Theses and Dissertations from UMD
Permanent URI for this communityhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/2
New submissions to the thesis/dissertation collections are added automatically as they are received from the Graduate School. Currently, the Graduate School deposits all theses and dissertations from a given semester after the official graduation date. This means that there may be up to a 4 month delay in the appearance of a give thesis/dissertation in DRUM
More information is available at Theses and Dissertations at University of Maryland Libraries.
Browse
123 results
Search Results
Item Colonial Mentality and the Intersectional Experiences of LGBTQ+ Filipina/x/o Americans(2024) Pease, M Valle; Mohr, Jonathan; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)LGBTQ+ Filipina/x/o Americans have unique experiences due to being at the intersection of racial and sexual/gender marginalization in the United States as well as a complex history of colonialism. The internalization of colonial messages, or colonial mentality, has been linked to mental health in Filipino communities (David et al., 2022). Colonial ideologies include stigmatizing beliefs against gender and sexual diversity and thus have a particular significance for the oppression of LGBTQ+ people. However, no quantitative studies have examined colonial mentality or, more broadly, intersectional experiences in LGBTQ+ Filipino Americans. In a cross-sectional sample of 160 LGBTQ+ Filipino Americans (Mean Age = 26.4), the effect of intersectional discrimination on psychological distress mediated by colonial mentality and identity conflicts was examined, as well as the potential moderating effect of resistance and empowerment against oppression. Analyses found a significant serial mediation such that intersectional discrimination was positively associated with colonial mentality, which was positively associated with conflicts in allegiances, which in turn was positively associated with psychological distress (β = .01, 95% CI: [.0004, .03]). Resistance and empowerment significantly moderated the association between intersectional discrimination and both conflicts in allegiances and psychological distress, such that the impact of discrimination was non-significant for people at high levels of resistance and empowerment. This research has implications for understanding how different histories of oppression impact multiply marginalized groups, which can inform clinical work and efforts to advance decolonization and liberation for marginalized communities.Item INTERSECTIONAL EXPLORATION OF BLACK MEN’S GENDER IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT AND EXPRESSIONS(2024) Moore, Daniel K.; Worthington, Roger L; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Gender identities and expressions of men from minoritized racial and ethnic backgrounds often differ from those outlined in Traditional Masculinity Ideologies (TMI). These differences have been highlighted by scholars who have advocated for intersectional approaches to exploring masculinities. Recent intersectional inquiries into Black masculinity and Black manhood have provided insights into the unique expression of masculinity Black men have developed. This study sought to extend the understanding of existing intersectional explorations of Black manhood and Black masculinity through qualitative inquiry. Additionally, it attended to the impact of religion, spirituality, and sexual orientation in its analysis of Black men’s intersectional identity development and expression. Findings indicated that Black men often described their experiences in terms of either race or gender, but rarely in terms of intersectional identity. A theory of racialized gender identity development and expression for Black men is posited based on the integration of extant theories of racial and gender identity development, ego identity development, as well as intersectional approaches to stereotyping and prejudice. Implications for research and practice are provided.Item APPLICATION OF THE CAREER SELF MANAGEMENT MODEL TO WORKPLACE SELF ADVOCACY: THE ROLES OF ATTACHMENT, OUTCOME EXPECTATIONS, AND GENDER(2024) Moturu, Bhanu Priya; Lent, Robert W; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The literature applying attachment theory to career development has grown rapidly in recent years (Yip et al., 2018), reflecting the recognition of attachment dynamics as an important factor in career exploration and management. The social cognitive career self-management model (Lent & Brown, 2013) has recently been applied to the study of self-advocacy (Moturu & Lent, 2023), which was seen as one important way in which workers exercise agency in their career behavior. This study integrated attachment theory with workplace self-advocacy and the CSM model. It also included development of a new measure of self-assertive outcome expectations at work (SAOW). Participants were 687 full-time employees who completed an online survey. The sample was divided into distinct measurement development and theory testing phases. An initial exploratory factor analysis (N = 200) found that SAOW contained two separate but highly related factors, positive and negative outcome expectations. It also provided initial support for the factor structure, validity, and reliability of the SAOW scale. Compared to men, women were found to have higher negative expectations and lower self-efficacy when they advocate for themselves. Results of a structural path analysis indicated that secure base support, attachment anxiety, and attachment avoidance were predictive of self-assertive