Theses and Dissertations from UMD

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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.

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Subject: search.filters.subject.positive psychology

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Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    DO POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE EMOTIONS PREDICT OLDER ADULT WELL-BEING? PROSPECTIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH, SOCIAL FUNCTIONING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SKILLS IN A NATIONALLY REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE
    (2018) Hunt, Carly Ann; Hoffman, Mary Ann; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in older American adults. To improve both individual and population cardiovascular health (CVH), the American Heart Association (2016) has emphasized the concept of ideal cardiovascular health, which involves achieving ideal levels on several health factors (e.g., blood pressure) and health behaviors (e.g., exercise engagement). Using nationally representative data from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) survey, the present study explored whether positive affect (PA) relates to ideal CVH in 1266 adults followed over a 20-year period, above and beyond the effects of negative affect (NA). At present, the relative contributions of PA and NA on CVH remain unclear. The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotion posits that PA supports health by 1) broadening one’s repertoire of adaptive behaviors and 2) building personal resources, which could be psychological, physical, or social. From this perspective, CVH was explored as a physical resource that may build in conjunction with and following. Analyses also explored the extent to which PA predicts a broadening of behaviors relevant to CVH and healthy aging (i.e., volunteerism) and a building of psychological resources tied with CVH and healthy aging (i.e., positive reappraisal, or the tendency to locate positive meaning during times of loss and difficulty). Linear growth models were used to examine initial levels and change trajectories in outcomes, and post-hoc analyses were conducted using multiple linear regression modeling. Collectively, results suggest that PA is irrelevant for CVH and provide support for the well-established detrimental effects of NA on CVH. PA did not associate with volunteerism, and NA predicted lower volunteer engagement on average at the 20-year follow-up. PA, and not NA, supported positive reappraisal use. Results also provide evidence of the well-documented detrimental effects of socioeconomic and racial disadvantage on CVH. Implications for further research are discussed.
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    The Effect of Living-Learning Program Participation on College Students' Mental Health
    (2012) Fink, John E.; Hummel, Mary L; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    This thesis used Astin's (1993) I-E-O framework to explore how participation in a living-learning program as well as other college environments affected college students' mental health. Data from seven unique institutions that administered an additional mental health module as a part of the 2008 and 2009 National Study of Living-Learning Programs were used in this study. Independent samples t tests, chi-squared tests, and multiple regression were the statistical methods used to investigate three research questions with Keyes et al. (2008) Mental Health Continuum - Short Form (MHC-SF) as the dependent variable. The final predictive model explained 33.5% and 37.6% of the variance in students' MHC-SF scores in 2008 and 2009, respectively. Findings did not evidence a predictive relationship between students' participation in a living-learning program and their mental health. Several aspects of the college environment favorably predicted students' mental health, including ease with transition to college, socially supportive residence hall climate, self-confidence, sense of belonging, and sense of civic engagement. Other variables unfavorably predicted students' mental health, including identification as lesbian, gay, or bisexual, as well as emotional consequences of alcohol use. This study's findings offer implications for practitioners and directions for future research.
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    Supervisee Perceptions of Supervisory Focus On Strengths and Constructive Focus on Deficits: Development and Validation of a Measure
    (2007-07-10) Roffman, Melissa Stephanie; Hill, Clara E; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    The purpose of the present study was to develop and validate a measure of the constructs of focus on supervisee strengths and constructive focus on deficits from the supervisee perspective, the Supervisory Focus on Strengths and Deficits Inventory-Supervisee Form (SUPSAD-S). Participants (N = 204 for exploratory factor analysis, N = 201 for all other analyses) were a national sample of masters' and doctoral level graduate students in various mental health professions (e.g., counseling psychology; clinical psychology, social work). Data was collected through the use of an internet survey containing the SUPSAD-S as well as measures used to assess its convergent and discriminant validity. The overall return rate ranged from 44-46%. Exploratory factor analysis was used to assess the construct validity and explore the underlying factor structure of the SUPSAD-S. The final two factor solution retaining 24 items accounted for 63% percent of the variance. The first subscale, Focus on Strengths, consisted of 12 items (45.41% of variance) reflecting interventions used by supervisors to identify and enhance supervisees' strengths. The second subscale, Constructive Focus on Deficits, consisted of 12 items (accounting for 17.68% of the variance) reflecting interventions used by supervisors to address supervisees' deficits in a non-critical or non-punitive manner intended to help supervisees grow and improve. Higher subscale scores indicate greater supervisory focus on strengths and constructive focus on deficits, respectively, from the perspective of supervisees rating their supervisors. Evidence of good reliability (i.e., high internal consistency and two week test-retest reliability estimates) for each of the subscales was found. In addition, initial support was found for the convergent and discriminant validity of both subscales. Specifically, the convergent validity of the focus on strengths subscale was supported by its correlations with satisfaction with supervision (r = .71), the supervisory working alliance (r = .69), and counseling self-efficacy (r = .27) as expected. The convergent validity of the constructive focus on strengths subscale was supported by its correlations with satisfaction with supervision (r = .57) and the supervisory working alliance (r = .50) as expected. Discriminant validity of both subscales was supported by their lack of correlation with public self-consciousness. Focus on strengths was also found to be a stronger predictor of positive supervision outcomes than constructive focus on deficits. Implications for supervision practice and future research are discussed.
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    Therapist work with client strengths: Development and validation of a measure
    (2006-05-30) Harbin, James; Gelso, Charles J; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    Drawing from the positive psychology literature, the Inventory of Therapist Work with Strengths and Assets (IT-WAS) was constructed to measure the degree to which clinicians incorporate strength-based approaches in their therapy work. Two different samples were gathered in the current study; a professional sample (n = 128) and a university sample (n = 97). The professional sample was randomly selected from the 2005 membership directory of Divisions 17 (Counseling Psychology), 29 (Psychotherapy), and 42 (Independent Practice) of the American Psychological Association (APA), and resulted in a 51% return rate. The university sample consisted of graduate students in counseling related fields as well as faculty and counseling center staff at a large Mid-Atlantic university; the return rate for this sample was 62%. T-test results found no significant differences between samples on IT-WAS scores, and thus samples were combined for analyses. Three factors (Theory of Intervention, Strength Assessment, & Supporting Progress) were extracted by factor analysis, accounting for 52% of the total variance. The IT-WAS demonstrated very good internal consistency (α = .96) and test-retest reliability (r = .83). Scale validity was supported by positive associations between the IT-WAS and measures of favorable attitudes toward human nature, benevolent world assumptions, as well as therapist work with the strengths of a most recent client. Most therapists generally conducted strength-based clinical work to a high degree, supporting propositions made by Seligman (2002; Seligman & Peterson, 2003). Cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, multicultural, and feminist theoretical orientations were positively related to the IT-WAS, while psychodynamic and psychoanalytic theoretical orientations were negatively correlated to the IT-WAS. No differences between clinical and counseling psychologists were found on IT-WAS scores. Implications of therapist work with client strengths are discussed and areas for future research are provided.