPI-A) has remained one of the most extensively studied and commonly used adolescent assessment measures. Most recently, the MMPI-A was revised, published as the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory - Adolescent Restructured Form (MMPI-A-RF). Given the infancy of the extant MMPI-A-RF literature, the current dissertation sought to be one of the first criterion studies since the test manual to establish its relevant clinical correlates in a sample of youth referred for mental health services. Following in line with previous clinical correlate research, the psychometric properties of the MMPI-A-RF were determined. Under this approach, the present study bolstered support for the construct validity of the RC scales through the identification of clinically relevant, scale and item-level correlates. In particular, the RCd and RC4 evidenced especially strong convergent and discriminant validity. As a result, the current study highlighted the MMPI-A-RF's efficacy in detecting psychopathology along the broad externalizing and internalizing spectrum. In addition, the role of gender and its effect on MMPI-A-RF clinical interpretations were explored. Practical recommendations for ensuring a gender-specific approach to MMPI-A-RF interpretation were outlined.</p>Therapeutic Assessment as Preparation for Psychotherapy2019-08-29T10:25:12-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1538669/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1538669/"><img alt="Therapeutic Assessment as Preparation for Psychotherapy" title="Therapeutic Assessment as Preparation for Psychotherapy" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1538669/small/"/></a></p><p>This study examined the impact therapeutic assessment (TA) had on participants recruited from the UNT Psychology Clinic's waiting list. Using a pretest-posttest design, participants completed measures prior to and following their assessment. UNT Psychology Clinic archive data was used to compare this sample to clients who received traditional information gathering assessments with implicit measures, those receiving assessments relying on only self-report measures, and those who did not receive an assessment before beginning psychotherapy. The findings of this study vary based on the criteria being examined. Due to the small sample in the experimental group, no statistical significance was found through null hypothesis testing. However, the TA group's scores on the Outcome Questionnaire – 45 (OQ) and the Working Alliance Inventory (WAI) indicated better outcomes than those without a TA, with large effect sizes. Furthermore, those who received a TA were more likely than those without a TA to score below the clinically significant cutoff levels on the OQ. The study raises issues for consideration in what is deemed "effective" in therapeutic efficacy research.</p>Cultural Influence on Attachment and Psychopathic Traits2018-09-26T18:16:59-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1248386/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1248386/"><img alt="Cultural Influence on Attachment and Psychopathic Traits" title="Cultural Influence on Attachment and Psychopathic Traits" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1248386/small/"/></a></p><p>Individuals evidencing psychopathic personality traits have been shown to have problematic attachment to others. Moreover, research suggests that culture affects attachment style as well as the expression of various psychopathic traits using the four-factor model of psychopathy. However, the majority of this research has included only white college students, which is a limiting factor. The current study assessed the relations among attachment representations and psychopathic features across two independent samples (one adult & one adolescent) from different world regions (adults only), ethnicity (adolescents only), and gender. Using similar assessments of attachment and psychopathic traits for both samples, dismissing attachment was related to aspects of psychopathic traits in nearly all cultures and ethnicities sampled. In the world sample, secure attachment was found to positively relate to impulsive and parasitic lifestyle traits in all regions. Culture and gender were found to moderate several relations between specific attachment styles and psychopathic features. Overall, the patterns of data indicated that many of the differences found between groups may be rooted in individualistic versus collectivistic values, and were consistent with previous research assessing these constructs across diverse samples.</p>The Effectiveness of the PAI in Identifying Minimized Substance Use and Predicting Poor Treatment Outcomes in an Offender Population2018-09-26T18:16:59-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1248408/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1248408/"><img alt="The Effectiveness of the PAI in Identifying Minimized Substance Use and Predicting Poor Treatment Outcomes in an Offender Population" title="The Effectiveness of the PAI in Identifying Minimized Substance Use and Predicting Poor Treatment Outcomes in an Offender Population" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1248408/small/"/></a></p><p>The accurate evaluation of substance use is a critical component of forensic assessment due to the well-established link between drug use sentencing issues and risk of recidivism. Due to limited resources and chronic time constraints, practitioners typically rely only on self-report measures