efficacy and outcome expectations, which in turn predicted advocacy behaviors (e.g., self-promotion) and career outcomes (e.g., career satisfaction). I describe the findings in detail, discuss the utility of the SAOW measure, and consider the study’s implications for theory, research, and practice with adult workers.Item Decolonizing in Individual Psychotherapy: A Qualitative Exploration(2024) Bansal, Priya; Hill, Clara E; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)We interviewed 12 therapists experienced in practicing decolonizing about their understanding of decolonizing and its relevance to therapy, as well as how they implemented this approach with at least one client. Interviews were analyzed using Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) and revealed that colonial paradigms had negative individual, relational, and societal impacts; therapists used a range of interventions aligned with decolonizing, including interventions to help clients gain insight about the systemic context of psychological problems and to facilitate client resistance of colonial ideologies; sociocultural identity interactions between therapist and client considerably shaped the therapy work; therapists encountered conceptual, practical, and systemic barriers to decolonizing practice; and clients experienced improvements across intrapersonal and interpersonal functioning. Implications for practice and research are discussed.Item PREDICTING PSYCHOLOGICAL ADJUSTMENT IN GRIEF: CROSS-NATIONAL DIFFERENCES AMONG KOREANS AND AMERICANS(2023) Yang, NaYeon; O'Brien, Karen M.; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Grieving the death of a significant individual is a universal experience. However, the rituals, beliefs, and meanings surrounding death are shaped by one’s cultural values. Recent scholars stressed the importance of recognizing cultural differences in bereavement, as Western-centric perspectives on grief in the bereavement literature could adversely affect clients with different cultural backgrounds (Rosenblatt, 2008). Prior research demonstrated that the constructs contributing to healthy grieving may differ across cultures. Specifically, continuing bonds, meaning-making, and social support have been identified as three constructs associated with bereaved individuals’ psychological adjustment in several cultures (e.g., Gillies et al., 2015; Kim et al., 2008; Scholtes & Browne, 2015; Yang & Lee, 2020). Thus, the purpose of the present study was to examine the similarities and differences in the relations among psychological distress, salient grief-related variables (i.e., internalized/externalized continuing bonds, meaning-making, and implicit/explicit social support), and psychological adjustment among Koreans and Americans during their grieving process. The data were collected in the United States and South Korea. The results indicated that psychological distress and one subscale of meaning-making (i.e., emptiness and meaninglessness) were associated with psychological adjustment for both US and Korean bereaved individuals. For US bereaved individuals, externalized continuing bonds and one subscale of meaning-making (i.e., being present) were positively associated with psychological adjustment, whereas one subscale of meaning-making (i.e., sense of peace) was negatively associated with psychological adjustment. For Korean individuals, implicit social support was positively associated with psychological adjustment. Overall, the results indicated that there may be both universal and culturally unique aspects of grieving. Clinical implications and future research considerations are discussed.Item AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM: THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN RACIAL MICROAGGRESSIONS, COPING, AND HEALTH AMONG BLACK COLLEGE STUDENTS(2024) Brown, Rabia; Lewis, Jioni A.; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Black college students endure racial microaggressions in higher education, and current research highlights how racial microaggressions can negatively impact the health of Black college students. The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations between racial microaggressions in higher education, coping strategies (education/advocacy, resistance, detachment, drug/alcohol use, and internalization), and health quality in Black college students. Participants included 155 Black college students that took an online survey as a part of a larger study conducted at a large Southeastern historically white university. Results from the hierarchical linear regression analyses indicated that racial microaggressions were significantly and negatively associated with mental and physical health quality in Black college students. Additionally, results from the mediation analyses found that detachment coping significantly mediated the association between racial microaggressions and mental health in Black college students. This study provides further evidence of the negative impact of racial microaggressions on the health and well-being of Black college students.Item Real Partnership is Powerful: Understanding What Women Want and What They Know About Family Work and Communication(2024) Trovato, Karoline Joy; O'Brien, Karen M; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Women provide the vast majority of unpaid family care, resulting in relationship dissatisfaction, depressive symptoms, thwarted career advancement, and diminished earning power (Cooke & Hook, 2018; Jung & O’Brien, 2019; Woods et al., 2019). The PARTNERS video intervention (Trovato & O’Brien, 2022) was created to educate