Theses and Dissertations
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Item Surviving Sexual Assault Together: Partners’ Perceptions of Posttraumatic Stress and Relationship Distress(Washburn University, 2023-04-12) Swearingen, Holly B.Sexual assault (SA) survivors at risk for posttraumatic stress disorder can experience relationship distress that impacts their partner (Burden et al., 2020; Renshaw et al., 2012; 2018). While no research exists on SA partners’ perceptions of relationship distress, parallel studies of military veterans and their spouses show veterans’ PTSD symptoms may be misinterpreted by spouses as relationship distress (Ahrens & Campbell, 2000; Fredman et al., 2014; Renshaw et al., 2011; Renshaw & Caska, 2012). This study explored the relationships among partners’ perceptions of sexual assault survivors’ PTSD symptoms, partners’ relationship distress, and partners’ interpretation of the source of the relationship distress. Nonsignificant, small correlations indicated no relationship between PTSD perceptions and relationship distress, contrary to the hypothesis. Significant moderate to large correlations indicated that as partners’ accommodating behaviors toward their sexual assault survivors increased, their relationship satisfaction and communication decreased. The hypothesis that an increase in partners perceptions of their sexual assault survivors’ PTSD symptoms would be associated with an increase in relationship distress was not supported; however, the lack of relationship between PTSD symptom perception and relationship distress offers hopeful clinical implications for SA survivors and their partners. . Keywords: PTSD, relationships, sexual assault survivors, partner perception, relationship dissatisfactionItem What’s So Funny: Humor’s Impact on Third Party Evaluation of Clinicians(Washburn University, 2023-04-18) Brehm, JamesonThe current study could serve as the foundation for future research that seeks to identify the utility of humor as a tool within clinical practice. Humor has been shown to enhance wellbeing in settings ranging from healthcare to other workplaces. Findings from the current study support previous suggestions that humor could also enhance outcomes in clinical therapy settings. Prior to the experimental design employed in the current study, support for the idea of using humor as a tool to build rapport, a potentially valuable step in the therapeutic process, has been anecdotal at best. Therefore, the current study serves as an initial attempt to fill the glaringly vacant void of empirical research on this topic and can serve as a foundation upon which future research can evolve. The goal of this study was to apply an experimental research design to hone the focus on humor and its use in a clinical setting, specifically a 1-on-1 therapist-to-client individual therapy setting, and attempt to clarify how humor impacts client’s perceptions of the therapist.Item Resilience as a Potential Moderator in the Relationship between PTSD Symptomology and Suicidal Ideation and Deliberate Self-Harm in Veterans(Washburn University, 2023-04-04) Kovatch, JustineVeterans are at higher risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), suicidal ideation, and suicide completion. Non-suicidal self-harm is closely related to suicidal ideation and is also a concern among Veterans. The current study is a replication and extension of Marie et al. (2019) and examines resilience as a protective factor between PTSD symptoms and suicidal ideation and self-harm among a sample of Veterans. The study is grounded in the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (Joiner, 2005; Van Orden, 2010) and the Protective Factor Model in Resilience Theory (O’Leary, 1998; Fergus & Zimmerman, 2005). Veterans with PTSD symptoms who are highly resilient were hypothesized to experience little suicidal ideation and deliberate self-harm. Contrary to predictions, resilience did not moderate the relationship between PTSD and suicidal ideation or the relationship between PTSD and self-harm. There were positive correlations among trauma, suicidal ideation, and self-harm. There was also a trend for resilience to be negatively associated with self-harm; resilience was significantly negatively associated with suicidal ideation.Item Combining Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Therapeutic Lifestyle Change for Persistent Depressive Disorder(Washburn University, 2023-04-25) Monaghan, Kiley E.The following is a de-identified case study that presents the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD) utilizing interventions derived from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT; Beck, 1963) and Therapeutic Lifestyle Change (TLC; Ilardi, 2010). For the purpose of protecting the client’s anonymity, names and other identifying information have been changed. The name “John” is used to refer to the client within this document. When presenting for treatment, John, a 21-year-old Caucasian transgender male, was struggling to manage symptoms of depression. John was assessed with the Diagnostic Interview for Anxiety, Mood, and Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Neuropsychiatric Disorders (DIAMOND; Tolin et al., 2018), the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II; Beck et al., 1996), and a battery of self-report assessments. Over the course of six months, John attended 20 CBT/TLC treatment sessions. Psychoeducation, cognitive restructuring practice, self-monitoring, and behavioral activation strategies (including TLC) were utilized throughout the course of treatment. Following treatment, John was successfully managing symptoms of depression, and his scores on the Beck Depression Inventory-II had decreased substantially.Item Moral Injury, Depression and Suicidal Ideation: Effects on Service Members’ Families(Washburn University, 2023-05-07) Lauppe, Anna-Marie