to assess substance use (SU) patterns. As these measures directly inquire about SU patterns, they remain vulnerable to response distortion. This can lead to ineffective treatment recommendations made to the Court and misuse of resources. The present study investigated the utility of the PAI and SASSI-3 in identifying SU patterns in offenders mandated to a long-term treatment facility. As a second major component, offenders were examined post-release to identify predictors for poor treatment outcomes. Results found the direct questioning approach best identified SU patterns in the present sample. In addition, while statistically significant differences in treatment outcomes were not observed between offenders who endorsed a more severe course of their SU problem versus those who endorsed a much less problematic pattern of use, they were trending in the expected direction. Specifically, offenders who used "hard" drugs regularly (e.g., cocaine, heroin), had more negative consequences directly related to their use (e.g., more arrests, prior treatment), and had a more complex clinical presentation (e.g., endorsing more personality pathology) did have worse outcomes by follow up. Methodological and statistical limitations are discussed in depth, and future directions to improve on this study and clarify these relationships are emphasized.</p>Impact of Yoga on Mental Well-Being2018-09-26T18:16:59-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1248451/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1248451/"><img alt="Impact of Yoga on Mental Well-Being" title="Impact of Yoga on Mental Well-Being" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1248451/small/"/></a></p><p>The present study sought to more rigourously explore outcomes of psychological well-being immediately following a psychotherapeutic yoga class. Specifically, the study hypothesized improvements in state anxiety and subjective well-being as well as an observable relationship between state and trait mindfulness following a yoga intervention, all while controlling for differences between yoga instructors, prior yoga experience, and participant endorsements of psychological symptoms. Previous yoga experience was not found to be a significant factor in any of the tested hypotheses. Findings revealed that psychotherapeutic yoga decreased anxiety and increased subjective well-being, even after controlling for therapist variability, prior yoga experience, and client diagnosis. Results also indicate differential impacts on decreased anxiety and increased subjective well-being by class instructor. This is the first study to examine outcomes of an ongoing yoga based-practices in the naturalistic setting of an outpatient counseling center while rigorously controlling for confounding factors (e.g. therapist variability). Methodological and statistical limitations are discussed in depth, and future directions to improve on this study and clarify the present findings are emphasized.</p>Interpersonal Functioning and Experiential Avoidance: Considering New Measurements and Their Implications2018-09-26T18:16:59-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1248425/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1248425/"><img alt="Interpersonal Functioning and Experiential Avoidance: Considering New Measurements and Their Implications" title="Interpersonal Functioning and Experiential Avoidance: Considering New Measurements and Their Implications" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1248425/small/"/></a></p><p>Interpersonal functioning can be conceptualized as being comprised of social skills, connectedness, social cognition, and intimacy. A concept that is related to an examination of interpersonal functioning is experiential avoidance (EA), which can be defined as an unwillingness to experience or remain in contact with unpleasant private events through attempts to avoid or escape from these experience. An examination of EA and interpersonal functioning has not previously taken place. This study thus sought to fill that gap in the literature. The availability of a behavioral-oriented measure of interpersonal functioning aided in this investigation. The relationship of EA and interpersonal functioning to depression and anxiety were also examined, in order to evaluate their relative contributions to psychopathology. Overall, it was found that EA and interpersonal functioning were significantly related. However, the dimensions of EA varied in strength with respect to their relationships with interpersonal functioning. Further, it was found that interpersonal functioning predicted unique variance in both depression and anxiety, and partially mediated the relationship between EA and both anxiety and depression. These results might guide the development of treatment programs and add support to the use of treatments with trans-diagnostic targets.