heterosexual college women about family work distribution and healthy partner communication. The intervention was effective in improving knowledge of family work and communication and enhancing confidence in communicating with a partner for 303 college women. This study builds upon prior research by Trovato and O’Brien (2022) to assess specific differences in knowledge of family work, desired partner characteristics, and communication resulting from the PARTNERS intervention, as well as to identify ways to improve the PARTNERS intervention. Results of this study indicated that that the PARTNERS intervention educated undergraduate women about family work inequity between women and men and the effect of family work distribution on women’s relationship satisfaction, changed their desired partner characteristics to align with communication-related factors, and taught women key PARTNERS communication strategies. Future directions for research and clinical implications are discussed.Item Therapist Cultural Humility, Black LGB Identity Centrality, and Therapeutic Outcomes in Black LGB Adults.(2023) Teran Hernandez, Manuel; Shin, Richard Q.; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Black lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adults experience discrimination at individual and institutional levels (Page et al., 2020) in part due to simultaneous experiences of anti-Black racism and heterosexism. Despite this, Black LGB adults continue to underutilize therapeutic services and also report high rates of premature termination from therapy (Garrett-Walker & Longmire-Avital, 2018). The current study advances the literature by investigating the association between therapist cultural humility, Black LGB centrality, and therapeutic outcomes among Black LGB adults. A sample of Black LGB adults (N = 157) participated in an online survey to respond to measures on demographic information, therapist cultural humility, centrality with their race x sexual orientation (Black LGB centrality), and therapeutic outcomes. Results showed that therapist cultural humility was a significant predictor of therapist satisfaction but not future utilization of counseling services while controlling for age and socioeconomic status among Black LGB adults. The analyses found that Black LGB centrality was not a significant moderator in the association between therapist cultural humility and therapist satisfaction, and only significant in the relation between future utilization of counseling services for participants who reported high levels of Black LGB centrality. Recommendations for future clinical practice and research efforts are provided.Item Cultural Humility and Outcome Rating Scale: Multilevel Mediation Effects of Dyadic Working Alliance(2023) Dixon, Katherine Morales; Kivlighan Jr., Dennis M.; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Abstract Current psychotherapy research on cultural humility (CH) indicates that CH is positively associated with client treatment outcomes and that working alliance may mediate the relationship between CH and treatment outcome. However, these studies have used cross-sectional data and have largely ignored the nested nature of therapist-client data sets. To address this gap in the literature, the current study applied a two-level, time-lagged, Multilevel Structural Equation Model (MSEM) to a longitudinal data set and examined whether working alliance mediates the relationship between client-perceived CH of the therapist and client-perceived symptom improvement (Outcome Rating Scale; ORS). The working alliance was conceptualized and operationalized as a dyadic construct (Cl-WA, Th-WA). Results were mixed; contrary to predictions, sessions in which clients perceived the therapist as higher in CH compared to average sessions were associated with poorer ORS scores. This relationship between cultural humility and client perceived improvement was not significant at the between-client level. The mediation hypothesis was supported at the within-client level but not at the between-client level. Implications for practice and research are discussed.Item Connection in the Lives of LGBTQ+ South Asians: A Phenomenological Study(2023) Pasha, Amber Maryam; Worthington, Roger L; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Connection has been found to be an important factor for LGBTQ+ wellbeing as it pertains to the relationships between stigma, discrimination, and psychological distress, and LGBTQ+ people of color in particular are known to face intersectional minority stress at high levels. This study examined the role of connection specifically for LGBTQ+ South Asians, a population which is highly underrepresented within both LGBTQ+ and South Asian literatures. Fifteen LGBTQ+ second-generation South Asian adults, aged 19-35, were interviewed about their insights regarding connection and disconnection within their own lived experience. Interview transcripts were analyzed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis and revealed common experiential themes across the group of interviewees, which reflected three distinct forms of connection participants deemed as distinctly meaningful: i) interpersonal connections and context ii) intrapersonal connection, and iii) indirect connection. Subthemes reflected unique challenges, joys, struggles, and examples of LGBTQ+ South Asian resilience in each of these life areas. Implications of these findings are discussed for counseling professionals, higher education professionals, community organizations, and others seeking to better understand and support the wellbeing of this population.