</p>The Nature of Cognitive Impairment in Multiple Sclerosis2018-09-26T18:16:59-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1248461/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1248461/"><img alt="The Nature of Cognitive Impairment in Multiple Sclerosis" title="The Nature of Cognitive Impairment in Multiple Sclerosis" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1248461/small/"/></a></p><p>Cognitive impairment is common in multiple sclerosis (MS), with as many as 70% of patients with MS affected. Individuals with MS who experience cognitive deficits are less likely to be employed, and may have more difficulty performing independent activities of daily living. Most commonly, deficits are observed in processing speed, complex attention, and memory. Because lesion location varies widely among individuals, no clear pattern of cognitive dysfunction in MS has emerged. However, a number of risk and protective factors may influence the likelihood of individuals to develop and/or express dysfunction, though the contribution of each to specific domains of cognition has not been fully explored. Recently, support for the cognitive reserve hypothesis (i.e., enriching life experiences protect against cognitive decline despite disease burden) has emerged in the MS literature. The current study investigated the contributions of cognitive reserve to learning and memory functioning in MS and the interaction of cognitive reserve variables and risk factors known to impact cognitive functioning in individuals with MS. Finding revealed cognitive reserve protects against decline in the domains of processing speed and complex attention. Furthermore, indirect protective effects of cognitive reserve through these domains were observed for verbal learning and memory. Finally, in line with previous literature, cognitive dysfunction predicted employment status of the current sample. Clinical implications and future directions for intervention efforts are discussed.</p>The Predictive Utility of Personality Facets in Examining Risk and Resiliency in Transient and Chronic Stress2018-09-26T18:16:59-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1248471/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1248471/"><img alt="The Predictive Utility of Personality Facets in Examining Risk and Resiliency in Transient and Chronic Stress" title="The Predictive Utility of Personality Facets in Examining Risk and Resiliency in Transient and Chronic Stress" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1248471/small/"/></a></p><p>Chronic or prolonged stress has been shown to have deleterious impacts on mental health, physical health, and cognitive functioning. However, not all individuals show the negative effects of continued exposure to stress. Past research has identified personality as a contributor to resiliency, while also identifying it as an important predictor of negative outcomes, such as psychopathology. More recently, personality researchers have emphasized the importance of examining personality at the level of specific underlying facets, as it can provide a more refined and predictive picture than higher-order personality traits. The current study examined the predictive utility of personality facets in regard to risk and resiliency in high-achieving individuals exposed to transient and chronic stress. Results indicated personality facets provided strong prediction of mental health and behavioral functioning outcomes, and added to the understanding of the association among personality and functioning. In particular, hierarchical linear modeling analyses identified significant risk and protective facets prior to the inclusion of stress and also when interacting with stress. The implications of these analyses, such as identification of particular strategies for boosting protective facets and limiting harmful facets, is discussed.</p>Putting Bullying into Perspective: Peer Aggression as a Function of Perspective Taking, Empathy, and Psychological Willingness2018-09-26T18:16:59-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1248381/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1248381/"><img alt="Putting Bullying into Perspective: Peer Aggression as a Function of Perspective Taking, Empathy, and Psychological Willingness" title="Putting Bullying into Perspective: Peer Aggression as a Function of Perspective Taking, Empathy, and Psychological Willingness" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1248381/small/"/></a></p><p>Bullying has long-term negative effects on the mental health and wellbeing of everyone involved. School-wide interventions have been successful in some contexts, but they often require significant institutional and financial resources. Empathy is comprised of a cognitive component (perspective taking) and an affective component (empathic concern), both of which may be necessary for prosocial behavior. According to relational frame theory (RFT), empathy involves a transformation of stimulus functions across deictic relations (I-YOU, HERE-THERE, NOW-THEN), which also requires psychological willingness (i.e., psychological flexibility). The present study investigated this theoretical model of empathy based on RFT and the role of this model in middle school bullying. Results tentatively support this model by demonstrating two ways in which psychological flexibility moderates the relationship between deictic framing ability and empathy. The utility of deictic framing and psychological flexibility in predicting bullying behaviors was also examined. Deictic framing ability and psychological flexibility were expected to negatively predict bullying behaviors, and psychological flexibility was expected to moderate the relationship between deictic framing ability and relational bullying in particular. Additional research questions explored the roles of deictic framing and psychological flexibility in the relationship between relational bullying and other relevant psychological determinants: (a) parental discord, (b) social anxiety, and (c) social roles. The results of this study were insufficient to apply this model to bullying behaviors. Methodological and statistical limitations are discussed in depth, and future directions to improve on this study and clarify these relationships are emphasized.</p>The Role of Self-Criticism in Direct and Indirect Self-Harming Behaviors2018-09-26T18:16:59-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1248457/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1248457/"><img alt="The Role of Self-Criticism in Direct and Indirect Self-Harming Behaviors" title="The Role of Self-Criticism in Direct and Indirect Self-Harming Behaviors" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1248457/small/"/></a></p><p>Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a form of direct self-harm that involves willful damage to bodily tissue without suicidal intent; it includes behaviors such as cutting, burning, carving, biting, scraping, and scratching of the skin, as well as hitting and skin and scab picking. Engagement in NSSI has been shown to relate to a host of maladaptive states and outcomes, including depression, anxiety, poor emotion regulation, and suicidal ideation and attempts. Socially sanctioned forms of body modification (e.g. tattoos and piercings) have received less attention as potential self-harm outlets, but have been posited to represent similar physical outlets of emotional pain. Indirect self-harm, in contrast, can include behaviors such as substance abuse, disordered eating, participation in abusive relationships, and sexual risk-taking. Extant literature suggests that self-harm in either form is associated with higher levels of self-criticism than healthy adults endorse. However, few studies have examined self-criticism in each of these self-harming subgroups. Female participants were recruited online using Amazon's Mechanical Turk. Results from the present study indicate that 1) direct self-harming individuals are considerably more self-critical than indirect self-harmers and control subjects, 2) those who engage in multiple forms of self-harm are more self-critical than those engaging in only one form, 3) self-criticism did not significantly predict self-harming behaviors, and 4) there are no significant differences in self-criticism based on developmental trajectory of self-harming behaviors. Additionally, individuals with body modification (e.g. tattoos, piercings) did not exhibit different levels of self-criticism than those without socially sanctioned alterations. Implications, limitations, and future directions for research of this nature are discussed.</p>Co-Occurrence of Rape Myth Acceptance and Intolerant Attitudes in a Military Sample2018-01-27T07:36:46-06:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1062855/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1062855/"><img alt="Co-Occurrence of Rape Myth Acceptance and Intolerant Attitudes in a Military Sample" title="Co-Occurrence of Rape Myth Acceptance and Intolerant Attitudes in a Military Sample" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1062855/small/"/></a></p><p>Sexual trauma within the military is a widespread issue, and rape myth acceptance has been shown to contribute to its prevalence. Given that the military culture has been shown to lend itself to hypermasculinity and traditional gender role adherence, both of which facilitate aggression toward women, this effect warrants investigation within a military sample. The present study replicated and expanded upon Aosved and Long's (2006) study examining 85 veteran and active duty military members' responses on the Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale, Attitudes Toward Women Scale (short form), Neosexism Scale, Male Role Norms Inventory (short form), Modern and Old Fashioned Racism Scale, Modern Homophobia Scale, a modified version of the Economic Belief Scale, Fraboni Scale of Ageism, Religious Intolerance Scale, and the Marlowe–Crowne Social Desirability Scale (short form). Findings provide support for the co-occurrence of rape myth acceptance with intolerant attitudes, including sexism, hypermasculine gender role ideology, racism, sexual prejudice, classism, ageism, and religious intolerance, both individually and collectively. These results provide insight into the functioning of intolerant attitudes within a military sample, and provide important insight for future research addressing the association between rape myth acceptance and rape proclivity and the perpetration of military sexual assault.</p>Psychopathy in Male and Female Offenders: Validating the CAPP-IRS and Investigating the Impact of Gender Role Conformity2018-01-27T07:36:46-06:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1062832/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1062832/"><img alt="Psychopathy in Male and Female Offenders: Validating the CAPP-IRS and Investigating the Impact of Gender Role Conformity" title="Psychopathy in Male and Female Offenders: Validating the CAPP-IRS and Investigating the Impact of Gender Role Conformity" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1062832/small/"/></a></p><p>Recent conceptualizations of psychopathy are moving toward more inclusive, purely trait-based models. However, researchers continue to heavily rely on assessments of psychopathy that include categorical behavioral elements. The newly developed Comprehensive Assessment of Psychopathic Personality – Institutional Rating Scale appears to be a promising interview-based measure of psychopathy, but research on its reliability and validity is in its infancy. As a second issue, the vast majority of research on psychopathy, particularly in offender populations, is conducted with male participants. Nonetheless, the growing body of literature involving incarcerated females suggests gender differences in the prevalence and manifestation of psychopathic traits. Reasons for these differences are unclear, but some have proposed socialized gender roles as a contributing factor. With a sample of 52 female 49 male offenders recruited from a large, metropolitan jail, this dissertation evaluated the construct validity of the CAPP-IRS and examined the effect of gender role conformity on the manifestation of psychopathic traits. Results indicated that a three-factor model of psychopathy represented by antagonistic interpersonal relations, restricted emotions, and disinhibited behavior best fit the data. Findings further suggested convergent and discriminant validity for the CAPP-IRS. Additionally, masculine and feminine gender role conformity differentially related to psychopathy, but generally accounted for a small proportion of the variance in psychopathic traits. Recommendations for future research on the CAPP model and its assessment as well as implications for the clinical assessment of psychopathy in women are discussed.</p>Assessment of Competencies among Doctoral Trainees in Psychology2017-10-09T11:44:47-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1011814/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1011814/"><img alt="Assessment of Competencies among Doctoral Trainees in Psychology" title="Assessment of Competencies among Doctoral Trainees in Psychology" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1011814/small/"/></a></p><p>The recent shift to a culture of competence has permeated several areas of professional psychology, including competency identification, competency-based education training, and competency assessment. A competency framework has also been applied to various programs and specialty areas within psychology, such as clinical, counseling, clinical health, school, cultural diversity, neuro-, gero-, child, and pediatric psychology. Despite the spread of competency focus throughout psychology, few standardized measures of competency assessment have been developed. To the authors' knowledge, only four published studies on measures of competency assessment in psychology currently exist. While these measures demonstrate significant steps in progressing the assessment of confidence, three of these measures were designed for use with individual programs, two of these international (i.e., UK and Taiwan). The current study applied the seminal Competency Benchmarks, via a recently adapted benchmarks form (i.e., Practicum Evaluation form; PEF), to practicum students at the University of North Texas. In addition to traditional supervisor ratings, the present study also involved self-, peer supervisor, and peer supervisee ratings to provide 360-degree evaluations. Item-response theory (IRT) was used to evaluate the psychometric properties of the PEF and inform potential revisions of this form. Supervisor ratings of competency were found to fit the Rasch model specified, lending support to use of the benchmarks framework as assessed by this form. Self- and peer-ratings were significantly correlated with supervisor ratings, indicating that there may be some utility to 360-degree evaluations. Finally, as predicted, foundational competencies were rated as significantly higher than functional competencies, and competencies improved significantly with training. Results of the current study provide clarity about the utility of the PEF and inform our understanding of practicum-level competencies.</p>How Exposure to Parental Intimate Partner Violence Affects College Students' Dating Violence: A Structural Equation Model with Adult Attachment and Social Information Processing as Mediating Factors2017-10-09T11:44:47-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1011797/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1011797/"><img alt="How Exposure to Parental Intimate Partner Violence Affects College Students' Dating Violence: A Structural Equation Model with Adult Attachment and Social Information Processing as Mediating Factors" title="How Exposure to Parental Intimate Partner Violence Affects College Students' Dating Violence: A Structural Equation Model with Adult Attachment and Social Information Processing as Mediating Factors" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1011797/small/"/></a></p><p>The effects of childhood exposure to parental intimate partner violence (EPIPV) on dating violence (DV) were examined through two layers of mediations. Based on attachment theory, individuals who are exposed to parental intimate partner violence are less likely to experience secure parent-child attachment, which in turn transfers to insecure adult attachment that is prone to perceive significant others as less trustworthy and less reliable as well as higher likelihood of over-reacting and/or staying in an unhealthy relationship. In the second layer of mediation, insecure adult attachment would lead to biased SIP which in turn, would result in an increase of DV. A total of 327 university students participated in the study by voluntarily completing the research questionnaires. Among them, 253 reported having experienced mild to severe DV and were included in the final data set. The data analyses procedures included examinations of the measurement models and structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses. Findings from the final models best supported by the data indicated that EPIPV predicted both dating violence perpetration and victimization and that EPIPV predicted adult attachment anxiety and avoidance, both of which are consistent with existing literature. However, findings revealed that EPIPV did not predict SIP and SIP was not predictive of DV perpetration. In addition, neither adult attachment anxiety nor attachment avoidance was predictive of DV perpetration and victimization. For DV victimization SEM model, adult attachment anxiety predicted SIP, however, SIP did not predict DV victimization. Findings are discussed based on DV literature and attachment theory. Limitations, clinical implications, and future research directions are also outlined.</p>The Role of Self-Compassion in Posttraumatic Growth2017-10-09T11:44:47-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1011760/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1011760/"><img alt="The Role of Self-Compassion in Posttraumatic Growth" title="The Role of Self-Compassion in Posttraumatic Growth" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1011760/small/"/></a></p><p>Although the experience of trauma is associated with a great deal of psychological distress, it may also lead to meaningful positive change, known as posttraumatic growth (PTG), evidenced as progression in areas of life appreciation, intimacy in relationships, sense of personal strength, new possibilities, and spiritual development. Utilizing an acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) perspective, the current study explored whether self-compassion helped to explain the willingness to approach and make sense of a trauma, leading to growth. A sample of 758 undergraduate students completed online self-report questionnaires, and results suggested that self-compassion does partially predict PTG and support for how self-compassion may be understood in relation to PTG is provided. Implications of the current study's findings, as well as suggestions for future research related to trauma within a college population, are discussed.</p>Trajectories of Treatment Change among Patients with Major Depressive Disorder: Predictors and Associations with Outcome2017-10-09T11:44:47-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1011764/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1011764/"><img alt="Trajectories of Treatment Change among Patients with Major Depressive Disorder: Predictors and Associations with Outcome" title="Trajectories of Treatment Change among Patients with Major Depressive Disorder: Predictors and Associations with Outcome" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1011764/small/"/></a></p><p>Previous research has revealed heterogeneity in outcome trajectories among individuals seeking psychotherapy. However, questions remain as to the number, nature, and predictors of these trajectories. Therefore, the present study had three aims: 1) to identify heterogeneous latent groups among treatment trajectories of 212 clients with major depressive disorder (MDD) seeking psychotherapy at a community mental health training clinic; 2) to identify significant associations between clinical and demographic variables and group membership; and 3) to identify correlations between trajectory shape and positive treatment outcome. Prior to treatment, participants provided demographic information and completed symptom severity ratings. Once in treatment, participants completed a self-report of distress via the Outcome Questionnaire (OQ-45) at every session. Growth mixture modeling was utilized to identify distinct patient subgroups based on outcome trajectories among the sample. Three distinct latent classes of treatment trajectory were identified, providing evidence of heterogeneity in treatment trajectories among individuals with MDD. Baseline distress, pre-treatment work problems, and sleep difficulties were found to be predictive of an individual's membership in a specific trajectory group. Finally, specific shapes of change, namely early response and sudden gains, were associated with positive treatment outcome. Findings from this study can be used to identify patients at risk for treatment failure, allowing clinicians to intervene earlier to enhance mid-treatment feedback and prognosis.</p>Attachment Insecurity, Emotion Regulation Difficulties, and Mindfulness Deficits in Personality Pathology2016-08-31T22:41:47-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc862767/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc862767/"><img alt="Attachment Insecurity, Emotion Regulation Difficulties, and Mindfulness Deficits in Personality Pathology" title="Attachment Insecurity, Emotion Regulation Difficulties, and Mindfulness Deficits in Personality Pathology" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc862767/small/"/></a></p><p>A growing body of research has documented associations between personality disorders (PDs) and attachment disturbance, and yet, attachment disturbance does not necessarily guarantee the development of PD pathology. Thus, understanding the mechanisms mediating the relationship between attachment disturbance and PD pathology remains an open area of research. One area with sound theoretical and empirical evidence has shown that attachment disturbances are associated with emotion regulation difficulties, as well as maladaptive interpersonal patterns of behavior. However, the research conducted thus far has predominately focused on borderline personality disorder, at the exclusion of other PD domains, and also has not broadened the scope of research to include other relevant psychological processes that may clarify how personality pathology and attachment disturbance are interrelated. Using a large independent sample of college (n = 946) and community-based individuals (n = 271), the current study aimed to (1) examine how the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5) PD trait domains would be differentially associated with maladaptive attachment processes and emotion regulation problems, and (2) explore whether deficits in mindfulness and emotion regulation mediated the relationship between disturbed attachment and PD trait domains. Findings suggested that the PID-5 PD trait domains have general and specific relations to attachment insecurity, impairments in emotion regulation, and decreased mindfulness. Overall, the current study suggests that improving emotion regulation skills and increasing dispositional mindfulness may limit the expression of pathological personality traits. Implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.</p>Attitudes about Caregiving: An Ethnicity by Generation Approach2016-08-31T22:41:47-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc862741/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc862741/"><img alt="Attitudes about Caregiving: An Ethnicity by Generation Approach" title="Attitudes about Caregiving: An Ethnicity by Generation Approach" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc862741/small/"/></a></p><p>The goal of this project was to understand ethnic and generational differences in attitudes towards caregiving and expected burden while taking into consideration factors such as gender, generation, familism, and acculturation. One hundred and sixteen young adults (ages 18-25) and 93 middle-age adults (ages 38-62) were enrolled in the study. Participants included European Americans, African Americans, and Hispanics. Using moderation analysis, two hypotheses were investigated: 1) Ethnicity relates to attitudes towards caregiving, moderated by gender, generation, familism, and acculturation. 2) Ethnicity and expected burden relate to each other, moderated by gender, generation, familism, and acculturation. Familism emerged as a moderator in the relationship between ethnicity and expected burden. Results suggested that the strength of the relationship between being African American and expecting burden was less for those with moderate familism (R =.078), slightly higher for low familism (R = .176), and the highest for high familism (R= .261). Additional results indicated that the strength of the relationship between being Hispanic, as opposed to being European American, and expected burden, was higher for middle-aged adults (R =.23) when compared to young adults (R =.19). The current findings lend support to the recently established idea that familism is not protective against burden as it increases one's sense of obligation towards family (Knight & Sayegh, 2010).</p>A Comparison of Treatments for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms: Memory Specificity Training (MeST) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)2016-08-31T22:41:47-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc862863/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc862863/"><img alt="A Comparison of Treatments for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms: Memory Specificity Training (MeST) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)" title="A Comparison of Treatments for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms: Memory Specificity Training (MeST) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc862863/small/"/></a></p><p>The effectiveness of memory specificity training (MeST) was compared with standard cognitive processing therapy (CPT) in treatment of individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder. Eighteen adults aged 18-36 were randomly assigned to the MeST intervention (n = 9) or to the active control group (n = 9) of CPT. Both treatments were administered in group format across 6 weeks. MeST consisted of 6 weekly sessions, while CPT consisted of 12 biweekly sessions. The trial was undertaken in the Psychology Clinic of the University of North Texas, with randomization to conditions accomplished via computer random number generator. The primary outcome measure was change in PTSD symptoms post-treatment from baseline. Sixteen individuals (13 women and 3 men; MeST n = 8 and CPT n = 8) completed treatment and their data was analyzed. MeST significantly decreased PTSD symptomology at post-treatment and these results were maintained at 3 months post-treatment. MeST was found to be as effective as the established CPT intervention at reducing PTSD symptomology. Both MeST and CPT significantly increased participants' ability to specify memories upon retrieval at post-treatment, with results maintained at follow-up. There were no significant effects of MeST or CPT in ability to increase overall controlled cognitive processing at post-treatment or follow-up. No individual in either group reported any adverse effects during treatment or at 3 months follow-up. MeST appears to hold promise as an efficacious treatment option for PTSD. MeST was as effective as CPT in reducing symptoms of PTSD, but required only half the number of treatment sessions to accomplish these gains. Replication of these findings in larger samples is encouraged.</p>